Covington & Burling LLP

In this blog post we set out key practical steps for technology-focused deal-making, having regard to the regulatory, antitrust and foreign investment screening issues identified in our earlier blogs here and here.

Key impacts of technology regulation on deal outcomes

The evolving regulatory landscape is having a significant impact on deal outcomes, including (i)

Until the last year, merger control in the UK has been fairly hostile towards tech deals, with a highly interventionist competition authority taking an uncompromising line on global deals; even where those deals had only a limited nexus to the UK. The EU has generally taken a more pragmatic approach, clearing Google’s acquisition of Fitbit

Technology-focused deals are driving many of the largest global M&A and strategic transactions—whether digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), digital services or gaming. The successful execution of these transactions and ultimate success of the business opportunities promised by them, depends on understanding how emerging technology, regulation and market norms are evolving. In this three-part blog series,