Topic: Technology and innovation

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A-I Captain! Know the legal risks of buying an AI company… or go down with the ship

On February 21, 2019, Blackberry completed its acquisition of Cylance, a privately-held artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity company. Acquisitions of AI companies like Cylance are becoming increasingly common as businesses seek to realize the opportunities in offering much-improved products or services to their customers. Canada, in particular, has become a hotspot for activity in the … Continue reading

Fintech is thriving! Global investment more than doubles in 2018

KPMG recently published its “Pulse of Fintech” report on global investment in fintech for H2 2018. Here’s what you need to know: Global investment in fintech companies hit $111.8B in 2018 (with 2,196 deals), more than doubling global fintech investment in 2017. This was partly due to a small number of mega deals. In the … Continue reading

Narwhals, unicorns and profits – Canadian tech start-ups are on the rise

Unicorns and narwhals – what business do these creatures have in boardrooms and on stock exchanges? “Unicorn” and “narwhal” are industry terms used to describe certain private start-up tech companies. “Unicorns” are start-ups valued by investors at $1B or more, a rare and substantial feat that has earned them their mythical nickname. “Narwhals” sit a … Continue reading

3D printing – the manufacturing industry’s “comeback kid”

Speed. Scale. Diversity. What do these words have in common? According to Deloitte, they are the three main reasons that 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is experiencing a sustained resurgence in 2019. Deloitte recently published the 18th edition of its Technology, Media & Telecommunications Predictions report, which forecasts both global and regional … Continue reading

Strategies for parenting start-ups, post-acquisition

In recent years, we have seen more acquisitions of start-ups by big corporations in the tech industry, healthcare, retail, fashion, beauty, food, and transportation. The benefits of M&A transactions in these sectors has been more widely recognized. For instance, for a start-up, partnering with a large corporation provides broader market access, deeper industry knowledge and … Continue reading

Technology and creativity: keys to unlocking real estate?

With increasing globalization, shifting demographics and advancing technologies, just to name a few, society is changing rapidly. These changes, as reflected by evolving tastes, preferences and needs, influence both how and where people live and work. As part of their joint publication, Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2019 (the Report), PwC and the Urban Land … Continue reading

Managing information technology risk to improve M&A outcomes

An organization’s technology systems are an integral part of its business. Integrated into all aspects of its operations, the possible failure of these systems has been the top concern in Allianz Group’s survey of over 1,900 risk management experts for six straight years. High profile incidents such as the Visa service outage, where a systems … Continue reading

Canadian venture capital investment continues to increase in H1 2018

The Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association recently published its 2018 first half (H1 2018) report on Canadian venture capital (VC) and Canadian private equity (PE) investment. While Canadian PE investment remains feeble, Canadian VC investment has continued to climb to incredible heights. A review of the increasing trends in Canadian VC investment, with respect … Continue reading

Quebec opens its door to InsurTech: opportunities to grasp

The insurance industry is changing. A more digitally savvy customer base and the emergence of new technologies are reshaping the sector. Enter technology-led companies known as “InsurTechs.” In Québec, this innovative business approach along with a substantial legislative change is expected to increase M&A transactions. Mindful of offering a regulatory environment that is flexible and apt … Continue reading

M&A and the advancement of the RegTech industry

The rapid advancement of technology has moved at an unprecedented pace, offering the ability to automate “trust” and “quality” of the products and services being provided on a daily basis. Nevertheless, after the financial crisis in 2008, billions of fines and penalties were imposed on companies that failed to carry out regulatory standards. This exposed market inefficiencies … Continue reading

A forward look into emerging technologies in M&A

As previously noted, businesses are keen to shine their spotlights on the surge of disruptive technology, particularly with the opportunities it stands to introduce, the existing standards it proposes to displace, and the upside it promises for bottom lines. In recent years, the rise of disruptive technology has created a boom for some industries while potentially … Continue reading

Evaluating the risks of open source software in M&A transactions

Open source software (OSS) has emerged as a significant market disruptor in recent years. OSS serves as an alternative to commercial software licensing wherein the licensee does not need to pay for the license. This tends to make it particularly attractive to start-ups attempting to keep their costs down. However, the free use of the … Continue reading

Regulators comment on securities law implications for offerings of tokens

On June 11, 2018, the Canadian Securities Administrators (“CSA”) published Staff Notice 46-308 Securities Law Implications for Offerings of Tokens (“Notice”). The Notice follows from the CSA’s previous guidance in Staff Notice 46-307 Cryptocurrency Offerings, where the CSA explained that many cryptocurrency offerings involve the distribution of securities and are therefore subject to securities laws … Continue reading

The tech takeover: disruptive technology as a driver of M&A

A relentless parade of new technologies is unfolding on many fronts – one of which includes the M&A scene. While not every emerging technology will alter a business’ landscape, certain technologies have the potential to disrupt the status quo, alter the way companies operate and rearrange value pools. These “disruptive technologies” can quickly displace established … Continue reading

Global automotive M&A ends 2017 in high gear with no signs of slowing down

As seen in this recent PwC article, global automotive M&A activity was strong in 2017.  Automotive deal value increased 29.9% to $53.2b from 2016 to 2017 primarily as a result of two mega deals in the Auto-Tech sector, which PwC defines as “investments in connectivity, autonomous, electrification, ride-sharing and the software, sensors, intellectual property and … Continue reading

Top M&A attractions in 2018: technology assets and international markets

According to Deloitte’s latest M&A trends report, corporations and private equity (PE) firms expect to see an acceleration of M&A activity in 2018, both in volume and size of deals, and with particular interest in technology assets and international markets. Key Findings After surveying more than 1,000 executives at corporations and PE firms on their … Continue reading

Keeping real estate on trend with RealTech

The impact of technology can be felt across virtually all sectors of the economy and real estate is no exception. In fact, technology affects all aspects of real estate from its procurement and development to its management and use. Real estate-specific technology is often aptly referred to as “RealTech”. Explaining RealTech The KPMG White Paper, … Continue reading
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