The M & A Landscape is Shifting – And its About Talent & Tech now!
The M&A Landscape Is Shifting—And It’s About Talent & Tech, Not Just Revenue
Crunchbase News just published an interesting article on 2026 M&A trends that have major implications for how we think about talent acquisition in the ERP space.
Key takeaways from Mary Ann Azevedo’s analysis:
The Numbers Tell a Story
Global M&A deal values jumped 91% in 2025 ($214B vs $112B in 2024)
Talent Is the New Currency The most striking shift: “Acquisition prices are increasingly being dictated by the strategic value of a company’s talent and its intellectual property” rather than pure revenue multiples.
We’re seeing seed/Series A startups with <100 employees landing $100M+ exits. Why? Acquirers are buying capability and speed-to-market, not just building internally.
What’s Driving Deals
Fear of missing out (especially in AI & cybersecurity)
Funding crunches pushing founders to M&A vs. down rounds
Strategic plays for tech and talent (acqui-hires (acquisitions -in part, for the teams that come with them) in the billions, not millions)
IPO-ready companies using dual-track strategies for leverage
The 2026 Outlook Bull case:
Lower interest rates, strong corporate balance sheets, continued innovation in high-growth sectors
Bottom line: When talent becomes the primary value driver in M&A—not just revenue—it reinforces what we already know: the war for specialized technical talent isn’t slowing down.
For PE/VC firms and portfolio companies in the ERP space, this means having the right talent acquisition strategy isn’t just operational—it’s strategic M&A positioning.
This is exactly why DynamicsFocus exists.
We partner with PE/VC firms and their portfolio companies throughout the entire acquisition journey—from pre-close due diligence on existing talent to post-acquisition integration and scaling.
When you need to move fast on Microsoft Dynamics 365 or NetSuite implementations, you need a dedicated ERP talent partner who understands both the technology and the deal timeline.
Crunchbase News just published an interesting article on 2026 M&A trends that have major implications for how we think about talent acquisition in the ERP space.
Key takeaways from Mary Ann Azevedo’s analysis:
The Numbers Tell a Story
Global M&A deal values jumped 91% in 2025 ($214B vs $112B in 2024)
Deal count stayed relatively flat—meaning MUCH larger transactions
36 unicorn exits totaling $67B (highest ever)
Talent Is the New Currency The most striking shift: “Acquisition prices are increasingly being dictated by the strategic value of a company’s talent and its intellectual property” rather than pure revenue multiples.
We’re seeing seed/Series A startups with <100 employees landing $100M+ exits. Why? Acquirers are buying capability and speed-to-market, not just building internally.
What’s Driving Deals
Fear of missing out (especially in AI & cybersecurity)
Funding crunches pushing founders to M&A vs. down rounds
Strategic plays for tech and talent (acqui-hires (acquisitions -in part, for the teams that come with them) in the billions, not millions)
IPO-ready companies using dual-track strategies for leverage
The 2026 Outlook Bull case:
Lower interest rates, strong corporate balance sheets, continued innovation in high-growth sectors
Bear case: Economic uncertainty, regulatory scrutiny, geopolitical tensions
Bottom line: When talent becomes the primary value driver in M&A—not just revenue—it reinforces what we already know: the war for specialized technical talent isn’t slowing down.
For PE/VC firms and portfolio companies in the ERP space, this means having the right talent acquisition strategy isn’t just operational—it’s strategic M&A positioning.
This is exactly why DynamicsFocus exists.
We partner with PE/VC firms and their portfolio companies throughout the entire acquisition journey—from pre-close due diligence on existing talent to post-acquisition integration and scaling.
When you need to move fast on Microsoft Dynamics 365 or NetSuite implementations, you need a dedicated ERP talent partner who understands both the technology and the deal timeline.
To read full article, go to Crunchbase news and look for: “Why The Race For Talent And Tech Could Accelerate Startup M&A In 2026” by Mary Ann Azevedo]
hashtag#MergersAndAcquisitions hashtag#TalentAcquisition hashtag#PrivateEquity hashtag#VentureCapital hashtag#TechTalent hashtag#MicrosoftDynamics365 hashtag#NetSuite