Finance: quirky facts

The industry being quite small thrives on networking much more than any other industry...

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The industry being quite small thrives on networking much more than any other industry. This sometimes leads to strange situations where competitors on a deal can become partners and vice versa.

* Private equity traces its origin to 1946, when the American Research and Development Corporation (ARD) showed an interest to encourage the private sector to gather funds for soldiers returning from World War II. The ARD failed to stimulate sufficient interest but the event is considered significant as the first of its kind enterprise.

* The growth of companies like FedEx, Apple, Cisco, Microsoft was thanks to the private equity or venture funding they received in the 1980s.

* India's first private equity fair (IPEF 2008), organised by YEN Expo Pvt. Ltd, was held on February 27 this year at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai.

* IPEF 2008 provided a platform to over 25 companies to showcase their business and growth plans to around 150 Private Equity funds from India and abroad.