FISHERS, IN - Autobase, Inc., the United States' leading provider of CRM/SFA technology-based solutions for the automotive industry, today announced that it has received an investment from Summit Partners, a leading private equity and venture capital firm with more than $5.5 billion in capital under management, and from W. Scott Webber.

Since 1988, Autobase has provided dealers with five generations of software, revolutionizing the way dealers sell vehicles. More than 12,000 people across the country go to work each day and use Autobase™ products.

Webber, who previously led CRM software company Software Artistry through rapid growth, an IPO, and a sale to IBM Corporation, will join Autobase as Chairman and CEO. Autobase's Founder and President, Bryan Anderson, will continue in his role as the company's President.

"My team and I started Autobase with a vision of helping every car dealer sell more cars, more profitably", said Anderson. "In recent years, our growth has been tremendous. Now, with the management expertise and additional capital that Scott and our new investors bring, we have a great opportunity to take automotive CRM to the next level."

Added Webber, "Autobase has established a leadership position among CRM/SFA solutions for the automotive industry. "Autobase has achieved a significant level of market leadership in this nascent market. With the resources that Summit Partners brings to the table, along with the continuing expertise of Bryan Anderson and his team, we would expect to dramatically increase the company's ability to provide world-class solutions to the industry."

Autobase Sales Center™ allows a dealership to build a database of customer information and then use that data to increase sales. The process of entering customer records is the most intuitive in the industry, allowing users to capture complete information at the point of first contact. Ultimate Logbook™ provides many of the same features, including letters, planners, logbooks, and reports, in a web-based product.

Summit Partners' investment comes at a time of rapid growth for the 15-year-old software company. The company now provides its CRM and sales force management solutions to more than 1000 dealerships in North America, the most of any company in its category.

"We've been tremendously impressed by the Autobase team, the success of their software, and the levels of satisfaction among car dealerships using their products," said Harrison Miller, a general partner with Summit Partners. "Scott Webber is an exceptional business leader, which we know from firsthand experience since Summit backed him previously at Software Artistry. We believe that with additional capital, Scott, Bryan, and the Autobase team have a huge opportunity to serve many more customers nationwide with their world-class solutions," said Miller, who will join the Autobase Board of Directors. Summit's Mark DeLaar, Vice President, will also join the Board.

Summit Partners is a leading private equity and venture capital firm. The firm has a capital base of more than $5.5 billion, with offices in Boston, Palo Alto, and London. Formed in 1984, Summit Partners has provided growth equity, recapitalization, and leveraged buyout financing to more than 250 companies, which have completed more than 100 public offerings and 80 strategic mergers or sales. Summit Partners seeks outstanding management teams that have self-financed their companies to profitability and market leadership. Summit offers equity and subordinated debt financing for transactions from $2 million to $250 million in a broad range of emerging growth industries, including technology, healthcare, business and financial services, and industrial and consumer products. For more information, please visit www.summitpartners.com. The business of Summit Partners in the UK is regulated by the Financial Services Authority.