Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is buying technology-focused M&A advisory firm Mooreland Partners. Mooreland was founded in 2003, and completed more than 250 middle-market M&A and capital-raising transactions. After the deal closes, Mooreland managing partner Patrick Seely will become the co-head of Stifel's technology investment banking group, which has completed more than 300 deals, representing over $100 billion in value, over the last 20 years. “Technology is a sector that has been, and continues to be, a cornerstone of Stifel’s investment banking platform,” says Brad Raymond, global head of investment banking at Stifel. “Through this combination, we are doubling the size of our overall technology practice and significantly enhancing our presence in Europe and Silicon Valley.” Technology permeates many of today’s private equity deals, and buyers are hot on the trail of innovations that will drive sustainable value to customers and make companies more efficient, more effective and less expensive to run. Among the developments appealing to investors are: artificial intelligence, data management, data virtualization, digital marketing, healthcare IT, industrial automation, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine learning, payment processing and Software-as-a-Service. Stifel is ranked among the most active M&A investment banks in 2018, based on the volume of completed private-equity-backed deals, according to PitchBook.

Related: Top investment banks in PE-backed deals: KPMG, Houlihan, GS, William Blair.
Related: 10 private equity firms share strategies for tech M&A.

DEAL NEWS
Alexander Navab, a former head of Americas private equity at KKR (NYSE: KKR), has formed a new investment firm called Navab Capital Partners. The firm will focus on investing in upper mid-cap to larger businesses across the healthcare, technology, media, fintech, financial services and consumer sectors.

Greenbrier Cos. (NYSE: GBX) is buying the manufacturing business of American Railcar Industries for $400 million. Advisors to Greenbrier include: Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS). The legal advisor to American Railcar is Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

The Riverside Co. has invested in in HemaTerra Technologies, a provider of Software-as-a-Service-based services for independent and hospital-based blood collection centers and plasma collection centers.

Mondelēz International Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) has made a minority investment in Hu, which owns healthy snacks company Hu Products along with better-for-you fast-casual restaurant Hu Kitchen.

Lear Corp. (NYSE: LEA) has bought auto technology company Xevo.

FEATURED CONTENT
Excelled. Innovated. Inspired. That’s what the eight winners of Mergers & Acquisitions’ 12th Annual M&A Mid-Market Awards did in 2018. Our awards honor the leading dealmakers and deals that set the standard for transactions in the middle market. In addition to Nike, award winners include: Fortive, TA Associates, the Riverside Co., Harris Williams, Monroe Capital, Goodwin and Luminate Capital Partners' Hollie Haynes. Read our full coverage: Meet the winners of the M&A Mid-Market Awards: Nike, Fortive, TA, Harris Williams.

Related: Read more about Mergers & Acquisitions' three annual special reports, including the M&A Mid-Market Awards, the Rising Stars of Private Equity, and the Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A.

Genstar Capital, Audax, HarbourVest ranked as the top U.S. private equity firms of 2018, based on volume of completed deals, according to PitchBook. Check out Mergers & Acquisitions' profiles of 21 firms that led the league tables. Top private equity firms: Genstar, Audax, HarbourVest and more

Also see: Top investment banks in PE-backed deals: KPMG, Houlihan, GS, William Blair.

Technology permeates dealmaking today. “Tech is, more or less, touching everything,” as the authors of The 2019 BDO Technology Outlook Survey put it. You can see the impact of tech throughout the 2018 winners of Mergers & Acquisitions’ M&A Mid-Market Awards especially: Luminate Capital Partners founder Hollie Hayne scoring Dealmaker of the Year for raising a second fund to invest in enterprise software companies; and TA Associates winning Private Equity Firm of the Year for investing a record $2.8 billion in new portfolio companies, most of which are infused with technology one way or the other.

Related: Why private equity firms still love technology
Related: 10 private equity firms share strategies for tech M&A.

Mergers & Acquisitions has named 36 leaders the 2019 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A, including Kainos Capital's Sarah Bradley, Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors' Nishita Cummings and Pelham S2K Managers' Venita Fields. All 36 are outstanding dealmakers both inside and outside of their firms. This year, we asked the featured dealmakers to tell their own stories through Q&As, including their advice for women. Related: Meet the 2019 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A.

EVENTS
ACG Boston hosts a 40th Anniversary Celebration and inaugural awards reception at the Boston Harbor Hotel's Wharf Room on April 24.

InterGrowth 2019 takes place May 6-8 at the Waldorf Astoria & Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida.

Innovation Works holds its second annual AI/Robotics Venture Fair in Pittsburgh May 15-16.

ACG Chicago hosts the Midwest Capital Connection, at The Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, May 21-22.

ACG New York, ACG Boston and ACG Philadelphia are holding the Industrial Conference with Value Creation at the Infor in New York on June 6. The event is part of the Northeast Industry Tour.

ACG Minnesota hosts the The Upper Midwest ACG Capital Connection at the Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, The Depot, June 10-11.

ACG Boston brings together 700-plus dealmakers for DealFest Northeast and DealSource Select 2019 at the Cyclorama & The State Room, June 12-13.