A total of 223 transactions were seen in the first quarter of 2025, on par to match the 10-year high achieved in 2024. There was robust demand from strategic and financial buyers, with Private Equity firms accounting for the buyer in 22% of these transactions.
Marketing and Ad Tech M&A Activity by Deal Count
Marketing and Ad Tech M&A Activity by Disclosed Deal Amount
During the first three months of 2025, disclosed M&A deal value reached $5.4B. Only 17% of deals disclosed their financial terms as buyers preferred to keep their M&A strategies private.
Top Marketing and Ad Tech Acquirers by Deal Count
Over the past twelve months through March 2025, Publicis Communications Groupe was the top buyer of the MarTech sector with 6 deals, followed by marketing holding company Stagwell with 5 deals and Private Equity growth investors Advent International and Bridgepoint with 4 deals each.
Marketing and Ad Tech VC Funding​
Venture capital funding for the MarTech sector peaked in 2021 and has declined every year since then, a trend that continued into the first quarter of 2025. It is anticipated that the downward trend in venture capital funding will persist beyond 2025. These dynamics have encouraged companies to instead pursue M&A strategies for growth and liquidity.
