$20.42 bln of venture capital invested in 2004

Venture investments totaled $20.41 bln in 2004, up 8% from 2003 and making the first year-over-year increase since the technology market collapsed in 2000, according to VentureOne. Most of the money went to information technology firms, which got $11.34 bln, up about 9% from 2003. But the biggest percentage increase was in health care, where startups got $6.58 bln, up 11%.