The Winds of M&A Are Shifting – Insights from the Midwest Capital Connection?
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At ACG Chicago’s 25th Annual Midwest Capital Connection, industry leaders gathered to discuss the current state and future of the M&A market, shedding light on the evolving landscape and what’s ahead for 2025.?
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Key takeaways from the panels:
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Deal Volume & Momentum: According to Becca Schlagenhauf, Principal at Baird Capital, the market has seen a recent uptick, with multiple new opportunities under letter of intent, signaling a resurgence in dealmaking.
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The Role of Earnouts: Michael Norton of Houlihan Capital highlighted that 80% of deals now involve some form of contingent consideration, and the increasing complexity of earnouts is reshaping how buyers and sellers approach transactions.
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Artificial Intelligence in 2025: Jason Molesworth of Accelerated Innovation Group forecasted that #AI will play a pivotal role in driving top-line growth and business valuation, with AI becoming a key driver for businesses that deploy it strategically.
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Other insights included discussions on the pressure for #PrivateEquity firms to deploy capital, as well as predictions for a more active 2025 as businesses seek new ways to monetize, innovate, and thrive in an evolving market.
Special thanks to Germaine Harris for organizing the panels, our panelsts and to Ascend Technologies for sponsoring the panels.
ACG Chicago held its annual Midwest Capital Connection this month, and we were there to capture all the highlights.
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Read our recap of what speakers had to say on the turning tides of dealmaking, artificial intelligence adoption and more: https://lnkd.in/g2vh8yiY
