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Startups & Venture·October 5, 2026·1 min read

This $23 billion software deal was struck at a decade-low valuation, as AI winner takes out loser

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Industrial AI beneficiaries are starting to vertically integrate software at depressed SaaS multiples—Schneider using AI windfall to buy design tooling at a decade-low valuation is a template. If you’re a horizontal tool in an AI-fueled value chain, assume your best acquirer is an upstream hardware or infra winner, not another software company.

Startups & Venture

Sources: UK neobank Monzo is in talks with CVC and Advent to sell up to a 15% stake, after Nubank takeover talks collapsed over the ~£10B valuation Monzo sought

Late-stage fintechs are increasingly trading control risk for growth capital—Monzo shopping a ~15% stake after a failed ~£10B takeout is another data point that strategic buyers are balking at current private marks. If you’re building in regulated finance, assume your next round is a structured deal with governance strings, not a clean markup.