Software and SaaS M&A Services
Mergers and acquisitions for software companies are different than other industries and require specialized skills and knowledge. The Austin Dale Group team has extensive experience working in and around the software industry. We know the market, we know the key players, and we understand the factors that are driving high M&A activity and valuations:
- Intellectual property – Access to innovative technology which can be expensive and time consuming to replicate. The value of intellectual property needs to be considered and communicated to potential buyers to get the best possible price and terms for a transaction. Some established software firms consider M&A as a source of innovation.
- Customer base – Buyers are motivated to gain a loyal customer base that is ripe for additional products. Also, compared to most industries, software offers tremendous scalability and operating leverage. That is, adding more volume (customers) improves profit margins and grows recurring revenue.
- Acqui-hire/Team-hire – The chance to add a strong technology team whose talents can be employed on other product development leads to “acqui-hire” deals. That occurs when the buyer is primarily interested in the target company for the skills and expertise of its staff, rather than for its products or services.
Within the industry, the delivery and deployment of software is evolving from on-premise to software-as-a-service (SaaS) and mobile apps. SaaS companies can be categorized as both software companies and part of the emerging cloud industry. Knowing where a company fits in the industry is a step in knowing how to create an exit strategy, find the right buyer, and make the best possible deal. Wherever you fit in the industry, Austin Dale Group is here to help you with a strategic exit, sale, or acquisition.
