E-commerce sector saw 31 PE/VC deals worth $298 mn

The booming e-commerce sector in the India has witnessed 31 Private Equity and Venture Capital deals in 2012, said a report from Venture Intelligence. According to the report, for the period ended September the deals were worth around $298 million. It also said that for the full year in 2011 there were around 36 deals worth $328 million.

Online retailer Flipkart was the number one player in raising capital in the e-commerce segment. The company raised  around $150 million from Tiger Global and Accel Partners in April. In 2011, the largest funding was raised by YatraOnline from Intel Capital, Norwest, Valiant Capital worth $45 million.

“E-commerce sector is still evolving in the country and there are opportunities. Technologies for retail segment is becoming an interesting segment because of the scale. There are opportunities for sophisticated e-commerce platform players, said Accel Partners, Prashanth Prakash.

Venture Intelligence, the research service firm focused on Private Equity & M&A in its report also said on a sectoral basis shopping and  retail accounted the major share of the total funding in 2012. The retail segment witnessed around $278 million in 27 deals as against $187.65 million in 2011.

Other sectors which raised funding were baby care products and travel which accounted for $30 million in 4 deals. The report also said that group buying sites which raised around $66 million in four deals  in 2011 didn't see a single round of funding in 2012.