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                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

FIREPOND COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF BRIGHTWARE



WALTHAM, MA, February 16, 2001 - Firepond (NASDAQ: FIRE - news), the leading
global provider of integrated e-business selling solutions, today announced it
has completed the acquisition of Brightware of San Rafael, CA.

On January 30, 2001, Firepond announced a definitive agreement to acquire
Brightware. This acquisition extends Firepond's leadership in the eCRM market,
leveraging the strengths of both companies to create the first intelligent sales
and service interaction suite to acquire and retain customers. The combined
solution will enable companies to address the increasing importance of service
in closing sales. This acquisition is being accounted for as a purchase.

About Firepond

Headquartered in Waltham, Mass., Firepond (NASDAQ: FIRE - news) is a leading
provider of comprehensive selling and customer service solutions that help
companies more profitably acquire and retain customers. With its recent
acquisition of Brightware, the leading supplier of eCustomer Assistance
software, Firepond's combined product lines leverage patented intelligence
engines and proven automation technology to drive new revenue streams, increase
profitability, and manage customer interactions across all channels and
throughout the sales and service cycle.

Firepond's SalesPerformer(TM) suite of guided selling software products help
companies improve their sales performance across all selling channels, with
products for Web selling, field sales, channel sales, sales configuration, and
sales administration. The Brightware 2001 Suite, soon to be renamed
eServicePerfomer(TM), delivers superior online service experiences at every
eCustomer touchpoint, with Web, email and live assistance products.

Firepond - Brightware's global customers include ABB, AT&T Wireless, Compaq,
Continental Airlines, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Hitachi Construction
Machinery, Honda of Japan, KLA-Tencor, Sikorsky Aircraft Company, and Virgin
Mobile.

As defined under Safe Harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, except for the historical information contained herein, some
of the matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements
regarding future events that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The
following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially
from those described by such statements. These factors include, but are not
limited to: difficulties integrating Brightware's products and services with
those of the Company, fluctuations in worldwide information technology spending,
quarterly fluctuations in operating results attributable to the timing and
amount of orders for the Company's products and services, the Company's ability
to attract and retain additional qualified sales, engineering and management
personnel, the Company's ability to successfully implement its global expansion,
the timing of

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the implementation of the software in the customers' applications, market
acceptance of the FirePond SalesPerformer Suite and the Brightware 2001 Suite
and its components, the Company's ability to keep pace with changing product
requirements, factors affecting the demand for e-business sales and marketing
solutions, and those factors contained in the section titled "Risk Factors"
beginning on page 4 of the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No.
333-90911) declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

FirePond, Brightware and FirePond, Brightware product names are trademarks of
FirePond, Inc. All other product or company names are the properties of their
respective owners.


Contact:
     Firepond, Inc.
     Sara Michel
     781-487-8438
     sara.michel@firepond.com