Aozora Bank and Silicon Valley Bank Enter into a Joint Marketing Agreement to Form a Strategic Marketing Alliance

Santa Clara, CA -- April 18, 2001 -- Silicon Valley Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Valley Bancshares (Nasdaq: SIVB), announced today that it has formed a joint marketing agreement with Japan-based Aozora Bank, Ltd. This follows a $2.5 million investment made by Silicon Valley Bancshares to Aozora Bank in September 2000.

Aozora and Silicon Valley Bank formed a strategic marketing alliance to assist and expand business opportunities with emerging growth technology and life sciences companies, both in Japan and the United States. This alliance will enable both banks to expand their client networks in Japan and the United States through mutual client introductions and collaborative business promotion.

"Silicon Valley Bank's decision to join with Aozora reflects the Bank's overall global strategy of building strategic relationships with global financial institutions," said Harry Kellogg, Vice Chairman of Silicon Valley Bank. "Aozora's business focus on emerging growth technology companies makes them an excellent choice for Silicon Valley Bank in the creation of this alliance in the very important Japan market."

As part of the joint marketing agreement, Aozora will send an employee to Silicon Valley Bank's headquarters to collaborate on marketing efforts and financial opportunities. Aozora and Silicon Valley Bank will cooperate on public relations activities, marketing events and will establish links on each others' web sites.

"We are pleased to have established this joint marketing agreement with Silicon Valley Bank," said Tomochika Iwashita, senior managing director and senior executive officer of Aozora Bank. "One of our goals is to build Aozora Bank into the leading technology bank in Japan, and we look forward to joining with Silicon Valley Bank to accomplish that goal."

About Silicon Valley Bank
Silicon Valley Bank serves emerging growth and middle market companies in targeted niches, focusing on technology and life sciences, while also addressing other specific industries in which it can provide a higher level of service and better manage credit through specialization and focus.

The Bank operates throughout the Silicon Valley: Santa Clara, Palo Alto and Sand Hill, the center of the venture capital community in California. Other regional offices within California include: Irvine, Los Angeles, Napa Valley, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Sonoma. Office locations outside of California include: Phoenix, Arizona; Boulder, Colorado; West Palm Beach, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Durham, North Carolina; Portland, Oregon; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Austin, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Northern Virginia; and Seattle, Washington.

About Aozora Bank
Aozora Bank, Ltd., who's major shareholders are SOFTBANK CORP., ORIX Corporation and The Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance Co., Ltd., strive to answer the customer demands of the times by offering distinctive financial support and advisory services to developing companies with a high growth potential, as well as by making use of a variety of Internet channels. The headquarters of Aozora are located in Tokyo, Japan. More information Aozora Bank, Ltd. can be found at http://www.aozorabank.co.jp/.

SVB Contact: Andrea McGhee, (408) 654-3078, amcghee@svbank.com.