The hottest Acquisitions Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Finance Topics

OpenAI bought Astral, will I keep using uv?

Bite code! • 1100 implied HN points • 23 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Acquisitions
  1. I’ll keep using uv because it delivers huge value and switching away would be a clear downgrade, and migration back is simple since it’s pip-compatible and can import/export standard formats.
  2. The acquisition raised community worries, but practical risks are limited: uv is MIT-licensed, widely forked, and important enough that it’s unlikely to be ruined or disappear quickly.
  3. Others should keep using uv if it fits their needs because the technical benefits outweigh the small contingency of having to switch later, and keeping calm beats outrage-driven decisions.

The Anarchist’s Compass No. 1

The American Peasant • 2535 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. A businessman shared a wild story about buying a small publishing company. He revealed that the owner didn't know he was supposed to keep the cash in the company, and the buyer ended up getting the business almost for free.
  2. The room erupted in laughter when he shared how the situation turned out. It showed how sometimes, deals can have unexpected and surprising outcomes.
  3. This story highlights how important it is to understand business transactions and financial details. Misunderstandings can lead to big surprises for both buyers and sellers.

A Wave Is Coming

Midwest Humble • 65 implied HN points • 17 Mar 26
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) is a practical way to preserve local businesses as baby‑boomer owners retire, and it can prevent job losses by keeping companies open.
  2. Targeted programs and investment that help women, POC, and Black leaders buy Main Street businesses can shift regional wealth and ownership with just a few acquisitions each year.
  3. Community and nonprofit leadership skills translate well to business ownership, and buying established companies often offers a higher chance of success than launching risky new startups.

How Starter Story grew from a side project into a multi-million dollar media business (and why HubSpot bought it)

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 24 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. A simple side project of interviewing founders and publishing detailed case studies can grow into a scalable media business.
  2. Growth came from constantly reinventing distribution, building proprietary data from thousands of interviews, and leaning into video (YouTube) while shifting monetization away from ads toward higher-priced products and bootcamps.
  3. Bootstrapped and profitable, the company reached hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs and multi-million dollar revenue, culminating in an acquisition by HubSpot.

Why Apple Must Buy Perplexity

Big Technology • 5254 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Apple should buy Perplexity for $30 billion because it can greatly improve its AI features. This acquisition would help integrate smart AI into Siri and Safari, making Apple's offerings much better.
  2. There is a sense of urgency for Apple to act quickly; if they wait too long, they risk losing their deal with Google and could miss out on growth opportunities in AI. Buying Perplexity now could help shape Apple's future in this competitive market.
  3. Perplexity is growing fast and has a partnership with Samsung that could strengthen over time. If Apple jumps in now, it might block Samsung's plans and establish itself as a more serious player in the AI space.
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Why a magazine geared toward political operatives wants to expand into a B2B media empire

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 249 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. New owners refocused the brand on serving political operatives and rebuilt its digital and events businesses instead of trying to be a generalist politics outlet.
  2. They killed the print edition to force the team to focus on scalable growth verticals. That "burn the lifeboats" move created pressure and a laser-like focus to transform the business.
  3. They rebuilt and monetized events by resisting discounts and raising prices, then expanded into new markets and acquired other tightly regulated B2B outlets to scale into a media empire.

10-Minute Investment Autopsy No. 4: Advance Auto Parts

Behavioral Value Investor • 59 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
💰 Finance Acquisitions
  1. The automotive aftermarket looks like a stable, slow-changing business where short trips, urgency, low ticket sizes, and helpful in-store service create repeat customers and limit online disruption, which can support margin improvement like competitors have shown.
  2. Execution risk mattered: same-store sales were weaker than expected even as margins improved, but better results at peers suggested the problems were company-specific rather than structural, so early misses didn’t automatically change the value view.
  3. The market quickly priced in expected synergies from a large acquisition, closing the gap to intrinsic value and creating a clear exit opportunity, and sensible position sizing plus discipline let the investor realize the gain.

Illumina Deliver Q70. Complete Genomics Sold.

ASeq Newsletter • 51 implied HN points • 24 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Acquisitions
  1. Illumina is targeting Q50 overall read quality by the end of 2027, and some kits will achieve Q70.
  2. They’re releasing much higher-throughput options, including a 5 billion-read flow cell, a 1.5 billion-read 600-cycle kit, and upgrades pushing 10 billion reads to 14 billion (20-hour runs) and 25 billion to 35 billion reads.
  3. Per-run prices will go up while cost per base goes down, and Complete Genomics has been sold.

Saying The Quiet Part Out Loud

Investing 101 • 64 implied HN points • 24 Jan 26
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. People in venture and business are playing different games — playing to win, playing for power, or playing to survive — and each game leads to different goals and behaviors.
  2. The real mistake is pretending everyone is playing the same game; not recognizing others' aims will make you compete on the wrong terms and cost you.
  3. Be deliberate about which game you choose and play it well; don’t let winners or power players drag you into their game if it doesn’t fit your goals.

OpenAI wants you to know it’s a B2B company, too

Alex's Personal Blog • 197 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Acquisitions
  1. A global payments startup restructured its investor base and is pushing into the U.S. to counter worries about Chinese ties, but it’s still unclear if that will calm regulators or customers.
  2. IBM bought Confluent to get closer to enterprise data streams and strengthen its AI and automation offerings, a strategic play that boosts growth without changing IBM’s scale much.
  3. OpenAI is leaning into the B2B market with rapid growth in enterprise seats and claims that its tools save workers substantial time, showing strong corporate demand even as consumer monetization lags.

GC, a16z Capture 44% VC fundraising💰, Massive Acquisitions in Software Startups 🛒, Network Effects🕸️

The VC Corner • 379 implied HN points • 05 May 24
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. GC and a16z are leading the way, capturing a large portion of VC fundraising. This means they are securing a lot of money to invest in new businesses.
  2. There are many significant acquisitions happening in the software startup space. Companies are being bought up, showing growth and interest in this sector.
  3. Network effects are becoming important for these companies. This means that the more people use a service, the better it gets and the more valuable it becomes.

New reports detail UnitedHealth's latest acquisitions under shady pretenses

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 479 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Acquisitions
  1. UnitedHealth is buying a lot of clinics, especially in areas where it already has many Medicare Advantage members. This helps them earn more money from the government.
  2. As UnitedHealth grows, it doesn't have to publicly announce many of its deals. This means they can make several acquisitions without much notice to shareholders.
  3. The company seems to be taking advantage of crises in healthcare, such as when a recent hack affected doctors’ payments, by pushing through acquisitions that profit them during tough times.

The business of AI in 2026

Generating Conversation • 70 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Big investments in data centers and GPUs are likely to pay off as inference gets cheaper and more AI applications become economical, so infrastructure buildout is a bullish trend.
  2. Large companies will keep acquiring startups and doing acqui‑hires, and those acqui‑hires can harm the startup ecosystem and spook talent unless policy or enforcement changes.
  3. Frontier labs will move up into higher‑margin applications, so startups must differentiate on orchestration, workflows, and solving harder domains like healthcare, security, and SRE where adoption is slower but more defensible.

Mapping UnitedHealth’s consumption of our health care system – from the ‘70s to today

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 759 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
🏥 Health Politics Acquisitions
  1. UnitedHealth has grown significantly by acquiring many health companies since the 1970s. This has made it one of the biggest and most influential health care companies in the U.S.
  2. Their acquisitions have changed how health care is managed, often focusing more on profit rather than patient care. Some companies they've bought have faced criticism for denying necessary treatments.
  3. UnitedHealth's size allows it to impact many areas of health care, from insurance to the providers of medical services. This has raised concerns about its influence over patient care and competition in the market.

$650 Million for Casetext & $1.3 Billion for MosaicML + Massive New AI Funding Rounds Mean Great Week for Generative AI

Newcomer • 963 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Significant AI startup acquisitions and funding rounds indicate a strong interest in generative AI technology.
  2. Acquisitions like Thomson Reuter's $650 million purchase of Casetext show genuine value placed on generative AI by established companies.
  3. MosaicML, with a $1.3 billion acquisition by Databricks, is contributing to the hype around AI startups, despite some skepticism over valuation.

Broadcom’s Google TPU Revenue Explosion, Networking Boom, VMWare Integration

SemiAnalysis • 4849 implied HN points • 30 Aug 23
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Broadcom is the second largest AI chip company in the world behind NVIDIA, driven by Google's TPU ramp.
  2. Broadcom's strategy involves acquiring companies with strong products, cutting costs, and focusing on core products.
  3. Broadcom has diversified segments including wireless, networking, and custom silicon, with a focus on efficiency and stable growth.

Pipe Had Just $7.1m in Revenue, Burned $47m in 2024, Newly Leaked Docs Show

Fintech Business Weekly • 59 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
💰 Finance Acquisitions
  1. Pipe generated only $7.1M in revenue in 2024 while burning about $47M, pursued an ambitious Uber partnership and growth plan, then abruptly laid off roughly half its staff, leaving its strategy and runway in question.
  2. The OCC gave conditional national trust charters to five crypto-related firms (Paxos, Ripple, BitGo, Fidelity, and Circle’s bank), imposing detailed compliance conditions and drawing criticism from banking and state regulators about oversight and risks.
  3. Enova is acquiring Grasshopper Bank, which would give Enova a large deposit base to lower its funding costs and boost profitability for its subprime lending business, but the deal needs regulatory approvals and faces consumer advocacy scrutiny.

Should I buy a company after visiting Victoria, BC?

Olshansky's Newsletter • 45 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Buy an existing, revenue-generating business instead of building from scratch to create steady cash flow and buy time and freedom to pursue bigger missions.
  2. Make plans without expectations and show up; building relationships and staying open to serendipity often creates better opportunities than rigid goals.
  3. Prioritize independence and real value creation over constant fundraising, and then fix operational inefficiencies — cut waste, move costly cloud workloads to cheaper infrastructure, automate with AI, and keep teams lean to extract reliable cash flow.

Under the Hammer

Investment Talk • 353 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Auction Technology Group (ATG) has a strong network effect connecting auction houses and bidders globally
  2. ATG's revenue grew after going public, showcasing potential for growth and expansion
  3. ATG's performance in 2023 indicated a mixed picture, with some segments showing declines and signs of cyclical behavior

Cigna said to be going after Humana to buy its way into Medicare Advantage

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 519 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Cigna is looking to acquire Humana to strengthen its position in the Medicare Advantage market. This is important because Medicare Advantage is a growing and profitable area in health insurance.
  2. If the deal goes through, Cigna and Humana together would have around 30 million health plan enrollees in the U.S., but they would still be smaller than their main competitor, UnitedHealthcare.
  3. Cigna's focus on this acquisition shows that they see it as a strategic move to grow, especially since both companies are shifting away from their commercial insurance businesses.

My thoughts on the Zscaler acquisition of Red Canary

Frankly Speaking • 305 implied HN points • 05 Jun 25
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Zscaler bought Red Canary to create a more integrated and powerful security platform. This move helps them adapt to the changing needs of businesses that want fewer, but more effective tools.
  2. The combination of Zscaler’s services with Red Canary’s managed detection capabilities allows companies to reduce their security staff while improving response times. This can make security easier and potentially save money.
  3. The security market is shifting away from using many separate tools and towards unified platforms. As Zscaler and others adapt, there's potential for growth, but they must also navigate challenges in merging cultures and technologies.

The AI Application Land Grab

Generating Conversation • 163 implied HN points • 17 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Acquisitions
  1. There has been a trend of big companies acquiring smaller AI firms to stay competitive, driven by fears of not keeping up with the latest technology. This could mean more interesting developments in the AI space in the near future.
  2. Many major tech companies are looking to acquire not just applications but also data management firms, as having the right data is crucial for AI success. This means we might see more acquisitions focused on data management.
  3. While some startups are getting acquired, many leading infrastructure companies are staying independent, possibly because they are doing well on their own or the big companies feel confident in their existing infrastructure. This shows a different strategy in the market right now.

Market Movers - 20 October 2023

The Wolf of Harcourt Street • 319 implied HN points • 20 Oct 23
💰 Finance Acquisitions
  1. PepsiCo exceeded analyst estimates in Q3 earnings by focusing on consumer interaction and pricing for smaller packs.
  2. Adyen's Investor Relations Update hints at strong Q3 results and their launch of Tap to Pay for Australian retailers.
  3. Block, previously Square, made another costly acquisition with Hifi, a music-focused fintech startup, following previous less successful deals.

Buy or Build?

The War Room • 157 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Buying a business can kickstart your journey as a business owner.
  2. Choose a business you're passionate about building or rebuilding.
  3. Consider the type of business you want to start or found before deciding to buy or build.

Who's top of Steam Next Fest for October 2023?

The GameDiscoverCo newsletter • 255 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Acquisitions
  1. The top games at Steam Next Fest for October 2023 were a diverse mix of genres and styles, with a focus on deep building and crafting mechanics.
  2. There is a discussion about the existence of an 'indie games bubble,' highlighting challenges in funding new games and market saturation.
  3. Game discovery news includes updates on Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Sony testing PC trophies for PSN, and Epic Games Store's new features.

Deep dive on Xbox leak

SuperJoost Playlist • 317 implied HN points • 21 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Acquisitions
  1. Microsoft accidentally leaked internal documents revealing plans for Xbox until 2030.
  2. Microsoft aims for significant revenue growth in its gaming division, especially from Game Pass subscribers.
  3. The leaked documents show insights into Microsoft's strategies, such as potential acquisitions and revenue targets.

Booking: The $170B+ A/B Testing Machine

SatPost by Trung Phan • 154 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Booking Holdings became the largest online travel company by using A/B testing effectively. They run thousands of tests on their website to figure out what works best for getting customers to book travel.
  2. The company's success also comes from smart acquisitions, like Booking.com and Active Hotels, which helped them quickly grow and shape the travel industry. These acquisitions cost them $294 million and grew into a $170 billion company.
  3. Booking's culture focuses on data and experimentation. They let everyone in the company, not just the top executives, run tests and use data to make decisions, leading to a more user-friendly experience.

639 days later

SuperJoost Playlist • 257 implied HN points • 19 Oct 23
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Microsoft closes its acquisition of Activision Blizzard after 639 days of regulatory scrutiny.
  2. Expect Microsoft to promote Sarah Bond to CEO of Activision Blizzard to address workplace toxicity.
  3. The future of gaming will be better informed with more acquisitions likely in the industry.

🚪 A filmmaker SaaS acquired for $15k

No-Code Exits • 117 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Starting small and testing ideas is important to reduce risk and adapt quickly based on feedback.
  2. Creating revenue-driven and sustainable businesses that do not rely on external funding is crucial.
  3. Learning and mastering no-code tools like Bubble can lead to successful ventures with lower maintenance costs and faster shipping times.

The joy of six

SuperJoost Playlist • 178 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. GTA6 is anticipated to sell around 38 million copies in its first year, generating $2.7 billion in revenue.
  2. The GTA franchise accounts for a significant portion of Take-Two's annual revenue.
  3. Rockstar Games has successfully built a loyal following and diversified revenue streams through digital distribution.

✨ Building a Modern Constellation Software

Overlooked by Alexandre Dewez • 196 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. The world has changed since the inception of Constellation Software in 1995.
  2. A new player cannot directly compete with Constellation Software's acquisition strategies and existing relationships.
  3. Building a modern software conglomerate would require focusing on growth, quality, and building synergies rather than mimicking Constellation Software's exact model.

How to Find Founder-Market Fit

Startup Pirate by Alex Alexakis • 196 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
💼 Business Acquisitions
  1. Founder-Market Fit is crucial for startup success - ensure you are well-suited for the market you are targeting.
  2. Assess market dynamics, business model, key activities, and industry culture to determine your fit in a specific market.
  3. If you face Founder-Market (un)Fit, consider solutions like finding a co-founder, getting social proof, building a strong executive team, or exploring new opportunities.