Tech Industry Acquisitions

Everyone's obsessed with AI models. Smart money is buying something else. News about Salesforce buying Informatica for $8B made me research the data management space. Informatica cleans, governs, and ensures data quality. A critical piece that makes AI application reliable. Speaking to senior leaders about their AI initiatives, the data topic keeps coming up. AI is only as smart as the data you feed it. And right now, enterprise data is a disaster. Most companies operate like this: Customer data sits in Salesforce. Financial data lives in SAP. Marketing runs through Adobe. Product analytics in Mixpanel. Each system speaks a different language. None talk to each other properly. When they try to build AI applications on this mess, it fails. The AI makes bad predictions, gives wrong answers, and leaders lose trust. 80% of AI projects never make it to production. The reason: poor data infrastructure. What we're witnessing mirrors the railroad wars of the 1860s. Back then, whoever controlled the rails controlled commerce. Towns lived or died based on railway access. Fortunes were made not by producing goods, but by owning the infrastructure that moved them. Today's rails are data pipelines. And two competing visions are fighting for dominance: The Integrated Stack Players (Private Railways): Microsoft ($3T): Azure + Dynamics + OpenAI partnership Oracle ($500B): Database to applications to cloud Google ($2.3T): BigQuery to Vertex AI Salesforce ($210B): MuleSoft + Informatica These players want to own your entire journey. From data creation to AI outcomes. Like the railroad monopolies, they promise efficiency but want lock-in. The Open Ecosystem Players (Public Railways): Databricks ($62B): Betting on open standards Snowflake ($50B): Independent data cloud for everyone Elastic ($8B): Search and analytics across any platform Confluent ($7B): Real-time data streaming for all These players are betting on interconnection. Like public railways that any business could use, they promise freedom but require you to manage complexity. Consider what happened with cloud computing. AWS started open, then slowly made leaving more expensive. Enterprises learned that lesson. Many now insist on multi-cloud strategies. We could see similar hybrid strategies playing out. For smaller companies not yet trapped in this mess, two urgent actions: First, audit your data now. Count how many systems hold critical data. Map which ones connect. The mess compounds daily. Second, invest in data quality immediately. Whether you choose Salesforce or Snowflake, clean data is what makes AI work. Dirty data breaks everything. In the railroad era, smart leaders didn't just bet on faster trains. They secured the best routes. Today, the way to do that is with better data infrastructure. It's your foundational competitive advantage. Don't get distracted by shiny AI models. Invest in your rails first. Your company's competitive edge depends on it.

Think Zomato acquired only Blinkit & Paytm Insider? Well, you are wrong. There's much more to it. Zomato is building it's own ecosystem. From logistics and table reservation technology to entertainment ticketing, Zomato is building an ecosystem that meets various consumer needs. Acquiring Runnr and Sparse Labs enhances delivery logistics, reducing costs and improving customer experience. Acquisitions like Uber Eats and Paytm Insider expand Zomato's service offerings, increasing revenue streams. International acquisitions such as Urbanspoon & Obedovat help Zomato grow its global presence and user base. Blinkit and Fitso acquisitions allowed Zomato to enter quick commerce and health sectors, unlocking new revenue opportunities. Acquiring Feeding India highlights Zomato's commitment to social impact, enhancing brand reputation. With the acquisition of Paytm Insider, they would directly become the No. 2 company in the movies and events ticketing space, just next to BookMyShow. Zomato's forward-thinking and adaptability in the ever-evolving food-tech industry is truly impressive! A perfect strategic acquisition story covering each segment and ticking all the boxes.

☁️ 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. A $𝟯𝟮 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 to buy 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗪𝗶𝘇. The purchase eclipses the $12.5 billion Motorola Mobility deal and nearly equals what it spent on its top 10 acquisitions combined. 1. 𝗪𝗶𝘇 (expected in 2026): $32 billion 2. 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (2012): $12.5 billion 3. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 (2022): $5.4 billion 4. 𝗡𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝘀 (2014): $3.2 billion 5. 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 (2007): $3.1 billion 6. 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿 (2020): $2.6 billion 7. 𝗙𝗶𝘁𝗯𝗶𝘁 (2021): $2.1 billion 8. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗧𝘂𝗯𝗲 (2006): $1.7 billion 9. 𝗪𝗮𝘇𝗲 (2013): $1.2 billion 10. 𝗛𝗧𝗖 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 (2018): $1.1 billion 𝗔 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Last year, 𝗪𝗶𝘇 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲’𝘀 $𝟮𝟯 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿, betting it could thrive independently or go public. But Google stayed persistent, keeping lines open with Wiz’s leadership while competition for the company grew. When Google came back to the table, Wiz had seen its annual recurring revenue jump from $𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 to over $𝟳𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻, and the cloud security market had become even more critical. This time, the deal moved quickly—with Google outbidding rival suitors and reportedly offering a $𝟯.𝟮 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗲𝗲 Google would pay to Wiz if the deal collapses. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝘇? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗰𝗲 Founded in 2020, Wiz skyrocketed to become a dominant cybersecurity player, with over 45% of Fortune 100 companies relying on its tools. As businesses increasingly operate across multiple cloud platforms, security is a growing concern. Wiz specializes in cloud-native cybersecurity, allowing companies to detect and respond to threats across Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure. By acquiring Wiz, Google isn’t just enhancing its security capabilities—it’s making a play for large enterprise customers that use multiple cloud providers. Additionally, Wiz’s expertise complements Mandiant, the cybersecurity firm Google bought in 2022 for $5.4 billion. Together, they bolster Google’s position as a serious competitor to Microsoft, which dominates cloud security with $20 billion+ in annual revenue. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁? The deal faces regulatory scrutiny, especially with Google already under pressure from antitrust investigations. With a significant breakup fee, Google is showing confidence that it can clear the hurdles. If successful, this move could reshape Google Cloud’s security offerings, boosting its position as AI-driven cloud computing takes center stage. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿! 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬+ 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀. Check out our coverage of Alphabet's latest quarter. 👇 https://lnkd.in/g52r7C3h

Last month, ITC acquired Meatigo’s parent company Prasuma at a ~₹300 crore valuation. ITC will pay ₹131 crore upfront for 43.8% & a further ₹56 crore to increase its stake to 62.5% by April 2027. There are a few points to unpack here ⤵️ (1) The staggered buy-out has become the norm 💡 ITC has done the same w/ Yogabar — ₹175 crore for 39.4% upfront stake on March 31st 2023 & a further ₹80 crore for 47.5% of business by March 31st 2025 Marico has done this w/ Plix — acquired 32.75% stake in May 2023 & a further 25.25% in tranches until May 2025 (2) Why does the staggered buy-out make sense? 🤔 In FMCG, typically the acquirer will provide their distribution muscle & network behind the target brand — which results in a sharp spike in Sales & quicker path to profit. For the founder: They have an option to participate in the upside when the acquirer (e.g. ITC) unlocks distribution — of course, terms of purchase would be pre-agreed. For the acquirer: It de-risks the entire take-over process; founder remains involved during the transition period. IF the growth plan doesn’t work out, the total capital outlay is lower. (3) Prasuma is part of ITC’s ‘Next’ Strategy (2018) 🧠 Prasuma runs 3 sub-brands — ‘Prasuma’ (ready to cook), ‘Meatigo by Prasuma’ (non-veg produce) and ‘Prasuma Momo Kitchen’ (a QSR) ITC doesn’t have a dominant hold over the meats market — their Master Chef products range is NOT a category leader. Prasuma will augment this range. The idea of ITC Next is to find new growth drivers and invest in R&D — acquisitions like Prasuma, Yogabar, Savlon etc are a key part of this strategy. ➡️ Message is clear as always — legacy FMCG brands are ready buyers of new-age or digital first consumer brands. These acquisitions are more akin to partnerships — founder involvement, staggered buyout & focus on value creation. #india #startups

Exciting News in the World of Food Delivery! Delivery Hero is making headlines with the potential sale of its foodpanda business in several Asian markets, and Singapore's Grab is stepping in as a potential buyer. The German-based food delivery giant has officially confirmed ongoing discussions about a partial sale of its Asian operations. While the deal's exact value is still being negotiated, reports suggest Grab might acquire the Foodpanda unit in Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand for approximately 1 billion euros (S$1.46 billion). This strategic move by Delivery Hero comes as it aims to balance growth and profitability, responding to changing investor sentiment following a pandemic-fueled boost. The company recently reported reaching an adjusted EBITDA in the first half of the year. Investors have reacted positively to the news, with Delivery Hero's shares surging by as much as 13.5% after the announcement. While the Foodpanda business has been a significant revenue driver for Delivery Hero in Asia, the company has decided to focus on sustainable growth and profitability, which has led to some changes in its market approach. CEO Niklas Östberg noted that while the company has pulled back slightly in the region, the goal is to provide a more appealing and profitable service to customers. As for Grab, the Singaporean internet firm has been making waves with its food delivery and ride-hailing services. With revenue hitting US$567 million in the last quarter and expectations of breaking even on adjusted core earnings, Grab is poised for growth in the Asia-Pacific region. This potential acquisition reflects the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of the food delivery industry in Asia. #deliveryhero #grab #fooddelivery #businessnews #asiapacific #investmentopportunity #fromhomecookingtonocooking #delivery #foodtech #ridehailing #manda #retailtech #retail

A lack of recent IPO or M&A exits is one of the biggest reasons that AgTech and FoodTech companies are struggling to attract investment, so I was pleased to see announcements by John Deere and Danone about two acquisitions in May 2025. Although I do not believe that we are on the cusp of a near-term upswing in M&A activity in AgTech or FoodTech, I am hopeful that these transactions could be the start of changing fortunes for the sector over the next decade. For a few years, I have been speaking about robotics & automation and digitization as the most appealing areas of AgTech for investors, so John Deere’s acquisition of Sentera, a leading provider of remote imagery solutions for agriculture, fits within this focus. According to John Deere, this acquisition will advance the capabilities of its existing technology offerings, providing farmers and ag service providers with a more comprehensive set of tools to generate and use data to make decisions that improve farm profitability, efficiency, and sustainability. Since the election of Donald Trump, the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, focused on healthier and more nutritious foods, has created renewed excitement about FoodTech. Kate Farms provides plant-based, organic ingredients without commonly used allergens or artificial colors, sweeteners or flavors found in traditional formulas. Thus, its acquisition by Danone fits with the company’s strategy for healthier food offerings and, according to Danone, the partnership builds on its and Kate Farms’ shared commitment to offer nutritional products that positively impact people’s health, and their continued efforts to support improved standards of care to better serve communities in the U.S. This is not the first time multiple AgTech and FoodTech exits have happened, as there was an encouraging period of M&A exits at high valuations between 2017-2021 (Blue River Technology, Bear Flag Robotics, Granular, Prospera) and a number of public listings (AppHarvest, Benson Hill, Kalera, Local Bounti) between 2020-2022 during “SPACpalooza”. However,  IPOs or M&A exits since that time have been few and far between and most of these exits have not worked out well for IPOs investors or the strategics that acquired the companies. I am hopeful that the Kate Farms and Sentera transactions might be a sign that agriculture and food strategics are starting to have conversations about acquisition strategies after inactivity for the past few years. I don’t expect an M&A boom in AgTech & FoodTech today or in the near future, nevertheless, these acquisitions still are a good sign that agriculture and food strategics are aligned with the same trends being pursued by AgTech & FoodTech investors. https://lnkd.in/gqb-fFjZ https://lnkd.in/g_jP2iQe EcoTech Capital Cy Obert #AgTech; #FoodTech;

Everyone talks about Salesforce as a CRM giant. But if you zoom out, they’ve quietly become The most dominant DISTRIBUTION LAYER for enterprise AI. Not by building models or launching flashy labs. They did what AI-native companies currently can’t: → Deep inside Fortune 500 workflows → Embedded in procurement-approved vendor lists → Installed on the desktops of 150,000+ enterprise reps While everyone is chasing or waiting for AGI, Salesforce focused on ADJACENCY. ✔ Embedding generative AI into Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, and Tableau ✔ Building industry-specific copilots tailored to how real teams sell and support ✔ Acquiring vertical intelligence via Data Cloud, Slack, and Mulesoft integrations The result? A defensible wedge that sits on top of 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮. And a flywheel where AI adoption directly increases platform stickiness. They’re not trying to win the model war. They’re winning the 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘳. And if you’re building in B2B SaaS, that’s a lesson worth stealing. 💡 #artificialintelligence #growth #strategy #startups Image Credit: Eric Flaningam

In the past four months, the restaurant and retail technology sectors have witnessed notable acquisitions, with larger technology companies acquiring smaller VC-backed/ PE backed startups to enhance their capabilities and market presence. But it’s not just the small organizations - consolidation continues apace across the board! Key transactions include: Starbucks and Empower Delivery: Starbucks has brought the Empower Delivery software and team across to to enhance omnichannel operations and bring order to ‘mobile orders’. PAR Technology Acquires Delaget. In January 2025, PAR Technology Corporation expanded its restaurant analytics and back-office capabilities by acquiring Delaget, a provider of restaurant data and analytic solutions. GK Software SE acquired Nomitri. In January 2025, GK Software, a provider of commerce solutions for retailers, acquired Nomitri, a Berlin-based AI self-checkout technology startup. The Access Group Acquires Paytronix. In November 2024, The Access Group, a British software company, acquired Paytronix Systems, a U.S.-based provider of customer engagement and payments software for restaurants. Interpublic Group (IPG) acquired Intelligence Node in December 2024. Interpublic Group (IPG), an advertising holding company, acquired Intelligence Node, a Mumbai-based retail analytics firm, in a deal valued at nearly $100 million. Intelligence Node provides data to inform product development, marketing, and sales decisions for brands and retailers. Woolworths Group acquired Takeoff Technologies, Inc.s’ assets in November 2024. Woolworths acquired the technology assets of the U.S.-based Takeoff Technologies for $3.85 million. Takeoff Technologies specialized in micro-fulfillment solutions crucial for efficient online order processing.

M&A is accelerating. M&A activity in fintech across EMEA reached $5.6 billion in H1 2024, compared to $6.7 billion for all of 2023 (source: Pulse of Fintech by KPMG). Already 83% of last year's total. A similar trend is evident in France, particularly in terms of volume, where the number of M&A deals has already reached 80% of last year's total (33 deals). This is a sign of market maturity. ⭐ Many fintech companies have reached a stage where they are either seeking to scale rapidly or have become attractive acquisition targets for banks and corporations. Regarding scaling, quickly. 🚀 Domestically, acquiring competitors or complementary businesses helps fintech companies solidify their market position and integrate new technologies or services. Expanding through international acquisitions enables them to enter new markets with established customer bases and localized expertise. Regarding deals with banks and corporations. 🏦 Large companies often seek to acquire fintech companies that offer complementary technologies or services. It allows them to integrate new solutions into their existing product portfolios and enhance their overall value proposition to customers. This also enables them to tap into innovative technologies and business models that they may not have developed internally. Below, you'll find a map highlighting some major acquisitions in the ecosystem from recent months. Feel free to share in the comments any deals that aren't mentioned. See you next week for a new map! 👋

The big get bigger (with the biggest acquisition to date). Coinbase's acquisition of Deribit for $2.9 billion represents the largest deal in the crypto industry to date. Added context on the deal and market implications: Coinbase's Strategic Rationale International Expansion: Positions Coinbase as an international leader in crypto derivatives by open interest and options volume, allowing it to compete more effectively with global players like Binance. Revenue Diversification: Coinbase executives noted that the deal "immediately diversifies our revenue and enhances profitability", aligning with their stated 2024 strategic priority of growing subscription and services revenue. Market Positioning: By acquiring the world's largest Bitcoin and Ethereum options exchange, Coinbase strengthens its position in the derivatives market, which has shown resilience even during crypto downturns. Broader Market Context Industry Consolidation: The deal follows other significant M&A activity in the sector, including Kraken's $1.5 billion acquisition of NinjaTrader in March 2025 and Ripple's acquisition of Hidden Road. Crypto Resurgence: After the recent crypto winter, digital currencies are showing renewed strength. Crypto funding increased 18% in Q1'25, with funding topping $10 billion for the first time in two years. More than half (52%) of the biggest early-stage deals went to companies developing digital asset solutions. Regulatory Tailwinds: The acquisition is occurring during a period of potentially more favorable regulatory conditions, with the external source noting "regulatory tailwinds from the first ever pro-crypto White House". The acquisition strengthens Coinbase's position against competitors like Binance, which has been a dominant player in the global crypto market. By expanding into derivatives at scale, Coinbase is positioning itself to compete more effectively in international markets where it has historically had a smaller presence compared to its dominant position in the US market. This acquisition represents a significant milestone in the maturation of the crypto industry, showcasing the growing importance of derivatives trading and the continued consolidation of major players in the space. As crypto heats up... which companies are the most likely targets for deal-making and partnerships?