VC investing in Internet-based Services, Mobile VAS

Chennai, Mar 08: Venture Intelligence is organizing Internet&Mobile Connect, a roundtable event on Venture Capital investing in the Internet-based Services and Mobile Value Added Services sectors. The event will be held on March 15 in Mumbai.

"The Online Services and Mobile VAS sectors have emerged as favorite sectors among Venture Capitalists accounting for almost 50% of all VC investments in the IT&ITES industry," said Arun Natarajan, Founder&CEO of Venture Intelligence. "However, there are several significant challenges facing these sectors - including business models, valuations, quality of management, etc. In this context, leading VC investors and top executives from Online Services and Mobile VAS companies will come together at Venture Intelligence Internet&Mobile Connect to network, discuss and share best practices."

The key themes to be addressed include "Internet Businesses: Is the boom for real this time?", "Mobile VAS: Time to look beyond Ring Tones and Wallpapers?" and "Raising&Leveraging Venture Capital".

The panels at Internet&Mobile Connect feature discussions between investing and operating executives on the following issues:

• How are these sectors going to shape in the next few years?
• What are the business models that have worked in other markets? Will they work in India?
• What are some of the India-specific opportunities?
• How can investors differentiate the winners from the crowd?
• What are the challenges for investors in these sectors?
• Where are the exit opportunities?

The first panel consisting of experienced investors and entrepreneurs - including Alok Kejriwal of Contests2win.com, Murugavel Janakiraman of Bharatmatrimony.com, Anurag Dod of Guruji.com, Ashish Gupta of Helion VC, Avnish Bajaj of Matrix Partners and Ashwin Damera of TravelGuru - will discuss the opportunities and challenges before the Internet-based businesses in India. The second panel - including Sandeep Singhal of Nexus India Capital, Alok Mittal of Canaan Partners, Sanjay Swamy of mChek, Arvind Rao of OnMobile and Rajesh Sawhney of Reliance Entertainment - will discuss what the future holds for the Mobile VAS sector with a special focus on new business models. The final panel - including speakers like Manik Arora of IDG Ventures India, Nitish Mittersain of Nazara Tech, Probir Roy of Paymate, Ravi Adusumalli of SAIF Partners Mahesh Murthy of Seed Fund and Sandeep Murthy of Sherpalo Ventures - will throw light on what VC investors are looking for from Internet-based Services and Mobile VAS companies and what it takes to be a VC-backed company in these sectors.

The event is targeted at executives from Venture Capital funds, Internet-based Services and Mobile VAS companies planning to raise VC financing, and related service providers. To register for this event, please visit http://ventureintelligence.in/ev150307.htm. For more information, email [email protected] or call +91-44-45534303.

Sources>