Venture capital funding in 2024 remained subdued compared to its peak in 2021, with a median funding size of $5M. This shift has led companies to instead pursue M&A strategies as a means of achieving growth and securing liquidity.

Disclosed M&A deal value in 2024 totaled $5.1B. However, only 12% of deals revealed their financial details, which is primarily driven by the private nature of many transactions and strategic considerations, as companies often prioritize confidentiality to safeguard competitive advantages.

Dealmaking activities in the Smart Logistics sector have been on an upward trend in recent years. In 2024, the sector saw 145 acquisitions with Private Equity firms representing the buyer in 29% of these transactions. Strategic buyers were more active in 2024 with 103 deals made compared to 95 in 2023. 

Tech giant Accenture led the pack as the top acquirer in the Smart Logistics space in 2024 with 5 deals, followed by logistics technology company Descartes and PE firm TA Associates with 4 and 3 acquisitions, respectively. Other top buyers included retail analytics specialist Nuqleous, digital SCM firm Blue Yonder, supply chain and third-party risk AI company Exiger, and Constellation Software subsidiary Volaris, making 2 deals each.