When two companies come together to discuss M&A activity, the end goal is often not for one business to overpower the other. On the contrary, acquisitions can strengthen each organization's products and services.

Mellanox Technologies announced this week that it had purchased Kotura, Inc. at a total cash purchase price of approximately $82 million.

Mellanox officials said in a statement that the technology acquisition will help their company not only enhance its competitiveness in the industry, but also help it provide high-end interconnect solutions for servers and storage systems.

According to a press release, silicon photonics will play a significant role in the future of enabling high-speed networks.

Jean-Louis Malinge, president and CEO of Kotura, Inc., said in a statement that she is excited to work with Mellanox and continue moving her company forward.

"This acquisition is important for both companies to enable interconnect innovation for data centers that require solutions that move data faster and more efficiently," she said. "Together, we can execute faster and deliver better solutions based on Kotura's silicon photonics platform that delivers the demands of 100Gb/s interconnects and beyond."

Eyal Waldman, president, CEO and chairman of Mellanox Technologies, said in the press release that the acquisition will allow his company to produce 100Gb/s and faster interconnect solutions with higher-density optical connectivity at a lower cost.

As this transaction demonstrates, when two companies with similar goals are able to agree upon a mutually beneficial opportunity, it will help both organizations move forward. Furthermore, each firm's customers can receive better products. Especially as the business world continues to integrate more technology and software, companies that provide these options will have more chances to work together.

With more technologically savvy customers investing in mobile devices, it only makes sense that companies are working hard to improve their products and stay ahead of the competition. Technology mergers and acquisitions continue to have sweeping effects on consumers, and Amazon's latest purchase is no different.

The company announced on Monday that it had acquired Liquavista NV from Samsung Electronics. Liquavista uses electrowetting, a technology that it claims will make mobile displays clearer in all lighting situations. Additionally, it allows for video playback without draining too much power from a device.

An All Things D article speculated that electrowetting technology will likely be implemented into the Kindle, giving customers a stronger e​-reader.

Amazon released a statement that said it is always on the search for technologies that can be incorporated into its products for the long-term. 

"The Liquavista team shares our passion for invention and is creating exciting new technologies with a lot of potential," the company said. "[We're still in our] early days, but we're excited about the possibilities and we look forward to working with Liquavista to develop these displays."

According to GigaOM, electrowetting could also provide the Kindle—particularly the Kindle Fire—with a better display that could make graphic novels and children's books appear more vibrant on screen.

The price of the deal has not yet been released, but earlier reports said that Samsung was looking to sell Liquavista for less than $100 million.

In situations such as this, companies that want to continue to create and develop the best high-tech options for their customers should analyze recent M&A activity in their industry. A technology acquisition is not about one organization making another disappear, but rather, it is about two businesses forming a partnership to benefit consumers.

Software mergers and acquisitions are becoming more popular in the business world, especially as technology continues to evolve. In order to better meet customer needs, companies of all sizes are trying to improve their products and services by keeping up with the latest changes.

One such potential move is the social networking site Facebook acquiring Israeli-based startup Waze. The latter company is a mobile navigation service.

According to The New York Times, technology companies—including Apple, Google and Microsoft—have all been trying to improve their location-based advertising and services. As Waze takes real-time information, including GPS data, Facebook could create more targeted ads.

"Facebook has been trying a variety of strategies to increase the amount of time that its users spend on its site, particularly on mobile phones," The Times explained. "Last month, it introduced a new interface for Android smartphones called Facebook Home, and on Thursday the company said that about one million users had downloaded the software."

Brian Blau, a research director at technology research firm Gartner, told The Times that with the assistance of Waze, Facebook is making a strong investment in its future. While the company might not integrate the information immediately, it would help it to eventually deliver contextual advertising.

Business Insider spoke with several inside sources, who claimed that the acquisition could benefit Facebook in several different ways, including strengthening its Maps application, improving local search or even just supplying more mobile customers.

Forbes reported that while nothing official has been announced, the technology acquisition could total between $800 million and $1 billion.

In order to get the job done, sometimes it pays to call in the experts. Whether it is a closer in baseball or just an expert in a particular industry, organizations are well-advised to find individuals or agencies that can help them find the solutions they need.

Jim Soltys wrote a contribution piece for the financial technology blog FCW, in which he compares technology acquisitions to when individuals are shopping for a home. According to Soltys, prospective homeowners might know exactly what they want, while also understanding that buying a home can be stressful.

There is a time and place when the experts need to be brought in to help the process run as smoothly as possible. For example, a home inspector comes in with no conflicts of interest— only a thorough knowledge of the industry and what needs to be done to help home shoppers find what they want.

In much the same sense, owners of a technology company would be well-advised to work with someone to assist in complex technology or software mergers and acquisitions. An M&A advisor, for example, can help entrepreneurs find the best opportunity available and work toward a solution that satisfies all parties involved.

"He found problems that we would never even have thought to look for," Soltys said of the home inspector who worked with him and his wife. "Working with our real estate agent to ensure that these items were taken care of before we closed on the house gave us peace of mind and eliminated potential headaches later."

Entrepreneurs who own a technology business and are considering an acquisition could greatly benefit from working with an M&A advisor.

Technology mergers and acquisitions have the potential to help all companies involved. When business owners who are looking to sell are able to fine-tune their exit strategy, and find a firm with applicable goals and ideals, they can rest assured that their organization will not disappear.

For example, look at the recent technology acquisition between Lucent Mobile, Inc. and Proxomo Software, Inc. The latter company is a leading mBaaS (mobile backend-as-a-service) provider and was bought by Lucent to fine-tune its mobile application development.

According to a press release, Proxomo's technology helps customers integrate its mBaaS platform and then create more powerful mobile applications, reduce time to market, and drive down development costs to maintain a variety of context services and third party APIs.

"This is a well-timed strategic marriage," Proxomo advisor Jason Illian said in a statement. "With Facebook's recent acquisition of Parse and now Lucent Mobile's acquisition of Proxomo, the market is validating the growing need for 'backend as a service' technologies."

The Dallas Morning News cited a statement from Proxomo CEO MeLinda McCall, in which she said that her company is excited to have the opportunity to bring its mBaaS solution to more customers. With the acquisition, Proxomo now has the resources to reach more clients while still providing a high level of service.

Exact terms of the acquisition have not yet been disclosed, but the companies announced that the business will now operate under Proxomo's name and be based out of Dallas—from which the mBaaS firm originates.

Lucent and Proxomo are a good example of how two businesses that have varying technologies, but a similar overall goal, can work together to meet customer needs and push both organizations forward.

As consumers become more reliant on technology, it only makes sense that businesses will continue to work hard to meet those needs. Sometimes, the answer to keep offering the latest innovations to customers will involve one company acquiring another. However, this is a chance for each firm to become stronger and remain ahead of their competition.

That is what happened when Jawbone, a company that creates Bluetooth mobile headsets, bought BodyMedia. The firms announced the acquisition this week, and while a set number was not released, All Things D reported that it could be close to $100 million.

BodyMedia creates wearable body monitors, and according to PC Magazine, has 87 patents, including one of the world's largest databases of raw and real-world human sensor data.

The technology acquisition is expected to help Jawbone become a stronger force in the wearable health and fitness market.

According to Jawbone CEO Hosain Rahman, consumers have a large appetite for personal data. That need for self-discovery is likely to grow, he said in a press release, adding that between his company and BodyMedia there are 30 years worth of experience in deep tech, science and intellectual property.

"Jawbone's deep expertise with consumer technology, design, and building products that fit seamlessly into people's lives is the best way to carry forward many of the innovations that BodyMedia has developed," BodyMedia CEO Christine Robins said in a statement. 

M&A activity is not about a smaller company disappearing. Rather, it is an opportunity for firms to keep pace with evolving technologies while still providing customers with the best products or services possible.

There is no question that technology is evolving at an increasingly fast pace, and businesses across all industries are working hard to remain current while keeping ahead of the competition. With the internet having a more centralized position at many companies, technology acquisitions are made to benefit both firms and their respective customers.

Such is the case with TripAdvisor, an online travel company, as it made its third acquisition since March with its purchase of CruiseWise​, Inc. The latter business is an online cruise booking agency.

TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer said in a statement that with the cruise industry growing more everyday, his company wanted to strengthen its Cruise Critic business, and acquiring CruiseWise helped accomplish that.

"By integrating key elements of CruiseWise and the in-depth knowledge behind it, we will enhance our ability to help travelers find their perfect cruise at a price that suits them," he said.

The Wall Street Journal explained that the online travel business has grown immensely over the last several years, and that TripAdvisor is not the only company of its kind to try and increase its offerings to customers. For example, Priceline purchased the leading travel metasearch company, Kayak Software, Corp., for $1.8 million this past winter.

Businesses that are looking toward a technology merger or acquisition would be wise to consider the needs of their customers when searching for an applicable opportunity. M&A activity does not need to consist of one large company taking over another. Rather, it is a chance for two firms to work together to increase their industry stake, while still providing quality products or services to their customers.

When the time comes for an entrepreneur to sell his or her technology company, it is an opportunity to reach new customers and for the business to grow. It does not mean that the owner has failed, or did not dream big enough. On the contrary, perhaps the company head wants to create more ideas, or has decided that it is finally time to retire after being in the corporate world for decades.

Regardless, agreeing on a technology merger or acquisition is the beginning of new business. It is important to remember that every founder, company and financial market is different, according to a Forbes contribution piece. The news source discussed an opinion article on PandoDaily, where author Jake Lodwick said that "every acquisition is a failure."

However, Forbes explained why this is not true, and that starting and running companies takes experience, judgment and intuition. It is difficult to boil it down to one set of rules, and every entrepreneur has a chance to benefit from an acquisition if the right opportunity presents itself.

"I applaud anyone who take the initiative to start something," read the Forbes piece. "I'm even more impressed by folks who take a company far enough that someone wants to buy it, and I'm even more impressed by teams who build large independent companies." 

Especially when the right care is taken, and a thorough plan is created with the assistance of merger and acquisition consulting, entrepreneurs can find great success with selling their technology company. Often, the business being acquired will be able to help the other firm increase its technical reach and bring in more customers. The two organizations benefit one another, allowing room for all-around success.

This blog has previously discussed how two companies, regardless of their size, can find the right acquisition opportunity that benefits both parties. That is exactly what happened with Barcoding Inc., as it announced this week that it acquired Miles Technologies, Inc. According to The Wall Street Journal, this will increase Barcoding's presence in the central region of the United States and expand its radio frequency identification (RFID) capabilities.

Miles Technologies will be able to help Barcoding strengthen its enterprise-wide mobile solutions, an industry in which it is already a leader. 

Barcoding Inc. president Shane Snyder said in a statement that the company is well on its way to achieving its vision of national expansion and growth.

"Because of Miles Technologies' excellent industry reputation and expertise in RFID technology, we decided that working together would better accommodate our enterprise customers while providing us with a stronger presence in the Chicago area and beyond," he said.

Keep your M&A process smooth with the help of an expert

In order to guarantee that a technology merger or acquisition is successful like Barcoding Inc., it is important for company owners to work with experts in the M&A field. For example, if an individual was looking to sell his or her home, working with anyone other than a real estate agent would seem ridiculous. Why would selling a technology business be any different?

As some companies can be quite niche, especially when it comes to digital innovations, working with an M&A advisor will keep the process as smooth as possible. Just because an organization is acquired, does not mean that it will disappear, especially when the right opportunity is found.

Customers are essential to any business, and as technology continues to evolve, it is essential for companies to keep pace so they can offer consumers the latest innovations. IBM is a global technology and consulting corporation, but that didn't stop it from making a technology acquisition that will make its software even stronger.

The company announced earlier this week that it had acquired Cleveland-based business UrbanCode, a company that automates software updates.

Randy Newell, director of capabilities marketing at IBM, said in the announcement that the acquisition was a wise move for his company because UrbanCode's software allows for automatic updating, which eliminates manual and expensive tasks. 

"As we help clients deliver software on a faster and more continuous basis, this provides an important foundation for mobile, social, big data and cloud initiatives," Newell said. "In some cases a process that used to take months can now be done in minutes."

UrbanCode CEO Maciej Zawadzki explained to The Cleveland Plain Dealer that lately his company's biggest challenge was reaching more customers. IBM's resources and market presence will help UrbanCode connect to other industries, he said. Furthermore, software is where the world is competing, according to Zawadzki, and he wants to be able to offer a strong product to customers.

Software mergers and acquisitions like this one are truly the wave of the future, explained Brad Nellis, director of Northeast Ohio Software Association. Nellis told the news source that even if individuals don't think that software affects their daily lives, all they have to do is look at UrbanCode and see how a local company is able to write software that has a positive effect on other firms.