Private equity firm IndiaVenture Advisors Pvt Ltd is expected to announce its first investment in the next few weeks, Chief Operating Officer Vikram Gupta said on Thursday. "We have identified few investments in the healthcare delivery and support services. We should be making some announcements in the next few weeks," Gupta told reporters on the sidelines of a conference. The average deal size could vary between $5-$15 million, he added. The fund has a corpus of $200 million with a focus on the healthcare sector. IndiaVenture is promoted by the founders of drug maker Piramal Healthcare Ltd, previously known as Nicholas Piramal India Ltd. (Reuters)   more »

US-based Global Healthcare Investments and Solutions (GHIS) is gearing up to launch a $500-million fund to invest in the booming Indian healthcare sector. With private equity investments in the domestic healthcare and pharma industry touching $400 million during the first nine months of 2007, global investors, too, have been taking an active interest. The fund will invest in companies providing hospital services, including diagnostics, radiotherapy, wellness, health insurance and loyalty programmes (behavioural modifications), GHIS president Jack Shevel, who was here to attend a three-day Technopak-hosted health conclave, told ET on Wednesday. Initially, the fund’s corpus will be small, about $50-100 million, and aimed at hospitals with a bed capacity of over 150 and critical mass. The fund would be launched in phases and operate for two years. “We expect to finalise the fund in six-to-nine months time,” he said. GHIS is also engaged in discussions with at least 20 listed entities in the healthcare space to forge a strategic partnership. The list includes majors like Apollo, Fortis, Max, Wockhardt and the Mallya group.   more »

PTC India Ltd will soon float an energy fund to finance power projects in the country, the company's chairman and managing director Tantra Narayan Thakur said on Thursday. "We have an in-principle decision to float an energy fund under the PTC's investment arm PTC Financial Services. We are in talks with the banks and financial institutions to tie up debt for the fund," Thakur said. He declined to reveal details like the corpus of the fund and the date of commencement. PTC Financial Services is also looking at raising debt for its project financing operations. "So far we have been only taking equity in power projects against the investments. But since the RBI guidelines prevent us from investing more than 20% of our net worth by way of equity in a single project, we are talking to banks and financial institutions to syndicate debt to invest in such projects," Thakur said. PTC India floated an investment arm called PTC Financial Services Ltd about six months back to invest in power projects. Australia's Macquarie group and US-based Goldman Sachs have 20% equity stake each in the company.   more »