VC funding has remained volatile in recent years, both in deal volume and investment size, increasingly pushing companies toward M&A as a path to growth and liquidity. In Q1 2026, the median VC investment was $6 million, which is more than five times lower than the median disclosed M&A deal value.

There were 96 deals during the first quarter of 2026, representing a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Private Equity’s share of the market has also grown, reaching 30% of all deals in the first quarter of 2026. 

Disclosed IoT deal value reached $14.7 billion in Q1 2026, way above the $0.8 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2025. Only 26% of transactions disclosed deal values as buyers preferred to keep their M&A strategies private.