10 Biggest Tech Acquisitions of the Decade
The tech world has witnessed some truly massive deals over the past decade, with companies spending billions to expand, dominate markets, and stay ahead of their competition. A recent headline-grabber is Alphabet’s potential $32 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Wiz, a deal that would be Google’s parent company’s largest ever.
Here’s a look at the ten largest tech deals that have reshaped the industry in the last decade:
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Walt Disney snags Twenty-First Century Fox for $71 billion (March 2019) In a move that sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, Disney acquired Twenty-First Century Fox, securing control of iconic franchises like X-Men and Avatar. This deal also boosted Disney’s streaming service, Disney+, in its competition with Netflix.
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Broadcom’s $69 billion VMware takeover (November 2023) Broadcom’s acquisition of the cloud computing company VMware aimed to strengthen its position in cloud infrastructure and software. This deal, completed in November 2023, was among the largest tech mergers in history.
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Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision Blizzard gamble (October 2023) Microsoft’s purchase of gaming giant Activision Blizzard was a bold bet on the future of gaming and the metaverse. This acquisition gave Microsoft control of blockbuster franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.
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Dell Technologies’ $67 billion EMC Corp deal (September 2016) Dell’s acquisition of EMC Corp formed a tech powerhouse, combining Dell’s hardware expertise with EMC’s data storage solutions. The deal remains one of the largest in tech history.
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Elon Musk’s $44 billion Twitter takeover (October 2022) Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter (now X) was as controversial as it was expensive. The deal sparked discussions about free speech, platform moderation, and the future of social media. X continues to be a popular platform.
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Broadcom’s $37 billion Avago Technologies merger (February 2016) Broadcom’s merger with semiconductor supplier Avago Technologies created a semiconductor giant, positioning the company as a key player in the global chip industry.
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IBM’s $34 billion Red Hat acquisition (July 2019) IBM’s purchase of software company Red Hat was a strategic move to dominate the hybrid cloud market. The deal highlighted IBM’s shift away from legacy hardware to cloud-based solutions.
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Cisco’s $28 billion Splunk deal (March 2024) Cisco’s acquisition of Splunk, a data analytics and cybersecurity firm, was designed to boost its capabilities in AI-driven security and observability.
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Salesforce’s $27.7 billion Slack buy (July 2021) Salesforce’s purchase of the communication platform Slack was a bid to rival Microsoft Teams in the workplace collaboration space. The deal integrated Slack into Salesforce’s customer relationship management ecosystem.
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Microsoft buying LinkedIn for $26.2 billion (December 2016) Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn transformed the professional networking platform into a hub for enterprise tools and services.
Honourable mentions
- In April 2020, T-Mobile US acquired Sprint for $23 billion, a move that made the company the third-largest wireless carrier in the US.
- Meta Platforms buying WhatsApp for $22 billion in October 2014 solidified the Facebook parent’s dominance in global messaging.
Why these deals matter
These mega-deals reflect the tech industry’s relentless pursuit of innovation and market dominance. From cloud computing and cybersecurity to entertainment and gaming, companies clearly are investing heavily in the future. Alphabet’s potential acquisition of Wiz may be the latest example of how tech giants are willing to spend billions to stay ahead. As the tech landscape continues to evolve, one thing is certain: the race for supremacy is far from over, and the price tags are only getting bigger.
