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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

With the Bavarian VC Resolution 2025, the framework for venture capital in Germany has fundamentally shifted. Charitable foundations are now allowed to invest up to five percent of their assets into VC funds — a regulatory change that could channel hundreds of millions of euros of additional capital into Germany’s ecosystem. For atares, the advisory firm specializing in technology driven M&A transactions, this development was not a surprise but a confirmation of a strategic thesis: Munich and Bavaria are a centre of German tech companies.