The company is already reviewing select business plans for investments in the new vertical niche segments and official alliances are expected to come through shortly. ``While we as investors have stayed away from typical dotcom investments and are focussed on IT services, we are now taking an intensified and focussed approach to invest in IT/telecom infrastructure and product companies as India moves up the value chain,'' Loseff said.

Companies with a multi-layered value added business model, which combined the strengths of sound infrastructure, support services, content, etc, would be of special interest especially in India, Philippines, Southeast Asia and China, he added. The company's investment and incubation joint-venture with Bangalore-based Sivan Securities Ltd - Global Technology Ventures - has actively invested out of BancAm's capital toacquire stakes and incubate start-ups in the IT products and services areas over the past three months. The venture, which had been announced in March with a portfolio of 19 investments in start-ups had made close to six new investments, bringing the portfolio up to approximately 26 investee companies, Loseff said.

One sample: `Fixed wireless'
Banc of America Equity Partners has picked up significant stake in a Tokyo-based start-up operating in the wireless broadband area as part of its thrust to ride the emerging technology wave in the Asia-Pacific region. The company, expected to go on stream shortly, would focus on building high-speed wireless broadband access networks referred to as `fixed wireless' covering all of Japan, Loseff said. BancAm had become a part of the venture as early and would also invest in the second stage, he said.