Unlocking India’s M&A potential: Why we acquired EthosData

With India’s economy set to grow by 7% in 2024, it’s an attractive opportunity for M&A and investment. In particular, the country’s life sciences, financial services and renewable energy sectors are predicted to be a focus for dealmakers over the next few years.

To capitalize on this opportunity, Indian businesses and global investors need secure and efficient tools to manage high-stakes transactions. That’s why we’re excited to expand iDeals’ presence in India through the acquisition of EthosData, a move that will give local companies better access to the world’s fastest and most user-friendly Virtual Data Room (VDR).

Our customers have already given us positive feedback on the huge potential this partnership creates, and we’re looking forward to working with our new team to support M&A and dealmakers in India.

India’s growing M&A market

While deal value in India fell 27% last year in line with global trends and activity remains below expectations so far in 2024, sentiment among dealmakers is positive and we expect to see signs of a recovery as we move into 2025.

Low interest rates, controlled inflation, and record levels of dry powder among private equity investors mean conditions are favorable both for Indian companies looking to scale and for cross-border M&A. Goldman Sachs, Bain Capital and Blackstone have all publicly stated their plans to increase investment in India, with the latter earmarking an additional $25 billion over the next five years.

This environment presents an incredible opportunity and we’re committed to providing the digital tools that will help drive these deals forward. Our mission is to catalyze the world’s most important business decisions, and through working with our Country Head in India, Harsh Batra, I know we have the right team in place to achieve this goal. 

What this means for our customers

One of the most exciting aspects of this acquisition is the value it will bring to EthosData’s customers and the wider Indian market. Customers now benefit from the best VDR technology – which we recently upgraded to make it faster, more secure, and easier to use – coupled with a local team who are experts in Indian M&A. 

This gives them:

1. Enhanced functionality: We’ve always focused on offering the best feature set, and we’re proud that iDeals has been rated as a market leader on G2 five years in a row. Our customers in India now get access to improved features like advanced permissions controls, robust reporting and analytics, and lightning-fast performance.
2. Unparalleled security: Data security is critical in M&A, which is why it’s a priority for our product and infosec teams. iDeals VDR is SOC 2 certified and meets international security standards, giving customers peace of mind throughout the deal process.
3. Transparent pricing: We’re committed to disrupting the pricing models used by legacy VDR providers, which often mask the true cost of uploading and storing data. Our customers get a clear understanding of the VDR costs for their M&A project, enabling them to better manage budgets and avoid any nasty surprises.

Looking Ahead

This acquisition is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter for both iDeals and EthosData. Our commitment to innovation, security, and user experience remains at the core of everything we do, and we look forward to serving our clients—new and existing—with award-winning technology and transparent pricing. 

We’re proud to be part of India’s growth story and are excited to help businesses securely accelerate their most important decisions.