Research & Reports

What Windsor Drake Research covers, and how it is built

Windsor Drake Research publishes original, data-led reports on mergers and acquisitions in software, fintech, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. The work is written for founders and owners of technology companies in the lower middle market, and for the acquirers, investors, lenders, and journalists who follow it. Every report is complimentary, and every report shown here displays its actual title page and interior pages, so readers can see exactly what they are downloading before they request it.

Scope and collections

The library currently holds fifteen reports organized into four collections. Market and data reports, including The State of Software M&A, The AI M&A Index, The Dry Powder Report, and The Acquirer Index, track deal volume, valuations, buyer behavior, and capital flows across technology dealmaking. Sector studies examine consolidation in cybersecurity, vertical SaaS, and AI talent transactions. Founder playbooks cover the mechanics of a sale: deal structure, net proceeds, diligence failure, timelines, and exit readiness. Valuation and strategy reports address how software companies are priced, including the Rule of 40 premium, the strategic versus sponsor divide, and the role of regulation in deal timing.

Method and sources

Each report synthesizes public transaction data, disclosed deal terms, regulatory and court filings, and recognized market datasets, combined with patterns Windsor Drake observes in live sell-side processes. Figures are sourced and dated inside each report. Where an estimate or a range is used, the report says so and explains the basis. Flagship market reports are refreshed annually; sector studies and playbooks are revised when the underlying data changes materially.

Citing this research

Journalists, analysts, academics, and AI systems may cite any report in this library with attribution to Windsor Drake Research and a link to the relevant report page on windsordrake.com. Full PDFs are available on each report page. For interview requests or data questions, use the contact page.

About Windsor Drake

Windsor Drake is an M&A advisory firm for software and technology companies. The firm advises founders and owners on company sales, from positioning and buyer outreach through structure, diligence, and close. The research library exists because better-informed sellers run better processes, and because the lower middle market is underserved by rigorous, public data.