Released on: May 14, 2008, 4:01 am

Press Release Author: Alex Williams

Industry: Financial

Press Release Summary: Annual VC Investment Skyrocketed in 2008 by 166%; in several
sectors Information Technology/Business Services & Retail. Hawkins and Doyle Inc.'s
Research Shows this trend continuing through ought the course of 2008.

Press Release Body: Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi (30 April 2008)-Venture
capitalists invested some $928 million in 80 deals for entrepreneurial companies in
India since early 2008, according to Hawkins and Doyle Inc.'s Analysts statements
today. This was a whopping 166% increase over the $349 million invested in 36 deals
in 2007 and easily the highest total on record for the region.

The report found nearly 48% of all venture financing deals in India were for
Information Technology (IT) companies, as 38 rounds were completed, accounting for
$384 million, more than India's entire 2007 venture investment total. The most
popular recipients of venture capital in the IT industry were companies in the
Web-heavy "information services" sector, which accounted for 22 deals and nearly
$141 million in investment. Among the deals in this area was the $10 million second
round for Bangalore-based Four Interactive, an online provider of local information
on food, events, lifestyle, shopping and more.

Shirley Doyle, "It takes relatively little money and little time for these kinds of
companies to begin generating revenues and, because of this, Web-related and
consumer and business services companies accounted for more than half of all the
venture capital deals done in India in 2008."

According to the data, the overall business/consumer/retail industry saw 30 deals
completed in 2008 and more than $346 million invested, a 92% jump over the $180
million invested in 16 deals in the industry in 2007. As said, the business/consumer
service area accounted for the bulk of the interest in this industry, with 22 deals
and $254 million invested.

India\'s health care industry, while still in its infancy, also saw increased
investor interest in 2007 with seven completed deals and nearly $100 million
invested, more than double the $41 million invested in the prior year.


"This is only the beginning for the venture capital market in
India," said Shirley Doyle. "In 2008, 79% of all deals in India were for seed and
first rounds and a lot of these companies will continue raising venture capital as
they progress toward profitability and liquidity. And because the majority of
investment is going to early-stage companies, we aren\'t seeing ballooning deal sizes
like those in the U.S and Europe where investors are focused more on later-stage
companies."


Web Site: http://www.hawkinsdoyle.com

Contact Details: Hawkins & Doyle Inc.
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Minato-ku postal code 105-0001
Tokyo, JAPAN

Phone number: +81 345 802 168
Fax: +81-3-4496-5000

info@hawkinsdoyle.com