The Indian healthcare industry, growing at an exponential rate, now presents an attractive investment opportunity for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) firms, says private equity experts.
They say the healthcare sector is growing rapidly with the rise in lifestyle-related and other diseases. A recent industry report sees healthcare, which is at present a $35 billion industry in the country, reaching over $75 billion by 2012 and as much as $150 billion by 2017.
“There is a huge demand supply gap in healthcare delivery business in India as there are few organised hospital chains. Pharma, retail, medical equipment, diagnostics services are businesses where efficiency can be brought in,” Sahad PV of VC Circle, an website which tracks deals, said.
Sanjay Arte, Partner, India Value Fund, a PE fund focusing on mid-size firms, believes there is a significant untapped potential for private equity and venture capital in sector.
“Long term capital of the kind that is provided by PE and VC firms will help in the development of an efficient and high quality healthcare services industry in India,” Arte said.
Moreover, a growing elderly population and rise in income levels are also pushing for better facilities in the country.
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VC Circle had organised an investment summit to map out the opportunities in the healthcare sector. The key discussion areas at the summit were the $50 billion-a-year healthcare opportunity, venture capital investments in healthcare, pharmacies, outpatient healthcare, among others.
The summit gave an opportunity to over 250 healthcare entrepreneurs and executives, leading private equity fund managers, venture capitalists, bankers and advisors to discuss the dynamics of the plethora of investment opportunities in the Indian healthcare sector.