ACRONIS ANNOUNCES FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT EDUCATION AND PROTECT KNOWLEDGE WORLDWIDE

To mark its 15^th anniversary, Acronis turns its belief in the absolute value of knowledge into the Acronis Foundation, which will promote learning and opportunity around the world

SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland. Acronis, a global leader in hybrid cloud data protection and storage currently celebrating its 15-year anniversary, today announced the Acronis Foundation (foundation.acronis.com). Created in honor of Acronis' 15-year anniversary and the company's founding principle that all evils are caused by insufficient knowledge, the Foundation is supporting multiple initiatives designed to stimulate education to gain and protect knowledge.

The first project is Acronis Schools Initiative, an international endowment that will fund the construction of 15 new schools in underserved communities around the globe during the next three years.

Delivering on Acronis' core belief

Constant learning, creating and protecting knowledge, and advancing technology are integral parts of Acronis' DNA. As a result, Acronis has been creating and sharing knowledge by funding research and technical training programs in communities where Acronis has research and development centers. For its 15^thanniversary, it was natural for Acronis to expand on this effort.

John Zanni, Acronis' President, explained, "Acronis believes that all evils are caused by insufficient knowledge. Knowledge is always good and has the power to bring real change in the world. That belief is a core component of what drives Acronis. The company was built to protect knowledge by protecting all data, applications and system in the modern digital world".

With the Acronis Foundation (foundation.acronis.com), Acronis funds programs that will spread knowledge to new audiences around the world.

Acronis Schools Initiative

UNESCO estimates that more than 50 percent of the world's children (over 617 million) are unable to reach the minimum proficiency levels of reading and mathematics. Acronis believes that every child has the potential to learn, giving them the skills needed to gain knowledge and create opportunities for themselves and their community. As the first project, the Acronis Schools Initiative will celebrate the company's 15-year anniversary by funding the construction of 15 schools.

"School is where the path to knowledge and opportunity begins," said Jochen Berger, Managing Director of the Acronis Foundation. "Technology is the modern language of opportunity, but without a basic education, no one can learn that language. Schools built by the Acronis Foundation will provide the infrastructure where students can acquire the educational skills to learn the language of technology needed to claim those opportunities, regardless of their social, economic or cultural background."

The Acronis Schools Initiative works with local leaders and non-profit organizations to build schools that meet the community's unique needs. School projects are currently planned in Latin America, the Middle East, South East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Five guiding values

As the Acronis Foundation spreads knowledge around the world, its work will be guided by five key values:

1. COMMITMENT - The success of each school will be tracked, and ongoing reports will be published of the schools' performance and community impact.
2. FOCUS - Every cent spent by The Acronis Schools Initiative goes toward school-building projects, while administrative costs are covered by Acronis.
3. APPRECIATION - Donors deserve recognition for their contribution, so each school will have a marker with their name and donors can attend the school's opening ceremony.
4. ACCOUNTABILITY - This is a charitable donation with a money-back guarantee. If a donor is not happy after the school opening, their investment will be returned.
5. TRANSPARENCY - Details about donations, expenditures, projects and payments will be fully visible to reassure partners and the public about our work.

Anyone interested in partnering and contributing to these efforts can find additional information on the Foundation's website, foundation.acronis.com. They can also contact the Acronis Foundation directly at foundation@acronis.com.