VENTURE CAPITAL

Overview
Life can be tough if you are a venture capitalist focusing on the IT sector. But funds to invest have not dried up, and some investment opportunities remain, although both investors and start-ups will require patience.

Entrepreneur’s guide
How IT start-ups with bright ideas can catch the VC’s eye in the post-dotcom era.

Mobile applications
VCs are reluctant to commit funds to applications, preferring the enabling technologies.

Corporate venture investing
Despite the reverses of the past year, many big-name IT companies see venture funding as indispensable.

American VCs in London
Why Bruce Dunlevie of Benchmark and John Fisher of Draper Fisher Jurvetson have switched from Silicon Valley to Europe’s financial capital.

Portfolio management
US venture capital companies are rolling up their sleeves and taking direct managerial roles at start-ups.

Exit strategies
The methods used by VCs to eventually cash outand profit from their early stage investments are changing radically.

Investment in ASPs
The cold winds of an investment freeze are blowing through the application service provider sector.

INTERVIEWS & COUNTRY PROFILES

Interviews
Leading VCs on both sides of the Atlantic give their views on future prospects: Jacques Garaíalde of Carlyle Europe Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital’s Michael Moritz, and Martin Gagen at 3i.

Country profiles
Articles on the IT venture capital scene in Germany, a relative latecomer to VC, and Spain, where many VCs are nursing a big headache.

OTHER FEATURES

View from the Top
Symantec's chief executive John Thompson stays focused on long-term goals; plus our regular news update.

Sales cycle disrupted
The final months of the year are usually an exciting time for the IT industry. New products compete for attention, salespeople rush to close orders before year end, and the PC industry hopes for a pre-Christmas boom.

News digest
Windows XP, Microsoft's new operating system starts hitting stores this week, ahead of its official launch in New York on October 25

SEARCH ENGINE INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY
Please note that this theme has been held over until our November 7 issue because of space constraints.