‘1,000 TIMES FASTER’ with superconducting qubits and far less control lines: D-Wave buys Quantum Circuits

Good news! Quantum computing merges with error correction!

Nvidia buying AI chip startup Groq for about $20 billion, biggest deal ever for Nvidia

Good or bad news! Just before Christmas so it will not get noticed as much? This is huge!

Was it a straight direct buy or a license agreement plus poaching the top employees?

"Key Points

• Nvidia is making its largest purchase ever, acquiring assets from nine-year-old chip startup Groq for about $20 billion.
• The company was founded by creators of Google’s tensor processing unit, or TPU, which competes with Nvidia for artificial intelligence workloads.
• Groq, which was valued at $6.9 billion in a financing round in September, framed the deal as a “non-exclusive licensing agreement,” with its CEO and other senior leaders joining Nvidia.

..."

Nvidia buying AI chip startup Groq for about $20 billion, biggest deal

Credits: Last Week in AI

Source

Paramount amended its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, with billionaire Larry Ellison agreeing to personally guarantee $40.4 billion of equity financing.

Amazing stuff! What a major corporate battle!

"[Larry Ellison] also consented to publish records related to the family trust that backstops it. Paramount previously made a hostile all-cash tender offer of $77.9 billion, or $30 a share, for all of Warner. The revised bid is at the same price per share.
Warner earlier recommended shareholders reject Paramount’s bid, raising concerns about backing from Ellison and his son, Paramount CEO David Ellison, and calling a proposal from Netflix for its studios and HBO Max streaming service “superior.” Shares of Paramount and Warner gained 4.29% and 3.53%, respectively."

The Wall Street Journal What's news

Sony Buys Peanuts for $457 Million

Another headline of the day! It must be Christmas season! I loved to watch the Charlie Brown cartoons.

"Sony has agreed to pay $457 million to double its stake in Peanuts Holdings LLC, giving it 80% ownership of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole Peanuts cartoon gang created by cartoonist Charles Schulz.

The Japanese entertainment giant is buying the 40% stake it doesn’t own from Canadian entertainment company WildBrain, which also owns the Teletubbies and Strawberry Shortcake brands. The deal announced Friday values the Peanuts business at more than $1 billion, with the Schulz family retaining its current 20% stake. ..."

Saturday, December 20, 2025 - Join The Flyover

Why was a Chinese company able to buy iRobot, the maker of Roomba? Western antitrust concerns

I was not aware until now that the FTC together with the EU blocked the acquisition of iRobot by Amazon. Was that not foolish!

According to Google: "No, Amazon does not own iRobot; their $1.7 billion acquisition agreement, announced in August 2022, was terminated in January 2024 due to significant regulatory hurdles and antitrust concerns from regulators like the FTC, Federal Trade Commission and the European Commission. Amazon paid iRobot a $94 million termination fee, and iRobot continues as an independent company, though facing recent financial difficulties and potential acquisition by a Chinese firm after the Amazon deal collapsed."

"... The company, which holds 42 percent of the U.S. robotic vacuum market, saw a planned 1.7 billion dollar Amazon acquisition blocked by EU regulators last year."

Credits: Data Points newsletter

Trump’s social media company is getting into the nuclear fusion business via a merger valued at $6billion

Good news! When I first saw these news coming out earlier today, I said what! President Trump is breathtaking!

Wanna bet Trump will make nuclear fusion a success?

Well, if nuclear fusion can be safely commercialized on a large scale to supply the world with endless energy, then this will be a gigantic milestone in human history! Unfortunately, we have been waiting for this to happen since at least the 1960s or earlier despite decades of intensive research.

What is President Trump up to next? I can't wait to find out! A man who survived an assassination attempt is on a mission. 

"Fusion power to blaze path toward America’s A.I. dominance and energy security"

"... The transaction, which still requires regulatory and shareholder approval, is expected to finalize by mid-2026. If completed, the combined company will launch one of the world’s first publicly traded fusion power ventures and plans to begin construction of a 50 MWe utility-scale fusion power plant in 2026. ..."

The Wall Street Journal What's news

Trump Media & Technology Group to Merge with TAE Technologies, a Premier Fusion Power Company, in All-Stock Transaction Valued at More Than $6 Billion

Trump Media to Merge with Fusion Pioneer TAE Technologies in Deal Worth over $6 Billion "In a major move blending media, capital markets, and next-generation energy innovation, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) announced today it will merge with TAE Technologies, a California-based company developing fusion power solutions. The all-stock deal is valued at more than $6 billion, with both companies’ shareholders each holding approximately 50% of the combined entity upon closing."

Roomba maker iRobot bought by Chinese supplier after filing for bankruptcy

History waits for no one to get on (aka time and tide wait for no man)! Another Chinese takeover!

Astonishing how Google AI describes this acquisition: "No, iRobot wasn't directly "purchased by China," but the Roomba maker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2025 and its assets are being acquired by Picea Robotics, a Chinese-based manufacturer that already produced iRobot's products, effectively making Picea the new owner, taking the company private and wiping out existing shareholders. This acquisition by its main supplier, Picea"

They say AI hallucinates quite a bit! 😊

Roomba maker iRobot bought by Chinese supplier after filing for bankruptcy | Manufacturing sector | The Guardian "US-listed company, whose profits have been in decline since the pandemic, will be taken over by Picea"

Credits: Saugroboter-Pionier iRobot insolvent – China übernimmt

Source

Why Did Paramount (Jared Kushner) Make a Hostile Bid for Warner Bros Discovery? with Palki Sharma

Recommendable! This fight seems to become a nice business drama worthy of a movie in the future!

Trump clears Nippon merger with U.S. Steel

Good news! From mortal enemies to allies!

"Key Points

• President Donald Trump cleared U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel to merge, saying the companies will form a “partnership.”
• Trump said the partnership would add $14 billion to the U.S. economy.
• U.S. Steel’s headquarters will remain in Pittsburgh, he said.

...

President [46th] blocked Nippon Steel from purchasing U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion in January, citing national security concerns. [President 46th] said at the time that the acquisition would create a risk to supply chains that are critical for the U.S."

Trump clears Nippon merger with U.S. Steel

Employer.com acquires MainStreet.com

This sounds like a lot of synergy! 😊

Employer.com scoops up another fintech in purchase of MainStreet.com | TechCrunch

Munich Re buys Israeli insurtech company Next Insurance at $2.6b valuation

Maybe not as impressive as the almost concurrent $32b acquisition of Wiz by Google, but comparable!

Munich Re is the world's largest reinsurer!

Munich Re buys Israeli insurtech co Next at $2.6b valuation - Globes "Munich Re, an early investor in Next Insurance, is buying the 71% of the company, which serves small businesses in the US, that it does not already own."

Next Insurance founders

The wizardry of Google buying Israel's Wiz for $32b

Amazing stuff! Awesome! A small country like Israel. What a wizard!

"... In monetary terms, this is Google’s biggest ever acquisition, and the biggest ever acquisition of an Israeli company. ..."

Israel's biggest ever exit: Google buying Wiz for $32b - Globes "Google has confirmed that an agreement has been signed for an all-cash deal. Wiz will remain an independent company under Google."

Bravo! Wiz founders Yinon Costica, Assaf Rappaport, Ami Luttwak, Roy Reznik credit: Avishag Shaar Yishuv

What caused merger talks to be canceled between Honda and Nissan?

Recommendable!

Honda and Nissan to begin merger talks amid EV competition

More consolidation and synergy in the automobile industry!

"Honda Motor and Nissan Motor will enter negotiations toward a merger, Nikkei has learned, joining their resources to better compete against Tesla and Chinese electric vehicle makers in a rapidly changing automobile industry.

Honda and Nissan are considering operating under a holding company, and soon will sign a memorandum of understanding. Their respective stakes in the new entity, as well as other details, will be decided later."

Honda and Nissan to begin merger talks amid EV competition - Nikkei Asia "Automakers eye eventual three-way tie-up with Mitsubishi as industry shifts"

German Chancellor Scholz 'Hostile takeovers not good for [German state-owned Commerzbank]' opposing takeover by Italian UniCredit. Really!

The German government holds a 15% stake in and is the largest single owner of the Commerzbank!

Political interference in mergers & acquisitions is in many cases not advisable!

Maybe Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni should have an adult conversation with Scholz!

"German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday said "unfriendly attacks, hostile takeovers are not a good thing for banks", replying to a question on Italian lender UniCredit raising its stake in German bank Commerzbank on the sidelines of a visit to NEw York. The chancellor said the German government had made its position clear: "We believe that it is not adequate in Europe and in Germany to proceed with unfriendly methods, without any spirit of cooperation and without agreeing on anything, to participate in a company", he concluded. (ANSA). ..."

'Hostile takeovers not good for banks' - Scholz

Qualcomm Approached Intel About a Takeover in Recent Days

This is huge news! Consolidation in the chip making industry? Until not long ago Intel was considered to be a blue chip (no pun intended).

Will this trigger antitrust action?

"Chip giant Qualcomm made a takeover approach to rival Intel in recent days, according to people familiar with the matter, in what would be one of the largest and most consequential deals in recent years. ..."

"Intel has fallen from global chip champion to takeover target.

Three years ago, Intel was worth more than double its current value, and Chief Executive Pat Gelsinger was on the prowl for acquisitions. Now Intel itself is a takeover target, in a sign of how strategic missteps and the artificial-intelligence boom have combined to reshape the fortunes of America’s most storied semiconductor company. A recent acquisition approach by Qualcomm reflects a vulnerability with few precedents in Intel’s 56-year history."

Exclusive | Qualcomm Approached Intel About a Takeover in Recent Days  - WSJ "Deal for Intel would be massive and come as chip maker is sputtering"

The Wall Street Journal What's news

&

7-Eleven Gets $38 Billion Buyout Offer from a Canadian company Leaving Japan Shocked with Palki Sharma

Very recommendable! Cross-country buyouts can be political hot potatoes!

Shein sues Temu (again) in a U.S. court as Chinese e-commerce feud heats up

Perhaps, a merger is advised or in preparation! Just kidding! 😊

"The saga of Chinese-founded cross-border e-commerce giants continued to heat up this week, with Shein filing another suit against Temu, this time accusing its rival of counterfeiting goods, stealing trade secrets and confusing customers with an "illegal" business model.

In a complaint filed to the federal court in Washington on Monday, fast-fashion giant Shein claimed that Temu, the cross-border bargain platform of Chinese e-commerce giant PDD Holdings, has been "encouraging its sellers to infringe the intellectual property rights of others and sell counterfeit or sub-standard goods" in order to "minimize the massive losses it is subsidizing." ..."

Shein sues Temu (again) as e-commerce feud heats up - Nikkei Asia "China-founded cross-border platforms have taken each other to court multiple times"

Israeli company Wiz walks away from Google’s $23B acquisition offer

Amazing stuff! A few days ago, I blogged here about Google's offer.

"Despite the offer representing a substantial premium over its last private valuation of $12 billion, Wiz’s management team with the support of investors has opted to remain independent, the person said.

Wiz’s CEO, Assaf Rappaport, sent an email to Wiz’s 1200 employees around the world, writing that, “Saying no to such humbling offers is tough, but with our exceptional team, I feel confident in making that choice.” ..."

Wiz walks away from Google’s $23B acquisition offer: Read the CEO's note to employees | TechCrunch Cybersecurity startup Wiz has turned down a $23 billion acquisition offer from Alphabet, Google’s parent company, according to a source familiar with discussions.

Google close to acquiring Israeli cybersecurity start-up Wiz (founded in 2020) for $23 billion

Amazing stuff! Another sweet success story of some of the advanced Israeli businesses!

What a rags to riches story! Or wizardry?

Israeli cybersecurity start-up Wiz to be acquired by Google - The Jerusalem Post Wiz is a cloud security start-up founded in 2020 by Israelis Assaf Rappaport, Yinon Costica, Roy Reznik, and Ami Luttwak, with headquarters in New York City.