.svg)
Solid start to the year in the Swiss software and IT services sector: 20 transactions in the first two months of 2026
The Swiss software and IT services market recorded a total of 20 acquisitions in the first two months of 2026. Of these, 10 transactions were in the software sector and 10 in the IT services sector. While deal activity in the software sector slowed down compared to the previous year, it picked up again in the IT services sector. We observed the transactions listed below during this period; detailed information on the individual transactions can be found in the IFBC Tech Transactions Monitor.
In terms of the number of transactions involving Swiss target companies, the greater Zurich area remains a hotspot for takeover targets due to the number of innovative companies located there, followed by the cantons of Zug and Aargau. In the cantons of Geneva and Vaud, deal activity slowed significantly at the beginning of the year. Accordingly, we expect to see an increase in transactions in these two cantons in the coming months.
Since the beginning of the year, Swiss investors in particular have been shaping takeover activity in the Swiss software and IT services market, acting as buyers in almost half of all transactions observed. Internationally, investors from Germany are also showing a high level of activity, while other international acquirers have so far only acquired Swiss target companies in isolated cases in the first two months of 2026.
In recent months, rapid developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) have led to noticeable uncertainty on the stock markets. At the heart of this is the concern of many investors that established SaaS business models could come under structural pressure from AI. The entire SaaS sector is affected.
Investors' growing skepticism toward SaaS business models has triggered a sharp decline in the valuations of publicly traded companies. This development is also increasingly affecting private markets. However, lower valuation expectations on the part of buyers continue to clash with sellers' price expectations, which are still based on the highs of recent years – resulting in a noticeable price gap.
Currently important for buyers: The decline in valuation levels opens up opportunities for buyers to acquire target companies with attractive business models and value-creating assets at attractive terms.
Currently important for sellers: The right positioning is crucial – buyers are willing to pay a premium for proprietary data, deep integration into existing workflows, and strong customer relationships in focus sectors with lock-in effects.
The complete IFBC Tech Transactions Monitor is available here:
%202.webp){kind=logo}
