Venture firms funded 219 Internet deals in the first half of 2005

219 Internet startups funded on the first half of 2005, average deal at $7.1 mln by ZDNet's ZDNet Research -- Venture firms funded 219 Internet deals in the first half of 2005, while the total for 2004 reached 413 deals, according to Thompson Financial Venture Economics research firm. The average size of Internet deals is also on the upswing, climbing to $7.1 mln in the first half of 2005 from $6.6 mln 2004.