Dealert: A New Private Equity Deals Database Responding to the Demand for Accessible M&A Intelligence

In the world of mergers and acquisitions, information asymmetry has long shaped who participates in deals and how quickly they can react. The leading M&A databases — comprehensive, data-rich, and well-established — have typically been the tools of choice for large financial institutions, multinational corporations, and global advisory firms. But these platforms come at a cost, often reaching into the tens of thousands of euros annually, along with steep learning curves and features designed for enterprise environments.

A growing number of smaller private equity funds, advisory boutiques, corporate strategy teams, and researchers are increasingly left looking for more accessible alternatives. Dealert, a relatively new private equity deals database, has emerged to address this need by offering structured M&A transaction data in a simplified, affordable format.

A Shift in the M&A Data Market

As the M&A ecosystem becomes more decentralized, with activity increasingly spread across mid-market firms, independent dealmakers, and family offices, the demand for leaner and more user-friendly data tools is rising. Existing databases offer depth and analytical power, but for smaller teams or independent professionals, these systems are often more than what’s needed — both in scope and price.

Dealert is one example of a platform designed to fill this space. It does not aim to replicate the full analytical functions of institutional platforms but instead focuses on providing verified deal data that can be quickly searched, filtered, and exported.

Platform Structure and Functionality

Dealert aggregates publicly disclosed M&A transactions from regulatory filings, company announcements, and industry sources. Each entry includes buyer and seller details, sector classification, geographic information, transaction size, and valuation multiples when available.

Users can search the database by applying multiple filters, including sector, geography, deal size, and buyer type. The platform also offers custom alert functionality, allowing users to receive notifications when deals matching specific criteria are published. Data exports are available in standard formats such as Excel and CSV, making it easy to integrate information into presentations, client reports, or investment committee materials.

Practical Use Cases

Private Equity Firms

For small and mid-sized private equity firms operating without large research teams or institutional data access, a focused private equity deals database is essential for monitoring the market and benchmarking valuations. Dealert is used by these firms to:

• Track competitor acquisitions in targeted sectors.
• Identify potential add-ons for portfolio companies.
• Benchmark valuation multiples to support pricing discussions.
• Prepare precedent transactions sections for investment committee presentations.

The simplicity of the tool allows PE professionals to access relevant data quickly without navigating large, complex platforms.

M&A Advisors and Boutique Investment Banks

Smaller advisory firms require up-to-date transaction data to prepare pitches, support negotiations, and advise clients on valuation ranges. Dealert supports these workflows by enabling users to:

• Compile lists of recent transactions in a given industry or region.
• Benchmark deal multiples for use in client presentations.
• Identify potential buyers or sellers based on past transaction activity.
• Export data for use in pitchbooks, marketing materials, and financial models.

Consultants and Corporate Strategy Teams

Strategy consultants and in-house corporate strategy professionals rely on M&A data for market analysis, competitive intelligence, and strategic planning. These teams use Dealert to:

• Map industry consolidation trends.
• Assess competitor acquisition strategies.
• Benchmark valuations for pricing decisions or potential acquisitions.
• Produce data-supported reports for internal or client presentations.

Corporate Development Teams

In-house M&A teams at mid-sized companies are often tasked with identifying acquisition opportunities and keeping track of competitor activity. Many do not have access to larger, institutional databases. Dealert provides a more straightforward solution for:

• Tracking competitors’ recent acquisitions.
• Building target lists for potential M&A activity.
• Benchmarking sector valuation ranges for budgeting and internal modeling.
• Preparing data-supported reports for senior management or board meetings.

Academic Researchers and Educational Institutions

M&A data is increasingly used in academic research and teaching. Dealert is used by universities and business schools to:

• Support research on market cycles, industry consolidation, and valuation trends.
• Provide students with real-world transaction data for case studies and coursework.
• Enable comparative sector studies across regions and timeframes.
• Facilitate thesis projects and research papers grounded in reliable transaction data.

Scope and Limitations

As with any platform that relies on publicly disclosed information, Dealert’s coverage is limited to transactions reported through regulatory filings, press releases, or reliable third-party sources. Private deals and undisclosed terms remain outside the platform’s scope.

Additionally, the platform’s design intentionally prioritizes simplicity over complex analytical tools. Users looking for sector reports, forecast models, or proprietary valuations will still need to turn to larger data providers. Dealert’s value proposition lies in its ease of access and focus on core deal data.

Broader Market Trends

The development of platforms like Dealert reflects a larger trend toward specialization and accessibility in financial services. As more deal activity shifts toward the lower mid-market, and as the number of independent sponsors and boutique advisory firms grows, demand for straightforward data tools is likely to continue increasing.

This trend is not limited to M&A. Across financial services, smaller firms and professionals are adopting lighter, more focused tools that offer key information without the overhead of enterprise systems. In this context, a streamlined private equity deals database with robust search and export functions fits into the evolving needs of the industry.

Future Developments

Dealert’s development roadmap reportedly includes plans for additional benchmarking features, allowing users to compare valuation multiples across sectors and historical periods. There are also plans to add ESG-related transaction tracking, reflecting the growing prominence of sustainability considerations in M&A activity. Predictive tools, designed to help users anticipate trends in sector activity, are also under consideration.

Conclusion

The concentration of M&A data access within large institutions is gradually shifting as new platforms emerge to serve smaller firms and individual professionals. Dealert, functioning as both a private equity deals database and a general M&A transaction tracker, is one such platform positioned to meet this demand.

While it does not aim to replace the extensive analytical functions of large, institutional data providers, its emphasis on simplicity, structured data, and affordability responds to the evolving needs of an increasingly fragmented market. As M&A activity continues to diversify across geographies, deal sizes, and sectors, more professionals are likely to turn to tools designed with accessibility and focus in mind.