Tech M&A is a hot topic right now, as companies ramp up their mergers and acquisitions activity to stay competitive in an ever changing market. Multinational corporations are striving to remain comprehensive in a sector that increasingly privileges pure play companies. Meanwhile, small cap companies see M&A as a way to increase their reach by breaking into new verticals.

To understand the M&A landscape, the Investing News Network turned to several experts operating in all aspects of the tech investment scene. What follows is the first article in a two-part series. In this first installment, INN investigates how small cap companies are wielding M&A as a tool of growth and how this strategy is impacting investors.

Here’s what’s driving new tech investments in the small cap M&A scene.