Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil March 29, 2006 – An innovative new tool scoring the environment for venture capital and private equity (VC/PE) investing in 11 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) nations will be launched during the 4th Annual Summit of the Latin American Venture Capital Association (LAVCA). LAVCA’s Summit will be held April 1st in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

The 2005 Scorecard on the Private Equity and Venture Capital Investing Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean was developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for LAVCA and the Venture Capital Development Network of the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF). The 2005 Scorecard ranks nations including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, Colombia and Costa Rica against a matrix of 13 factors including restrictions on institutional investors, tax treatment, laws on fund formation, and capital markets development.

“This inaugural Scorecard reveals the potential for growing the VC/PE industry in the region,” said LAVCA Board Member Christina Kappaz. “Though fundraising for the region has increased over the past three years, further improvements are clearly needed to enhance growth. This tool will serve as a comparative guide to encourage reform and track changes over time.”

LAVCA’s Summit, this year themed “Venture Capital and Private Equity in Latin America and the Caribbean: Defining a Competitive Advantage,” is held annually in conjunction with the Annual Boards of Governors Meetings of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC). The IDB/IIC Meetings this year take place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

LAVCA’s annual event attracts above 80 leading international fund managers, investors, public agencies and service providers. 2006 participants include senior representatives of CVC International, Intel Capital, Darby Overseas Investment, IBM, Latin America Enterprise Fund Managers, EMP Global, Aureos Capital, Actis Partners, Advent International, SEAF, FMO, IFC, OECD, Norfund, MIF, IDB, Nacional Financiera of Mexico and the Finaciadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) of Brazil. The event host is the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF).