Guide

Everything you need to understand how tech M&A actually works — from the mechanics of a deal to the terminology, the money, and the trends shaping who buys whom. Unlike our weekly coverage, these guides don't expire we keep them updated as the industry evolves.

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Fundamentals

Start here if you're new to tech M&A or need a refresher on how deals actually get made.

How Tech Acquisitions Work: A Complete Guide: The full acquisition process, step by step — from first contact to closing, and what happens to employees and founders along the way.

The Complete Glossary of Tech M&A Terms: Every term you'll run into reading about tech deals, from "acquihire" to "vesting acceleration," explained in plain English.

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Deal Mechanics

For founders, operators, and anyone trying to understand what actually drives a deal's terms.

How Tech Company Valuations Work: A Founder's Guide. Why there's no single formula for valuation, how revenue multiples and strategic premiums interact, and what founders consistently get wrong.

Acquihire vs. Full Acquisition: What's the Difference? How to tell which kind of deal you're actually looking at, and what it means for founders, employees, and customers.

Due diligence checklist: The financial, legal, technical, and organizational review that makes or breaks a deal — and how founders can prepare for it.

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Trends & History

For the bigger picture — where the biggest deals have come from, and where the money is moving now.

The History of Big Tech's Biggest Acquisitions: From HP-Compaq to SpaceX-Cursor: how the record for the largest tech deal has kept resetting, and what each era reveals about what buyers' value most. Updated annually.

AI Acquisition Trends: What Drives Big Tech to Buy AI Startups: Why traditional acquisitions are giving way to mega-acquihires and large minority stakes, and what that shift means for the next wave of AI deals.

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Looking for real-time deal data instead?

These guides explain the "how" and "why." For the "who" and "when," check our live resources:

• Database — every deal we're tracking, searchable and updated continuously
• Tracker — acquisitions of venture-backed startups specifically
• Biggest Tech M&A Deals of All Time — the full ranked list, updated as new mega-deals close

Missing a term or topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know.