By John McGovern, owner & CEO, Grimes McGovern & Associates
Last week we mentioned that twelve deals were completed in the first five months of 2025 – the same as 2024. Many private equity firms with cash on hand are in the market to buy exhibition properties.
A deep dive into these portfolio company deals gives us insight into what kind of businesses are being traded, and what PE buyers are looking for. With portfolio company acquisitions often being ‘exit-oriented’, there are often specific nuances to their preferences. This is in contrast to smaller buyers who are looking to expand their core operations and have a limited appetite for risk.
Recent acquisitions
First, a list of the recent acquisitions we’ll be discussing. Then we’ll break down why these companies were absorbed.
Ai4 – conference, expo and media company focused on AI acquired by CloserStill in March
Canadian Concrete Expo – major Canadian event serving the concrete industry acquired by Trifecta Collective
This is beyond – London-based B2B immersive events company acquired by Emerald Collective
Plant Based World Expo – North America’s only 100% plant-based B2B trade event acquired by Emerald Collective
Emphasis on AI and tech
Firstly, emphasis on AI and tech integration comes as no surprise. Ai4, a long-established conference, expo and media property focused on AI and its applications across numerous industries, was acquired by CloserStill Media in March. CloserStill Media’s acquisition aligns with the growing interest in AI-driven events, capitalising on the rapid adoption of AI technologies in various sectors. There are multiple high growth sectors, but AI warrants a special mention as it has applications across so many industries and is all the rage right now.
Niche, high-growth sectors
Additionally, we are seeing a focus on leading events in niche, high-growth sectors. Companies with a clear specialisation are in high demand. Trifecta Collective acquired the Canadian Concrete Expo (CCE), a leading event in Canada serving the concrete, construction and aggregates industries. The acquisition helps expand their reach within North America and complements their existing properties in construction and transportation.
Emerald acquired This is beyond, expanding its portfolio to the experiential and luxury travel industry. Not only is this niche high growth area with high margins, but luxury consumers are unaffected by economic conditions, making this a resilient business. Another one of Emerald’s acquisitions was the Plant Based World Expo – bringing together thousands of stakeholders in an industry poised for exponential growth in the coming years.
These acquisitions, sometimes by the same company in completely different verticals, indicate that portfolio companies are making bold strategic bets, targeting sectors with high growth and innovation potential and choosing market leading events within those sectors. Further, buyers are diversifying by investing in multiple niche markets simultaneously.
Grimes, McGovern & Associates is a leading lower middle-market Mergers & Acquisitions firm advising media, events, and information services businesses globally. See our transactions here.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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