EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                Critical Path Raises an Additional $15 Million in
                      Private Financing from New Investors

SAN FRANCISCO (JANUARY 20, 2004) - Critical Path, Inc. (Nasdaq: CPTH), a global
leader in digital communications software and services, today announced that it
has signed definitive agreements for the purchase of a total of $15 million in
convertible notes. Investment entities affiliated with Apex Capital, LLC have
invested $11.25 million and an entity affiliated with Passport Capital, LLC has
invested $3.75 million.

         The investments consist of 10% senior secured notes, which will convert
into approximately 10 million shares of Series E preferred stock upon
shareholder approval. The Company plans to submit the issuance of these shares
to shareholders for approval in the first quarter of 2004, in accordance with
the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market.

         "These new investments are very significant for the Company and will
substantially strengthen our balance sheet," said William McGlashan, Jr.,
chairman and chief executive officer of Critical Path. "The going concern
qualification issued by our external accountants in December 2003 was predicated
on the Company's need to raise additional capital in the first quarter of 2004."

         The affiliates of Apex Capital and Passport Capital are new investors
in the Company. Their investments are separate from - and in addition to - the
financing transactions announced by the Company in November 2003. These included
the raising of $10 million in capital from General Atlantic Partners and an
agreement to convert approximately $33 million of debt held by a group of
investors led by Cheung Kong Group and its Hutchison Whampoa Limited affiliates.

         The securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of
1933, or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and may not be offered
or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from
registration requirements.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements by the Company and its
executives regarding a private placement of our securities. The words and
expressions "look forward to," "will," "expect," "plan," "believe," "seek,"
"strive for," "anticipate," hope," "estimate" and similar expressions are
intended to identify the Company's forward-looking statements. These
forward-





looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include,
but are not limited to, our ability to complete the private placement and
related transactions discussed in this press release, our ability to obtain the
shareholder approval related to the transactions described in this press
release, our success in raising sufficient capital to continue operations, our
evolving business strategy and the emerging and changing nature of the market
for our products and services, our ability to deliver on our sales objectives,
the ability of our technology and our competitors' technologies to address
customer demands, changes in economic and market conditions, unplanned system
interruptions and capacity constraints, software and service design defects.
These and other risks and uncertainties are described in more detail in the
Company's filings with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov)
made from time to time, including Critical Path's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for
the fiscal quarters ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 2003, as may be
amended from time to time, and all subsequent filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov). The company makes no commitment to revise or
update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or
circumstances after the date any such statement is made.

Note to Editors: Critical Path and the Critical Path logo are the trademarks of
Critical Path, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their holders

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CONTACT INFORMATION
         FOR REPORTERS AND EDITORS:                    FOR INVESTORS:
         Critical Path, Inc.                           Critical Path, Inc.
         Jim Fulton                                    Investor Relations
         415.541.2524                                  415.541.2619
         jim.fulton@criticalpath.net                   ir@criticalpath.net
         www.criticalpath.net                          www.criticalpath.net