Conditions starting to look up for start-ups?

silicon.com's latest Hot Topic, all about start-ups, isn't just an excuse to showcase some interesting, innovative and - dare we say it - healthy tech companies.

Eighteen months ago, at the end of two to three years of frenetic start-up activity, we ran our European Entrepreneur 2000 special report (http://www.silicon.com/ee2000 ). Back then it felt like every other person with an idea, some decent contacts and the ear of a VC or two (but often just one) was 'doing an internet start-up'.

Then things changed. As some of our upcoming interviews with leading tech entrepreneurs in Europe and the US will emphasise, the market moved dramatically from extremely positive to extremely negative. And we'll be serialising eBoys, the chronicle of the Benchmark Capital team behind famous successes and failures such as eBay and Webvan, just in case some of those heady days are now a bit bleary.

Although that marked the high-point of activity, now is not a barren time for start-ups. A report today from leading UK start-up helpers Grant Thornton talks about a strong second half to 2002 and private equity firms having "significant sums still to invest".

Indeed, silicon.com regularly speaks to the managing partner of a leading European VC fund, one which raised $100m just as sentiment towards start-ups bombed. Over the past two years it has looked at some niche deals - many in mobile internet specialists - but is still eager for an upturn.

As today's report points out: "It is not in the nature of venture capitalists to sit on the fence for too long."

Over the next few weeks we'll be presenting relevant breaking news, the type of start-ups getting funding now, success stories through our ongoing 'Start-up of the Month' column and publishing a 'Where are they now?' file on some of the characters from 2000.

Just visit http://www.silicon.com/start-up2002 and be sure to let us know your views, either by posting a Reader Comment or emailing editorial@silicon.com.