Atares news
Change is a continuous target factor for atares. In this respect, there is always something new to report. Information about completed tech deals, new employees, interesting insights and much more can be found in our news.
The incubator keeps incubating. How atares is systematically scaling efficiency and deal readiness through digitally crafted tools
There are advisory firms that accompany transactions. And there are advisory firms that make transactions possible. The difference lies not in the network or the pitch deck. It lies in the infrastructure. At atares, we refer to that infrastructure internally as the atares incubator: a growing ecosystem of digitally crafted tools that we have developed step by step over recent years. Not as an end in itself, but as a direct response to the questions our clients keep asking.
Top story. When the deal fails before it even begins Lessons from tech exits: the most common pitfalls, and what actually works
Selling a tech company is not a sprint. It is a marathon, and with the wrong preparation, it does not end at the finish line. It ends somewhere in the middle. The statistics are sobering: across the industry, a significant share of M&A processes in the tech sector fail to reach the desired outcome. Not because there is no buyer, but because the seller was not ready. Or because fundamental mistakes were made that, in hindsight, seem so obvious you wonder why everyone does not know them already. This issue takes aim at the most common misconceptions and offers what really matters: practical guidance grounded in real transaction experience.
Top story. Global Tech Mergers Group: Cross Border Tech M&A – thought globally, done locally
Global Tech Mergers Group: Cross‑Border Tech M&A - global in outlook, local in execution. If you’re selling or acquiring across borders as an IT or software company, you know this isn’t just a bigger domestic deal in a different currency. Buyer logic varies by market, regulation and taxes set the guardrails, language and culture shape negotiations - and in the end, integration readiness decides whether value compounds or evaporates. That’s exactly where the Global Tech Mergers Group (GTM Group) comes in: an international network of tech‑focused M&A boutiques with two promises to mid‑market clients - global access to buyers and investors, and local execution by teams with deep tech DNA. In practice, “with the GTM Group we offer the reach of a top‑tier platform, the agility of a speedboat, and pricing that fits the mid‑market,” says Pascal Kopp, Head of Origination & Business Development at atares.
Topstory: Value Creation in Tech Deals: What drives value – and what holds it back. And why smart companies benefit twice from M&A awareness.
Many IT and software firms excel at product, but less so at structure: sales run on gut feel, numbers arrive late, and processes depend on a few people. That can work day to day, but it becomes a problem when succession, growth capital, or an acquisition is on the table. Buyers and investors don’t pay for “the best product on paper” - they pay for a business that runs predictably: stable revenues, reliable reporting, clean processes, and the ability to integrate smoothly with another company. Those who can demonstrate this achieve higher valuations and faster processes.
Topstory: Value Creation in Tech Deals: What drives value – and what holds it back. And why smart companies benefit twice from M&A awareness.
Many IT and software firms excel at product, but less so at structure: sales run on gut feel, numbers arrive late, and processes depend on a few people. That can work day to day, but it becomes a problem when succession, growth capital, or an acquisition is on the table. Buyers and investors don’t pay for “the best product on paper” - they pay for a business that runs predictably: stable revenues, reliable reporting, clean processes, and the ability to integrate smoothly with another company. Those who can demonstrate this achieve higher valuations and faster processes.
Topstory: Future Resilience in Transformation – From Value Creation to Exit Readiness
Exit Readiness has evolved from theoretical consideration to strategic necessity in 2026. Structured data rooms, transparent KPIs, and documented processes don't just create marketability – they drive operational excellence and sustainably increase enterprise value.
Top story: 2026: A Momentum Year — Buy‑then‑Grow meets Succession
Cautious optimism sets the tone for the new year. At BayBG’s annual kick‑off, Dr. Jürgen Michels, Chief Economist at BayernLB, outlined a view that blends resilience with recovery—the ideal mix for strategic M&A to regain speed. At the same time, the founder generation of the 1990s/2000s is entering the succession phase. For owner‑managed IT and software companies, this creates a rare alignment: market window and generational change coincide. In that sense, 2026 is more than a new year—it’s a momentum year. Our theme: Buy‑then‑Grow.
Top story: The evolution to digital M&A manufacturing atares
“In 2001, we founded Proventis as an industry-agnostic M&A advisory,” recall atares’ current Managing Partners, Jan Pörschmann and Rainer Wieser. “From the outset, our approach was: we understand business models, not just industries.” Over two decades, this became one of the largest independent M&A boutiques in the DACH region, supporting clients across a wide range of sectors. Rainer Wieser and Jan Pörschmann primarily focused on transactions in the tech space, notably in the context of the Pro7-Sat1 Media Group—a foundation that would later become part of atares’ DNA.
New Deals November 2025
In November 2025, there were 57 tech M&A deals in the DACH region, with a total published volume of €3.8 billion. This total came from 8 individual deals, while the amounts of the other deals weren't publicly announced. One of the most significant deals was the sale of Northern Data Group for €661 million.
Top story: The sovereignty premium: Why autonomy is the new growth
For years, data sovereignty lived in the back office of our boardrooms—a compliance checkbox, a chief risk officer's burden, driven by fear of GDPR penalties. That era is ending. Look at the major transactions and political initiatives of the past twelve months. A new pattern emerges: sovereignty isn't a cost center anymore. It's an asset. We're witnessing German enterprises break free from their role as mere consumers of U.S. technology and step into a new identity—owners of their own digital infrastructure. This shift isn't ideological. It's strategic. And it's profitable.
New Deals October 2025
In October 2025, there were 87 tech M&A transactions in the DACH region, with a published total volume of €9,141 million. This total amount resulted from seven individual transactions, while the amounts of the remaining transactions were not publicly disclosed. One of the most significant transactions was the sale of ABB's robotics division for €4.5 billion.
