Pramod Haque is one of the most revered private equity investors globally. Haque, a frequent in the Forbes Midas list, has invested in more than 60 companies, producing nearly $30 billion in exit sales value to date. In an exclusive interview with VCCircle, Haque, a former Delhi University engineering graduate who moved to the USA for a Ph.D. degree with a $4000 loan from his bureaucrat father and now the world's top venture capitalist, talks about trends in the Indian venture investing scenario.
According to Haque, the Wall Street is very appreciative of Indian consumer Internet companies, owing to its strong demographic favourables -- in terms of a growing domestic consumption story and a rapidly increasing disposable middle-class income. He also adds that the valuations, particularly for the consumer Internet companies, are extremely overbidden or overhyped and they will soon see a correction. He is particularly bullish on three sectors in India -- IP-driven companies which can automate IT services, medical devices and consumer Internet, although it's a little overheated. In a quick chat at the recently concluded VCCircle Bengaluru investment forum, Haque, with a childlike smile, added that valuations would follow a cyclical pattern and that the valuations, which had been overbidden, would soon see a correction. Full interview here ...
