Dow Jones VentureSource: US investors put record $1.9b in Israel in 2008Venture capitalists continued to seek out investment opportunities outside the United States in 2008 as they put more than $13.4 billion to work in 1,416 deals for emerging companies in Europe, Israel, Mainland China and India last year, according to Dow Jones VentureSource. Investors put a record $1.9 billion into 210 deals for companies in Israel in 2008, up 19% over the $1.6 billion put into 227 deals in the region in 2007. Of that, some $1.3 billion, or 68% of all capital investment, went into 132 IT deals, nearly 30% more than the $1 billion invested in 153 such deals in 2007. Health care companies in Israel attracted $331 million in 2008, an increase of 4% over 2007. Energy and utilities companies garnered a record $167 million, up 149% over the $67 million invested in the industry in 2007. The data showed that the median size of a venture deal in Israel also set a record in 2008 and now stands at $5 million