Louis Lehot Medium Blog

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As a practicing M&A attorney representing both strategic acquirers and venture-backed targets, I have had a front row seat to the fundamental transformation of Silicon Valley’s exit landscape. The rise of acquihiring represents more than a market trend, it’s an evolutionary response to capital scarcity, talent wars, and regulatory uncertainty that demands sophisticated legal frameworks

Executive SummaryThe IPO market is showing encouraging signs of recovery in 2025, with 201 companies going public year-to-date compared to 225 for all of 2024. While deal volumes are increasing and aftermarket performance is strong, average deal sizes remain smaller than historical norms. Key sectors including AI, fintech, crypto, and defense tech are driving investor

Friends,In last month’s newsletter, we discussed how escalating tariffs were impacting liquidity options for growth-stage startups and examined the sustained dominance of artificial intelligence within global venture investing.This month, we look at how nontraditional investors are shifting their focus toward late-stage companies, and how climate-tech startups are adjusting to a tougher fundraising environment by

The venture capital ecosystem is grappling with a liquidity challenge that’s testing even the most seasoned investors. With the IPO market significantly contracted and regulatory scrutiny of M&A deals increasing — particularly for tech acquisitions — VCs are under mounting pressure to return capital to limited partners (LPs).This environment has forced a recalibration of strategies. Firms are increasingly relying on