When speaking to nearly all startups about their exit strategy, it almost invariably is acquisition. But startup M&A is an area most founders know very little about and is clouded in mystery. What really happens when a startup is acquired, how does it happen, and when? Who reaches out to whom? Do you need a banker or boutique M&A firm? What are the tricks and traps on both sides of the table?

In this #DreamitLive Amit Yoran (CEO Tenable, former President, RSA & CEO, Netwitness) and Mike Viscuso (Co-Founder, Carbon Black) will share their insights on the dynamic and high-stakes process of startup M&A. With decades of experience, Amit and Mike will share their thoughts with #DreamitLive co-hosts Mel Shakir (Managing Director, Dreamit Securetech) and Steve Barsh (Managing Partner, Dreamit Ventures).

In this exclusive #DreamitLive episode we’ll take a peek behind the curtain to discuss rarely talked about topics that startup founders need to know including:

What are the top reasons an acquirer will do a deal? What are the top things they are looking for?

As a startup, how do you make yourself most attractive to an acquirer?

Are startups bought or are they sold and how does that influence the process?

Where do most deals originate? Via a partnership, strategic investment, banker, or somewhere else?

How does a startup maximize value during the M&A process?

In deal structuring, what are the pros and cons of upfront payments and earnouts?

What are the top mistakes startups and acquirers make during the M&A process?

How are a startup’s investors involved? Can they help? Can they hurt? What role do they play?

Do most acquisitions occur because a startup hires an M&A firm and starts a process?

What are the biggest challenges when working with a banker or M&A firm?

What are the expected trends in cybersecurity M&A?

Amit Yoran is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tenable, overseeing the company’s strategic vision and direction. As the threat landscape expands, Amit is leading Tenable into a new era of security solutions, empowering organizations to meet the challenges of evolving threats with innovative technologies and a vision of transformative vulnerability management.

Prior to joining Tenable, Amit was President of RSA, one of the most successful security companies in the world, where he led their growth and strategy since 2014. Amit came to RSA through the acquisition of his high-growth company, NetWitness, where he was founder and CEO for the market-leading network forensic product provider. Previously, he served as Founding Director of the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) program in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Amit also founded Riptech in Virginia, one of the first managed security service providers (MSSP) and which was acquired by Symantec in 2002. Amit currently serves as a board member and adviser to several security startups.

Amit is an esteemed influencer and leader in the security industry. He is often sought out as a keynote speaker or media spokesperson. His unique blend of public service and private enterprise experience informs his insights, thought leadership, and engaging presentations.

Mike Viscuso drives the development of Carbon Black’s long-term company and product strategy. He was co-founder and chief executive officer of Carbon Black, which merged with Bit9 in February 2014. A business-minded technologist, Viscuso is known for his drive and sense of mission and is highly regarded in the Computer Network Operations community as a top mind in offensive security.

He co-founded Carbon Black in 2011 to provide organizations with unmatched protection, detection, and incident response capabilities. Prior to the merger with Bit9, Viscuso led Carbon Black’s rapid rise and brand recognition in the market. Viscuso earned bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and computer science at Villanova University.

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M&A Insights: How, Why & When Startups are Acquired