TechExits Podcast

In this special edition of Tech Exits, we will attempt to answer the questions:

• What do tech investors prioritize when evaluating opportunities?

• What is the impact of AI on investment strategies?

• When should entrepreneurs seek investment versus considering an M&A exit?

This discussion took place during the WFS Flagship Conference, Growth & Exit Strategies: European Tech on October 30th 2024.

The panel lineup includes:

Rocio Pillado, Partner, Adara Ventures

Merve Zabci, General Partner, Logo Ventures

Ashim Egunjobi, Managing Partner, Octerra Capital

Julia Padberg, Partner, SET Ventures

Moderating this panel is Joel Cymberg, Senior Vice President of the Corum Group.

00:00 – Welcome and investor introductions 05:20 – What investors look for in European tech companies 13:10 – Founder quality, teams, and execution over tech alone 25:45 – How generative AI is changing investment theses 37:50 – Common founder mistakes and how to avoid them 44:00 – Investment vs M&A paths and exit considerations

What does it take to successfully acquire and integrate companies in a competitive market?

Join us as we speak with Jean Royer from Levio, a digital-native business and IT consulting firm with a focus on digital transformation across sectors like banking, technology, government, and telecom.

In this episode, Jean shares insights into Levio's acquisition strategy, including how they evaluate potential targets, manage integration challenges, and build trust with sellers. He discusses the importance of cultural alignment, transparency, and preparation in creating successful partnerships and offers practical advice for founders preparing their companies for acquisition.

Discover the key ingredients for a smooth acquisition process and how Levio positions itself as an ideal partner for growth-focused businesses.

00:00 – Levio's business model and acquisition mandate 04:30 – How the tech M&A landscape is evolving 09:45 – What buyers look for: size, fit, and readiness 16:15 – Deal execution, timing, and common deal breakers 22:10 – Integration challenges and advice for sellers

How do you balance business operations with the complexities of an M&A process?

Join us as we speak to Dan Goerdt, who engaged the WFS platinum sponsor, the Corum Group, to sell his company, Flexagon. Flexagon is the creator of FlexDeploy, a comprehensive DevOps platform designed to accelerate software delivery, improve quality, and manage costs and risks.

In this episode, Dan shares his journey of scaling Flexagon from a bootstrapped startup to a company ready for acquisition. He discusses the challenges of managing an M&A process while maintaining business performance, his focus on finding the right fit for his company's values and team, and the importance of education and preparation in navigating the M&A landscape.

00:00 – Flexagon's story and what the company built 05:00 – Why Dan decided to pursue a transaction 10:00 – The M&A process: challenges, timing, and fit 18:30 – Balancing growth, diligence, and leadership during the deal 26:30 – Life after the transaction and advice for founders

In this special edition of Tech Exits we will attempt to answer the questions:

What are tech buyers looking for in today's market?

Are buyers only looking for companies that have already integrated sophisticated AI in their business models?

And how can you build relationships to capture maximum value?

This panel originally took place during the WFS Flagship Conference, Growth & Exit Strategies: The AI Shockwave! on July 18th, 2024.

The panel lineup includes:

Krista Young, Managing Director, Corporate Development, Accenture Ksenia Desautels, Senior Manager, Corporate Development, Akamai Technologies Satish A. Raman, Chief Strategy Officer, Fractal Udo Waibel, Managing Director, Technology and Product Development, The Riverside Company

Moderating this panel is Rob Griggs, President of the Corum Group.

00:00 – Introductions and buyer perspectives on AI 07:30 – Is now the right time to acquire AI companies? 20:00 – Separating real AI value from hype 34:30 – Preparing AI companies for M&A readiness 44:00 – Valuation expectations and common seller misconceptions 56:30 – Due diligence, deal risk, and why transactions fail 1:06:45 – Post‑acquisition integration and closing insights

How do you recognize when it's the right time to sell?

Join us as we speak to Barry Larson, who engaged the WFS platinum sponsor, the Corum Group, to sell his company Trusty Ox Systems, a B2B SaaS business focused on employee safety monitoring solutions.

You'll hear his insights on the M&A process, his motivation to sell during market consolidation, and how the experience of working with Corum helped broaden his view of potential buyers. Learn how Barry balanced the demands of running his company with the complexities of the sale, and what life looks like for him after stepping away from the business.

00:00 – Trusty Ox's business and the problem it solved 02:10 – Why Barry chose to sell in a consolidating market 03:55 – Working with Corum and navigating the sale process 06:45 – Deal structure, non‑negotiables, and managing doubts 09:10 – Lessons learned and life after the transaction

How do you respond when you are bombarded with offers?

Join us as we speak to Brian Sweat who engaged the WFS platinum sponsor, the Corum Group, to sell his company Alterity.

You'll hear his insights on the M&A process, how to separate the best M&A opportunities from the noise, his commitment to finding the right fit for both himself and his employees, and how the sale has allowed him to focus on what he loves most in the business.

00:00 – Alterity's business and the decision to explore a sale 01:50 – When "perfect" isn't the goal: choosing progress over waiting 04:15 – Managing employee impact and integration after the deal 06:30 – Filtering buyer noise and navigating the M&A process 08:50 – Life after the exit and lessons for other founders

This episode features Ashley Moore who engaged the WFS platinum sponsor, the Corum Group, to sell his company "Spatialest", a developer of geographic information systems for the US tax assessment market.

Get his advice for living the life you want today.

Join us as we talk with Ashley Moore, former CEO of Spatialest, about his tech exit.

Conceived as a university project, Ashley shares more about Spatialest and his journey as company CEO leading the M&A transaction in 2023, with Corum Group as M&A advisors. Plus, how's life looking after the deal and advice to other tech entrepreneurs.

What are the drivers to explore M&A opportunities in the SaaS market? Listen to to learn more.

00:00 – Spatialest's origin and what the company built 01:30 – Why consolidation and market pressure drove the sale decision 03:05 – Preparing for the process and working with Corum 04:10 – Life after the exit and advice for other founders

This episode features Andrew McConnell who engaged the WFS platinum sponsor, the Corum Group, to sell his company "Rented".

Rented provided a premium vacation rental management software-as-a-service. Andrew is a writer and event speaker as well as a CEO and founder. Listen in to hear how he balanced launching his book, "Get Out Of My Head", at the same time he was selling Rented.

Get his advice for living the life you want today. Plus learn about his new health span initiative "Alively", all on this episode of Tech Exits.

When the first M&A deal fell through for cybersecurity solutions provider CBI, former president and CEO Steve Barone bounced back with new learnings and a refined vision of his ideal buyer. After an optimal outcome, Steve is traveling the world with his family and shaking things up in the cocktail bar industry.

Listen in for Steve's take on what you need to succeed in your tech exit, with first-hand advice on how to recover from a failed deal.

Join us as we talk with Dwayne Miller, cofounder and former CEO of UNIFI Labs, about his tech exit. Though he had sold a traditional service business before, when it was time to get the highest valuation for his SaaS company's strategic value, he turned to the tech M&A experts at the Corum Group.

Dwayne's personal experiences and insight detail how selling a SaaS company requires expertise different from traditional service M&A. Listen in to learn more.