pemacom 2025: Make it great again – but how?
1. pemacom 2025
Private Equity and M&A Community (pemacom) is the industry’s leading conference for cross-border private equity (PE) and mergers & acquisitions transactions.
On 23 September 2025, Munich Services & Consulting (MuSAC), in conjunction with DealCircle, FTI Consulting, Datasite-Grata, and Reed Smith as main co-sponsors, will host the 2025 annual Cross-Border Private Equity M&A conference pemacom at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. Once again, we look forward to welcoming some 450 participants to the conference – to share knowledge and insights, connect and network, and celebrate Oktoberfest alongside panellists and sponsors.
2. What is Europe’s role and the market prospect?
In recent times, we have been faced with a multitude of geopolitical challenges.
The war in Ukraine, crises in the Middle East, unrest around Taiwan, and shifts in South America might be only the beginning of a perpetual chain of unexpected challenges. The world is in disorder, and it seems that, other than the United States, we in Europe are not in a position – perhaps not even capable – of playing a significant role in the decisions that will shape the coming decades.
What role can we play – and what role do we want to play? This is not only a question of (geo)politics. As the tariff discussions show, this is very much an economically driven process with immediate impacts on our economic standing.
In Q4 2024 and through the first half of 2025, the German M&A market has exhibited signs of gradual recovery after a multi-year downturn. The volume of transactions declined only modestly (3% in 2024 compared to 6% in 2023), with a noticeable uptick in deal value (+45%) in late 2024, primarily driven by several “megadeals” and corporate restructurings, particularly in tech, life sciences, and industrial sectors. However, uncertainties tied to geopolitics, Germany’s own economic stagnation, and transitions towards climate neutrality still exert downward pressure. While market sentiment remains cautious, the reduction in inflation and interest rates has started to bolster investor confidence, enticing more international activity, especially in high-growth and tech-related sectors. Notably, alternative deal structures such as joint ventures and minority stakes are gaining traction in response to this uncertain environment.
For PE, the environment remains challenging yet increasingly opportunistic. After considerable sentiment deterioration in 2024, conditions stabilised at a low level in early 2025, with investors remaining disciplined amid ongoing valuation and exit challenges. Despite this, deal values for PE transactions jumped significantly (+62% in 2024), reflecting strong appetite and dry powder deployment, especially in technology and energy assets. Opportunities are emerging from increased deal flow, as corporates divest non-core units at attractive valuations. However, exit environments remain challenging due to subdued IPO markets and conservative valuation multiples. The recessive climate presents a double-edged sword: while portfolio companies face operational headwinds and tougher refinancing conditions, investors benefit from lower entry multiples and a growing pipeline of high-quality assets, as distressed sellers and corporates adjust their strategies. Discipline in value creation, particularly through operational improvements and sector convergence (notably tech, infrastructure, and energy), remains paramount for PE players seeking to capitalise on the current environment.
3. The conference features
pemacom 2025 will take the current geopolitical environment into account.
Our keynote speaker will be Prof. Dr Herfried Münkler, Emeritus Professor at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He will discuss the role of Europe – and Germany in particular – amid the current geopolitical storm.
The conference panels will focus on cross-border transactional markets between the United States and Europe, as well as those within Europe. Sector panels will address Mittelstand deals; special situations; family offices and PE; tech; AI and cybersecurity; digital business models; health care and life sciences; impact investing; leverage finance; private funds; and other topics.
The geopolitical developments and decisions over the next few months will be fundamental in shaping what lies ahead, dramatically impacting the global landscape as well as PE and M&A markets. At pemacom, we will discuss what to expect in the near future and how we can best prepare.
Join us and be part of it!
