H1’s biggest M&A deals

2026-07-02 · Source: Sifted · Field: Business & Management — Corporate Strategy & Leadership, Entrepreneurship & Start-ups, Consulting & Professional Services · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

European M&A dealmaking experienced a significant decline in the first half of 2026, with Sifted tracking 324 exits across the continent, a notable decrease from 444 in the same period last year. The market saw limited consolidation, as only 15 buyers completed multiple deals, with most closing just two acquisitions. Norwegian investment firm Verdane Capital was an exception, executing three acquisitions. The report details several key transactions, including the acquisition of a company for €0.8jw by Yiyhyi Imlaxcus, another for €0.6uy by JvjtnlNmwh, and a €6.6pn deal involving Lenilqcxhq. Other notable deals mentioned include acquisitions for €0wx, €8dd, €4vx, €631g, €152k, €756p, and €759m, highlighting specific companies and acquirers within the H1 2026 landscape.

Key takeaway

For investors and executives evaluating European M&A opportunities or planning an exit in 2026, understand that the market has significantly slowed. You should anticipate a more challenging environment, with fewer active buyers and a notable decrease in deal volume compared to the previous year. Adjust your valuation expectations and M&A strategies to reflect this contraction, focusing on strong fundamentals to attract the limited pool of active acquirers like Verdane Capital.

Key insights

European M&A activity significantly contracted in H1 2026, marked by fewer deals and limited buyer consolidation.

Topics

• M&A Deals
• European Market
• H1 2026 Trends
• Verdane Capital
• Startup Exits
• Deal Volume

Best for: Investor, Executive, Entrepreneur

Related on AIssential

• European tech weekly recap: €1.4B in deals and April's highlights — European tech funding saw stable deal volume but decreased capital raised in April 2026.
• More VC mergers are coming, says P101 founder — VC consolidation is accelerating as firms must offer more than capital to remain competitive.
• The seed rounds you may have missed in H1 — Many significant European seed rounds in H1 2026 were overshadowed by larger, headline-grabbing investments.
• Cursor Deal Puts US On Track For Record Startup M&A Year — The 2026 U.S. startup M&A market is on track for a record year, heavily influenced by a single \$60 billion AI acquisition.
• Kpler bags $1B+, Salesforce acquires Contentful, and Built in Europe campaign launched — This week in European tech, over 55 funding deals totaling more than €2.3 billion and 10+ M&A transactions were tracked.
• The No. 1 Reason M&A Deals Fail Before They Even Start — AI M&A expectations often misalign due to overreliance on potential and outlier deals, rather than demonstrated fundamentals.

Open in AIssential →

Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Sifted.