Brainport remains a magnet for acquisitions and private equity

Despite geopolitical uncertainty, Brainport’s M&A market remains remarkably active. EY-Parthenon expects the number of transactions to exceed 100 again this year. Technology companies and specialised suppliers are attracting particularly strong investor interest.

In the first half of 2026, 54 mergers, acquisitions and investments took place in the Brainport region. EY-Parthenon expects the full-year total to exceed 100 transactions. That would surpass last year’s level, when 92 deals were recorded.

This is according to the report Strong M&A activity in the Brainport region, in which EY-Parthenon analyses the development of the regional M&A market since 2021. Fifty transactions were recorded that year, followed by 68 in 2022, 83 in 2023 and 100 in 2024. Between 2021 and 2025, the average annual growth rate was 16.5 per cent.

According to the researchers, the decline from 100 to 92 deals in 2025 reflects the broader slowdown in the European M&A market. Geopolitical uncertainty, trade tariffs and ongoing conflicts are making investors more cautious. However, the preliminary figures for 2026 point to a recovery.

Technology leads the market

Technology accounted for 26 per cent of all Brainport transactions in the first half of this year. Business services followed at 25 per cent, while construction and real estate together accounted for 14 per cent of the deals.

According to EY-Parthenon, the high level of M&A activity is closely linked to ASML's growth and the network of specialised suppliers surrounding it. Rising demand is forcing companies to expand their production capacity, add technical expertise and scale internationally. An acquisition or external investment can accelerate that process.

Technology is therefore among the fastest-growing segments of the regional M&A market. Between 2021 and 2025, the number of technology deals increased by an average of 23 per cent a year. Business services grew by 26 per cent and industrials by 22 per cent.

Recent examples include STMicroelectronics’ acquisition of NXP’s MEMS sensor business and a €40 million funding round for Eindhoven-based software company Eyeo. The report also highlights ASML’s investment in French AI company Mistral, Neways’ acquisition of Philips Micro Devices and the City of Eindhoven’s acquisition of the Brainport Industries Campus complex.

Private equity involved in the majority of deals

The prominent role of private equity is particularly striking. According to EY-Parthenon, a private equity firm was involved in 56 per cent of all Brainport transactions over the past five years. The share was especially high in health and life sciences, industrials, and media and telecommunications.

Investors provide more than capital. According to the report, they also help companies professionalise, expand internationally and pursue further acquisitions. Brainport therefore benefits from private equity, but the influence of financial investors on the regional industrial sector is also increasing.

“When multinationals scale, local suppliers must follow,” says EY-Parthenon partner Ernst-Jan Ottenhoff. According to him, this drives further investment and consolidation—and sustains financial investors’ interest in Brainport.