Merger and acquisitions (M&A) teams don’t have the luxury of getting things “mostly right.” Every model, memo, and deck needs to be airtight—and done yesterday. AI-powered platforms are closing the long-standing gap between speed and precision by automating the analytical backbone of M&A: parsing diligence materials, surfacing defensible insights, and feeding them directly into models and pitch decks that drive sharper decisions and faster wins.
In this guide, we break down the top M&A deal management software reshaping each stage of the M&A workflow—and how they fit into the modern deal stack.
What Is M&A, and How Can Software Help?
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are transactions where one company buys or combines with another to gain capabilities it cannot build quickly enough on its own—whether that’s a product, market access, talent, or intellectual property.
M&A deals rely on a deep understanding of a target’s financials, contracts, risks, and growth drivers. That’s why finance professionals spend most of the process inside data rooms, parsing documents, reconciling numbers, and validating assumptions. A well-known example is Amazon's $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods.
Most traditional tools handle only one step of the M&A process, such as customer relationship management (CRM) databases for tracking deals or virtual data rooms (VDRs) for diligence, which leaves gaps between workflows. AI-driven M&A software such as Hebbia connects those steps.
How AI Is Transforming M&A
Instead of digging through data rooms, reconciling filings, and rebuilding models from scratch, teams can now use AI to pull key metrics, check assumptions, and produce structured outputs that drop directly into models and memos.
A 2025 Deloitte study shows how quickly this shift is taking hold: 86% of organizations use generative AI in parts of their M&A process, and nearly 40% apply it across most of their deals. The draw is simple—faster diligence and modeling without compromising accuracy.
Top Mergers and Acquisitions Tools at a Glance
Tool | Best For | Features |
|---|---|---|
Hebbia | Document-heavy deal workflows and agentic AI | - Agentic workflow orchestration - Deep document understanding - End-to-end workflow automation - Excel & financial modeling integration - Zero data retention - Time savings - Flash docs and branded output - Integrated financial data sources |
Anthropic | AI-driven strategic reasoning | - Long-context reasoning - Analytical reasoning engine - Structured summarization - Flexible API integration |
OpenAI (ChatGPT) | Quick scenario modeling & reasoning | - ChatGPT Agent - Long-context processing - Broad ecosystem integration |
Capital IQ Pro | Integrated market intelligence | - Document Intelligence - ChatIQ assistant - Integrated data coverage - Click-through source traceability |
Preqin AI | Private markets intelligence | - Private markets coverage - Fundraising intelligence - Performance benchmarking - Deal and fund sourcing |
Datasite | Secure due diligence and document management | - Virtual data room - AI-driven redaction and search - Audit trails and access controls - Deal analytics dashboard |
Intralinks | Enterprise data collaboration | - VDRPro™ and DealCentre AI - ISO 27701-certified security - AI-powered services |
Midaxo | Managing multiple deals or complex integrations | - End-to-end workflow management - Collaboration and visibility - Compliance and audit tracking |
DealRoom | End-to-end deal management with pipeline to integration | - Unified deal lifecycle management - Automated task management - Built-in VDRs - Pipeline dashboards |
1. Hebbia
Best for: Document-heavy deal workflows and agentic AI
Hebbia is one of the only AI platforms built specifically for end-to-end M&A workflows. While most tools focus on single steps, such as data input or diligence tagging, Hebbia supports the entire deal process—from research and modeling to first-pass decks—in one connected system.
It automates time-intensive work, parsing contracts, diligence notes, and filings to produce structured, source-linked insights that feed directly into Excel models, confidential information memorandums (CIMs), and IC memos. You can stay in control, reviewing and refining each output before client delivery.
Key features
- Agentic workflow orchestration: Automates multi-step deal processes—from diligence to modeling to deck creation—reducing manual handoffs and ensuring outputs tie back to verified data.
- Deep document understanding: Reads full contracts, filings, and memos with contextual accuracy to surface clauses, figures, and commentary instantly.
- End-to-end workflow automation: Links research, modeling, and presentation in a single, auditable process.
- Excel & financial modeling integration: Refreshes discounted cash flow (DCF) models, comparable company analysis, and projections directly in Excel using verified data from connected sources.
- Zero data retention: Meets institutional compliance standards with full traceability, access controls, and audit trails.
- Time savings: Reduces deal execution time by 20–40 hours through automation of research and formatting.
- Flash docs and branded output: Generates fully formatted decks and reports with charts, tables, and citations in place.
- Integrated financial data sources: Connects to S&P, CapIQ, PitchBook, FactSet, and SEC filings for verified data accuracy.
2. Anthropic
Best for: AI-driven strategic reasoning
Anthropic is the team behind the Claude family of AI models, built to reason through complex information instead of just predicting the next word. Its latest model is fast, analytical, and capable of handling massive amounts of text, all in one go. It’s not a finance-specific tool, but finance professionals use it to process unstructured data.
That said, it’s still a general-purpose model, meaning it doesn’t integrate directly with tools like CapIQ or PitchBook, and it won’t produce audit-ready, source-linked outputs like Hebbia can.
Key features:
- Long-context reasoning: Processes hundreds of pages at once to maintain continuity across filings, transcripts, and diligence docs.
- Analytical reasoning engine: Handles multi-step logic for modeling narratives, ratio analysis, or sensitivity commentary.
- Structured summarization: Extracts and organizes key information into readable, high-level summaries.
- Flexible API integration: Can be embedded into custom workflows or vertical finance applications like Deliverables AI.
3. OpenAI (ChatGPT)
Best for: Quick scenario modelling & reasoning
With the release of ChatGPT Agent and GPT-5, OpenAI has expanded beyond simple prompting. You can now run multi-step processes, fill spreadsheets, and interact with live data sources. ChatGPT has become a research and productivity co-pilot for M&A teams who use it to digest diligence reports, summarize filings, draft memos, and structure outreach materials.
For dealmakers, the appeal lies in speed and flexibility. But similar to Anthropic’s Claude, it lacks deep financial integrations, meaning users must manually verify data, trace sources, and ensure compliance before anything hits a client deck.
Key features:
- ChatGPT Agent: Automates multi-step workflows—organizing files, filling Excel templates, or rerunning recurring analyses.
- Long-context processing: Reads and summarizes large documents, transcripts, and filings in one query.
- Broad ecosystem integration: Works across Microsoft Copilot, Notion, and other enterprise tools to support cross-workflow automation.
Other Software Supporting Stages of the M&A Process
While the tools above can manage M&A end to end—from diligence and modeling to reporting—there are also specialized platforms that focus on just one part of the process. The tools below don’t run the full deal cycle, but they can help with specific stages like research, diligence, or data management.
4. Capital IQ (Chat IQ)
Best for: Integrated market intelligence
ChatIQ, developed in collaboration with S&P’s Kensho AI lab, serves as an in-platform assistant for competitive analysis, market monitoring, and company research, specifically tailored for banking and buy-side users. You can surface key insights faster by combining S&P’s vast structured datasets with natural language search, summarization, and sentiment analysis.
Instead of comprehensive M&A execution, Capital IQ Pro supports the research and diligence stages by letting you query millions of filings, transcripts, and investor presentations for financial highlights.
Key features:
- Document Intelligence: GenAI-powered document search and smart summarization with sentiment scoring based on natural language processing (NLP).
- ChatIQ assistant: Conversational agent based on large language models (LLM) and trained on Capital IQ data for company, industry, and sector research.
- Integrated data coverage: Combines proprietary financials, pricing, and reference data across equity and fixed income.
- Click-through source traceability: Ensures team can verify every output directly in filings or reports.
5. Preqin AI
Best for: Private markets intelligence
Preqin is a leading data and intelligence platform for private markets, recently acquired by BlackRock to deepen portfolio-level analytics. It gives investors, fund managers, and advisors access to performance, fundraising, and deal data across private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, real estate, private debt, and infrastructure.
Preqin doesn’t automate M&A execution but instead supports the research and diligence phases by helping teams identify top managers, benchmark funds, and uncover early investment opportunities. Its private-market coverage and proprietary performance data make it a key companion for sourcing and valuation.
Key features:
- Private markets coverage: Deep data across PE, VC, private debt, real estate, infrastructure, and secondaries.
- Fundraising intelligence: Access to investor databases and capital-raising trends for faster outreach.
- Performance benchmarking: Compare fund and manager performance across geographies and strategies.
- Deal and fund sourcing: Identify active funds, GPs, and LPs to strengthen due diligence pipelines.
6. Datasite
Best for: Secure due diligence and document management
Datasite is a secure VDR platform built for managing document-intensive parts of M&A. It helps deal teams organize, redact, and share sensitive information during diligence, offering a controlled workspace for collaboration between bankers, lawyers, and clients.
Datasite’s AI-powered features, such as automated redaction and document classification, can help streamline administrative tasks—with its core focus being data management, not analysis or modeling. The platform works by keeping sensitive materials compliant and accessible, but doesn’t extend into deeper financial or strategic workflows, such as modeling or deck generation.
Key features:
- Virtual data room: Centralizes a secure environment for deal document management.
- AI-driven redaction and search: Speeds up diligence prep by tagging and classifying sensitive files.
- Audit trails and access controls: Ensures compliance across global regulatory standards.
- Deal analytics dashboard: Tracks activity, engagement, and file interactions for internal oversight.
7. Intralinks
Best for: Enterprise data collaboration
Intralinks is a long-established VDR platform used across M&A, private equity, and capital markets. It focuses on secure document sharing and collaboration, helping dealmakers manage diligence, fundraising, and investor reporting efficiently and compliantly.
Its AI capabilities come through DealCentre AI, Intralinks’ built-in intelligence layer that enhances its flagship VDRPro product. DealCentre AI supports redaction, translation, and reporting automation, helping teams move faster on document-heavy deal workflows.
Key features:
- VDRPro™ and DealCentre AI: Secure data room software enhanced with AI for faster document management.
- ISO 27701-certified security: Uses end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and role-based access controls, with full audit logs that track every document view, download, and edit.
- AI-powered services: Smart redaction, nondisclosure agreement (NDA) tracking, and data extraction to cut down on manual admin work.
8. Midaxo
Best for: Managing multiple deals or complex integrations
Midaxo is a cloud-based work management platform that helps corporate development teams run M&A processes from start to finish. It centralizes deal tracking, checklists, and integration plans in one place, improving collaboration and visibility.
Its AI automates manual tasks and reporting, but is built for organization, not analysis—it doesn’t extract insights or interpret complex data. Large enterprises use Midaxo to manage multiple deals at once, reduce friction between teams, and maintain consistent value capture across transactions.
Key features:
- End-to-end workflow management: Tracks diligence checklists, integration plans, and deal pipelines in one platform.
- Collaboration and visibility: Displays live dashboards that highlight progress, blockers, and ownership across teams.
- Compliance and audit tracking: Logs every action and approval for transparent reporting and governance.
9. DealRoom
Best for: End-to-end deal management with pipeline to integration
DealRoom is a work management platform built for M&A teams to manage every stage of a deal in one place. It replaces spreadsheets and email chains with a single workspace that tracks targets, organizes diligence, and streamlines integration. The platform focuses on facilitating faster communication and reducing friction between teams.
Its AI and automation tools help assign tasks, monitor progress, and maintain transparency across workflows. DealRoom’s strength lies in process management—not analysis. It doesn’t extract data insights, build models, or generate client-ready outputs, meaning teams still rely on other tools for financial analysis and documentation review.
Key features:
- Unified deal lifecycle management: Tracks pipeline, diligence, and integration in a single workspace.
- Automated task management: Assigns requests, sends reminders, and maintains accountability across teams.
- Built-in VDRs: Provides secure file sharing, permission controls, and audit trails.
- Pipeline dashboards: Offers visibility into deal status, bottlenecks, and timelines.
Matrix connects directly to sources such as S&P, CapIQ, PitchBook, and SEC filings, turning entire data rooms into a searchable, finance-native workspace. Learn more
How To Choose the Right Mergers and Acquisitions Tool For Your Business
The best solutions for M&A connect your data, automate repetitive work, and preserve accuracy across the deal lifecycle. Here is what you should be looking out for:
- Prioritize tools that can parse unstructured deal data at scale: Most deal materials live in PDFs, filings, and transcripts. Your platform should interpret that data directly so you can pull figures, covenants, and management commentary without manual work.
- Look for research-to-deliverable workflows: The strongest tools let you move insights from diligence straight into models, decks, and IC memos without losing context or reformatting.
- Evaluate context window and data capacity: AI tools vary in how much they can process at once. Larger windows allow the system to read full documents and maintain continuity across pages—critical for reviewing contracts or financials.
- Demand transparency and auditability: In M&A, every data point needs to be defensible. Choose tools that cite sources and preserve document lineage so every model input and slide number can be traced back confidently.
- Ensure integration with core data sources: The best tools sync with S&P, CapIQ, PitchBook, FactSet, and SEC data to keep numbers current, eliminate export errors, and ensure models reflect real-time information.
Why Hebbia Is the Go-To AI Platform for M&A Teams
Hebbia stands out as one of the only platforms built for the complete deal lifecycle, not just isolated tasks. It mirrors how real teams work—connecting documents, data, and insights into one continuous workflow.
For leading banks, private equity firms, and hedge funds managing more than $14T in Assets Under Management, the results speak for themselves: sharper insights, faster turnarounds, and 20–40 hours saved per deal. Hebbia helps deal teams stay focused on what actually moves the needle—strategy, relationships, and results.
Ready to see how it fits into your workflow? Book a demo today.