Global M&A rockets to nearly $5T in 2021

Al Gore's firm joins $295M round for software provider; crypto specialist captures $8B valuation; UBS lands VC-backed Wealthfront; Fever nabs $227M
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The Daily Pitch: VC, PE and M&A
January 27, 2022
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In today's Daily Pitch, you'll find:
  • Our latest Global M&A Report breaks down the trends driving last year's records and explores the headwinds that could shape the market in 2022.

  • Al Gore's firm has joined a $295 million round for business tech provider o9 Solutions, as PE continues its ongoing pursuit of software companies.

  • Crypto exchange specialist FTX US has hit an $8 billion valuation as it ramps up its product offerings and investment efforts.
Today's Top Stories
Global M&A rockets to nearly $5T in 2021
Global M&A flourished in 2021, as the unprecedented depth, breadth and velocity of the market sent total deal value past $4.9 trillion. The growing number of public companies, which are more acquisitive than their private counterparts, reverses a nearly 20-year trend and bodes well for future M&A activity.

Our 2021 Annual Global M&A Report, sponsored by Liberty GTS, breaks down the trends driving last year's records and explores the headwinds that might shape the market in the months to come. Takeaways include:
  • Economic resurgence paved the way for record activity in both North America and Europe, with aggregate deal value sitting at $2.8 trillion and $1.8 trillion, respectively.

  • Healthcare M&A activity continued its multiyear growth trajectory, with two of the sector's largest deals underscoring the shift of healthcare IT toward cloud integration.

  • Despite the sustained recovery in oil prices, energy dealmaking recovered only modestly, as the industry grappled with factors such as fuel shortages and the global energy transition.

  • Tech ended the year at a frenetic pace, with deal value up more than 50% over 2020, yet looming regulatory scrutiny could complicate future dealmaking in the industry.
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Al Gore's firm joins $295M round for business software specialist o9 Solutions
(metamorworks/Getty Images)
General Atlantic, KKR and Al Gore's Generation Investment Management are among the investors that have backed a $295 million round for o9 Solutions, a provider of AI-based business planning software. 

The new funding values the company at $2.7 billion and continues private equity's ongoing hot pursuit of businesses in the software sector.
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FTX US notches $8B valuation, seeks edge on rival Coinbase
(Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty Images)
Crypto exchange provider FTX US is ramping up new product offerings and startup investing efforts in a bid to gain traction against larger competitor Coinbase, even as both companies contend with a crypto sell-off.
  • FTX US has raised $400 million at an $8 billion valuation from investors including Temasek, NEA, Lightspeed and SoftBank. It's the first time FTX US has raised funding since it spun out of parent company FTX, which itself was valued at $25 billion in October.

  • Like Coinbase, which is among the most active crypto startup investors, FTX is going big on VC deals. This week, the firm launched a $2 billion venture fund led by Amy Wu, who invested in FTX while at Lightspeed.

  • FTX US also recently launched an NFT marketplace and is moving into derivatives trading following its acquisition of LedgerX—two areas that Coinbase is also expanding into.

  • Cryptocurrencies have seen a broad sell-off in recent months, putting pressure on Coinbase's stock, which currently trades at nearly half its November peak.
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Recommended Reads
When it comes to fossil fuels, the choice between making a difference and making a profit can leave investors in a tricky position. [The Wall Street Journal]

How tech companies are vying for a spot in our screen-free moments. [The Washington Post]

The Andreessen Horowitz veteran targeting the biggest crypto fund ever raised by a solo female VC. [Fortune]
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Quick Takes
  The Daily Benchmark  
  2019 Vintage Global Debt Funds  
  VC Deals  
  Fever raises $227M  
  CaptivateIQ secures $100M Series C  
  Vecna Robotics nabs $65M  
  StrongArm Technologies raises $50M for industrial-focused wearables  
  Menlo Ventures leads $37M round for Polly  
  DigitalOwl books $20M  
  PE Deals  
  Providence Strategic Growth backs DoseSpot  
  Francisco Partners takes majority interest in GAINSystems  
  Exits & IPOs  
  UBS to acquire VC-backed Wealthfront  
  Fundraising  
  GTCR collects $2B for debut strategic growth fund  
  CRV targets $1.5B across two funds  
 
 
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The Daily Benchmark
2019 Vintage Global Debt Funds
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Top Quartile IRR
21.41%
1.13x
Median TVPI
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Ares Special Opportunities Fund
OrbiMed Royalty & Credit Opportunities III
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VC Deals
Fever raises $227M
Fever has raised $227 million at more than $1 billion valuation in a round led by Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The company is the developer of an event discovery platform designed to help users find live events such as plays, concerts and festivals. Alignment Growth, Goodwater Capital, Smash Ventures, Eurazeo and Vitruvian Partners also participated in the funding.
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CaptivateIQ secures $100M Series C
CaptivateIQ, a developer of sales commission software, has raised $100 million in a round co-led by Iconiq Capital, Accel and Sequoia. Based in the Bay Area, the company's clients include Amplitude, ClassPass and Grammarly. CaptivateIQ raised a $46 million round last year.
Additional Investor:
Sapphire Ventures
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View 49 competitors »
 
Vecna Robotics nabs $65M
Vecna Robotics has raised a $65 million Series C led by Tiger Global, with support from Lineage Logistics, Proficio Capital and Impluse. Based in the Boston area, the company is the developer of a material handling automation platform designed for factories and warehouses. Vecna Robotics was valued at $225 million in 2020, according to PitchBook data.
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StrongArm Technologies raises $50M for industrial-focused wearables
StrongArm Technologies has raised a $50 million Series B led by Drive Capital. The New York-based startup offers wearable devices that provide feedback related to safety, risk management and more for industrial workers at companies like Walmart and Toyota. StrongArm was valued at $178 million in June, according to PitchBook data.
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Menlo Ventures leads $37M round for Polly
Polly has raised a $37 million Series B led by Menlo Ventures, bringing the San Francisco-based fintech company's total funding to over $50 million. Polly offers a mortgage tech platform that automates workflows, provides data analytics and more. Menlo Ventures partner Tyler Sosin has joined the company's board.
Additional Investors:
8VC, Fifth Wall, First American Financial, Movement Mortgage, FinVC, Khosla Ventures
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View 18 competitors »
 
DigitalOwl books $20M
DigitalOwl has raised a $20 million Series A led by Insight Partners, with support from Ibex and Fusion VC. The company is a developer of natural language processing tech designed to analyze and summarize medical records for the insurance and legal industries.
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PE Deals
Providence Strategic Growth backs DoseSpot
DoseSpot, the provider of a SaaS platform that helps clinicians electronically write prescriptions and transmit them to pharmacies, has received a growth investment from Providence Strategic Growth. Founded in 2014, PSG seeks to invest in middle-market software and tech-enabled services companies.
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Francisco Partners takes majority interest in GAINSystems
GAINSystems, a provider of cloud-based supply chain planning and performance optimization solutions, has received a majority investment from Francisco Partners, which initially backed the Chicago-based company in 2020. GAINSystems' platform is used across the manufacturing, distribution, retail, and aftermarket and maintenance operations sectors.
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PitchBook Webinar: A look at VC's record-breaking 2021
Join PitchBook and NVCA on Feb. 2 for a webinar covering the recent Q4 2021 PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor.

Our panel of PitchBook analysts and industry experts from Insperity and NVCA will discuss the report's findings, the VC landscape for 2022 and other timely market considerations, including:
  • In 2021, US VC investment topped $329 billion for the first time, nearly doubling 2020's total of $166.6 billion.

  • Strong VC returns in recent years continue to encourage capital inflow into the strategy.

  • The IPO window in 2021 allowed an unprecedented $774.1 billion exit value.

  • The potential for greater uncertainty on the public listing market in 2022.
Register now to secure your spot
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Exits & IPOs
UBS to acquire VC-backed Wealthfront
Wealthfront, the creator of an automated investment management platform, has agreed to be acquired by Swiss banking giant UBS at a valuation of $1.4 billion. The Palo Alto-based company has received backing from investors including Greylock Partners, Ribbit Capital and Index Ventures.
View details
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Fundraising
GTCR collects $2B for debut strategic growth fund
Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR has closed its first strategic growth fund on $2 billion. The vehicle will target middle-market investments of about $50 million to $200 million in the financial services and technology, growth business services, healthcare, and technology, media and telecommunications sectors.
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View 762 investments »
 
CRV targets $1.5B across two funds
CRV is raising $1 billion for its 19th flagship venture fund and another $500 million for its sophomore 'Select' fund. The Palo Alto-based VC firm invests in early-stage companies operating in sectors including life sciences and consumer products.
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View 419 investments »
 
Chart of the Day
Source: PitchBook's 2021 DACH Private Capital Breakdown
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