Top Ten Tech M&A Transactions This Week by Ascento Capital Invest

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Ben Boissevain shared fresh insights about bankruptcy and distressed M&A.

Deal of the Week

10/15/25 BlackRock’s $40 billion deal highlights the unstoppable AI data center gold rush, as CEO Larry Fink pushes back on AI bubble fears

Today’s announcement that a group of investors led by BlackRock has agreed to buy Aligned Data Centers in a $40 billion deal underscores the seemingly unstoppable flow of money into AI data centers—and comes as its CEO, Larry Fink, pushes back on AI bubble fears.

The deal to buy Aligned, which is owned by Macquarie Asset Management, is being inked by the AI Infrastructure Partnership (AIP)—a coalition formed in September 2024 by BlackRock, its infrastructure arm, Global Infrastructure Partners, as well as Microsoft, Nvidia, and MGX, an AI investment firm backed by Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala. The Kuwait Investment Authority, xAI, and Temasek joined as additional participants.

Yahoo! Finance

10/16/25 EssilorLuxottica Announces Acquisition of Health Technology Company RetinAI

EssilorLuxottica (Reuters: ESLX.PA) announced yesterday that it has acquired Ikerian AG, a health technology company operating under the RetinAI brand, which specializes in artificial intelligence (AI) and data management in the eyecare sector. In making the announcement, the company advised that the move reinforces its “med-tech journey,” adding into its portfolio advanced software powered by machine learning and computer vision, with the goal of further offering solutions that streamline clinical, research and pharmaceutical workflows and deliver actionable AI-driven insights.

Vision Monday

10/15/25 Fullcast Announces the Acquisition of Copy.ai

Fullcast, a leader in Go-to-Market (GTM) and revenue operations automation, today announced the acquisition of Copy.ai, the leading generative AI platform for sales and marketing workflows, trusted by millions of users worldwide. The acquisition marks a significant milestone in Fullcast's mission to deliver a unified, AI-native GTM platform that spans across planning, forecasting, execution and compensation.

The integration of Copy.ai expands Fullcast's capabilities, allowing organizations to plan, execute and optimize every aspect of their revenue engine within one platform. Together, the companies will deliver an end-to-end "Plan-to-Pay" model, bridging the gaps between GTM strategy, sales productivity and AI-powered execution.

PR Newswire

10/15/25 S&P Global Buying Data and Analytics Firm With Intelligence for $1.8 Billion

S&P Global struck a deal to buy markets data and analytics firm With Intelligence for $1.8 billion, expanding its data coverage and reach across private markets.

S&P Global said Wednesday it reached an agreement with a group led by majority investor Motive Partners to acquire With Intelligence.

Combining With Intelligence’s proprietary data, benchmarks and workflow solutions with S&P Global’s expertise and brand in private markets intelligence and analytics, will create one of the most comprehensive data offerings for alternatives and private markets participants, S&P Global said.

The Wall Street Journal

10/15/25 IBM To Acquire Cognitus To Strengthen Its AI Solutions Portfolio

International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), Wednesday announced its decision to acquire Cognitus, a leading SAP S/4HANA services provider, to help the company with digital transformation, driving increased productivity and operational efficiency for clients.

The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition of Cognitus would strengthen IBM's industry expertise, portfolio of AI solutions, and capabilities in RISE and GROW with SAP, bolstering its ability to deliver modern SAP solutions faster and more effectively for global clients.

Nasdaq

10/14/25 Warburg Pincus to acquire German software firm PSI in $811 million deal

Private equity giant Warburg Pincus is close to acquiring German software company PSI, a key provider of software solutions for energy networks, in a transaction valued at over 700 million euros ($811 million). The deal will see Warburg Pincus launch a public takeover offer of 45 euros per share, representing a roughly 50% premium over PSI’s recent closing price. 

ET Insights

10/13/25 Goldman Sachs agrees to acquire $7 billion VC firm Industry Ventures

Goldman Sachs has agreed to acquire Industry Ventures, a venture capital firm with $7 billion in assets under supervision, according to a release from the investment bank.

Goldman is paying $665 million in cash and equity, and up to $300 million more based on the firm’s future performance through 2030, the bank said. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.

Goldman Sachs is making the acquisition to bolster its $540 billion alternatives investment platform, part of the self-identified “growth engine” of the investment bank. By identifying and making bets on startups, the venture capital firm can help Goldman create a pipeline of investments for its wealthy clients, as well as provide solutions to tech entrepreneurs.

CNBC

10/13/25 Caterpillar to acquire Australia's RPMGlobal for $728 million

Australian mining software firm RPMGlobal (RUL.AX), opens new tab said on Monday that it has struck a deal to be acquired by heavy machinery giant Caterpillar (CAT.N), opens new tab for a total equity value of A$1.12 billion ($728.22 million).

The news comes after Caterpillar had offered to buy the Australian company at A$5 per share in early September. RPM shares had jumped to a high of near A$4.80 after the news but are last trading at A$4.75.

Reuters

10/13/25 Sam Altman–Backed Campus Acquires AI Start-Up

Campus, on online two-year college backed by Sam Altman and Shaquille O’Neal, has acquired AI learning platform Sizzle AI for an undisclosed amount. 

Campus will integrated Sizzle AI’s interactive, AI-generated content into its online instruction, and faculty will use it to track students’ academic progress to provide more personalized instruction and feedback, the company said in a press release. According to the release, Sizzle AI has more than 1.7 million users. 

Insider Higher Ed

10/10/25 Apple nears deal to acquire talent and technology from computer vision startup Prompt AI

Apple is in late-stage talks to acquire top talent from computer vision startup Prompt AI, as well as the company’s technology, CNBC has learned.

Leadership at Prompt told employees of the pending transaction at an all-hands meeting on Thursday and said that those who don’t end up joining Apple will be paid a reduced salary, and encouraged to apply for open roles at the company, according to audio that was accessed by CNBC.

CNBC