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May 15, 2026

M&A: The European startups raising cash and on the hunt for acquisitions

A strategy once reserved for incumbents is now filtering down to younger VC-backed startups

Almost halfway through 2026, one trend is becoming increasingly clear: a growing number of venture-backed companies are raising capital not just to expand organically, but to buy.

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Ruggero Di Spigna

Ruggero Di Spigna is a Senior Insights & Product Associate at Sifted. Find him on LinkedIn

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