Author: Callum Turcan
M&A has moved beyond its traditional role as a growth strategy, it’s now a powerful driver of innovation. The right transaction can unlock new markets and verticals, diversify revenue streams and fast-track product development.
So, how is digital transformation reshaping the Tech M&A landscape across Australia and New Zealand? In 2025, deal activity hit a 10-year high with 228 transactions and that momentum continued into Q1 2026 with 42 completed deals.
What’s driving M&A activity?
Buyers are racing to secure the next wave of innovation, targeting companies leading emerging technologies. Well-funded acquirers are prioritizing businesses with differentiated capabilities, connected ecosystems, and strong customer loyalty. At the same time, sellers are capitalizing on attractive valuations and more flexible deal structures.
The takeaway: Tech M&A is no longer just about achieving scale—it’s about the ability to innovate, defend and extend market leadership.
Six key trends fueling Tech M&A activity in ANZ. These trends include financial services, AI, advanced analytics, cybersecurity, resource extraction and geospatial software:
Financial services. The ANZ region is home to a robust financial industry that must ensure proper accounting practices are being implemented. Highlighting this trend, East Month End, a cloud-based platform developer for month-end accounting tasks based in New Zealand, was acquired by UK-based Mayday in February to support feature-level integration with automation capabilities.
Artificial Intelligence. Miners are using AI to better understand their opportunities based on core analysis. Showcasing this trend, Datarock, an Australian AI-powered geoscience technology that delivers advanced solutions for the mining industry, sold off the remaining 49% interest to Australian-based IMDEX in February for $31 million Australian dollars to expand its digital Earth knowledge.
Advanced analytics. Now more than ever, organizations are collecting enormous amounts of data. Illustrating this trend, Bueno Analytics, an Austraia-based SaaS company that leverages embedded AI and ML to deliver building analytics, was purchased by US headquartered Copeland in January to empower customers to discover energy‑saving opportunities.
Cybersecurity. Data breaches result in millions of dollars in lost revenue and reputational damage, something all organizations seek to avoid. Highlighting this trend, Securecom, a Managed Services and Security provider based in New Zealand, was scooped up by its peer Sharp NZ in March to leverage its network security expertise.
Resource extraction. The modern world requires vast amounts of raw materials to meet the needs of approximately 8 billion people worldwide. Showcasing this trend, PETRA, an orebody learning and mine optimization software developer based in Australia, sold the remaining 75% interest to Australian company Maptek in March to provide deeper insights in the mining realm.
Geospatial software. Geospatial data is data related to a specific location on the Earth’s surface with numerous applications including utilities that analyze the performance of hundreds of thousands of miles of power lines. Illustrating this trend, NGIS, an Australian geospatial solutions provider, was acquired by CLS Group in January to deliver impactful geospatial solutions at scale.
