219 Internet startups funded in the first half of 2005, $7.1 mln average

Venture capital firms funded 219 Internet deals in the first half of 2005, on path to top 413 deals in 2004, according to Thompson Financial Venture Economics. This is the first annual increase in Internet deals since 2000. The average size of Internet deals is also on the upswing, climbing to $7.1 mln in the first half of 2005 from $6.6 mln 2004.