When it comes to effective M&A strategies and workflows, incorporating AI is now table stakes.
One of the most important implications of integrating AI into the dealmaking process is more efficient sourcing. For years, keyword search with comprehensive filters was the gold standard for private market platforms. That’s no longer the case.
Natural language search (NLS) now lets dealmakers pose queries in more conversational ways. (Think: the way you interact with a customer support chatbot.) While this is a step-up from keyword search, NLS can only provide direct answers to a single query at a time.
But M&A is a complex industry, and dealmakers need AI tools that can support multifaceted workflows. Enter: Agentic Search.
Grata’s new search interface leverages agentic AI to enable dealmakers to ask complex questions, explore ideas, and refine their search like never before.
Here’s what you need to know.
Natural Language Search Has an Intent Gap
Most deal sourcing tools still rely on human effort to translate their intent into filters and keywords. While dealmakers can find the answers they’re looking for with these tools, the process often requires multiple rounds of refinement. That can be time-consuming, and when it comes to closing deals, every second counts.
Source: Pitchbook
Some sourcing tools incorporate natural language elements, but still rely on keywords and filters.
Source: Inven
Natural language search makes the querying process more, well, natural. NLS tools can understand conversational language and provide direct answers to single queries. While this cycle is more intuitive than traditional keyword searches, NLS still leaves something to be desired. The system can interpret the question, but it cannot glean the “why” behind it.
It has an intent gap.
Agentic Search Is Intuitive — and Autonomous
Grata’s Agentic Search not only closes that gap, but it also redefines what search is for dealmakers. Think of it as a teammate rather than a tool.
Agentic Search was intentionally designed to help dealmakers find the right insights as efficiently as possible. It is purpose-built for professional reasoning, not generic answers.
While keyword search and natural language search retrieve answers, Agentic Search uses reasoning to understand your intent. It uses this understanding to collaborate with you and adapt as your needs evolve.
The agent understands context and draws on Grata’s investment-grade data to quickly provide the most relevant information. Instead of spending precious time and cognitive load formulating the exact right keywords, filters, and single queries to arrive at an answer, dealmakers can interact with Agentic Search the way they would interact with an analyst. Ask questions. Use it as a sounding board to explore your ideas. Try prompts like, “I want to buy an aviation maintenance business. What are the major trends in the space?” or “Show me founder-owned software companies in healthcare IT.”
Agentic Search provides guided suggestions and follow-up prompts to help you dig deeper into your search, develop your thesis, surface new opportunities, and think more strategically.
This automates and accelerates the work that would traditionally be done on the initial calls of the dealmaking process. Instead of spending days simply trying to schedule the call, Agentic Search enables you to dedicate your time with experts on higher-value tasks and diligence.
Agentic Search Drives Faster, Smarter Decisions
The bottom line? Speed wins deals.
To be successful, dealmakers must be able to quickly decide if a company is right for them, understand the market enough to develop a conviction, and connect with decisionmakers — all before their competitors.
It may seem counterintuitive, but one of the main bottlenecks is the sheer amount of data that’s available to dealmakers. Without the right tools, private market investors can get bogged down trying to sift through the multitude of signals and information about a single company.
Agentic Search helps you cut through the noise. Find and screen targets faster. Reduce the time between idea and validation. Accelerate your wins.
Adaptive Intelligence Is the Future of Dealmaking
The future of dealmaking will be defined by adaptive intelligence. Agentic Search is the first step towards an end-to-end platform that thinks with you. It maximizes your ability to discover potential targets, assess strategic fit, and make smarter decisions.
As the tech evolves, agentic AI will be able to handle more complex pieces of the dealmaking process, as we wrote about here. That doesn’t mean that agentic AI will replace human teams — it will amplify their abilities.
Think about Excel. It didn’t replace analysts; it made them faster. Likewise, Agentic Search isn’t meant to negate your industry experience and knowledge — it’s meant to help you use them more effectively.
Find the Insights You Need Faster with Grata
Grata’s game-changing AI and investment-grade data eliminate workflow disruptions and provide seamless access to investment-grade data for 19M+ companies across the private market.
Find better opportunities, screen deals with precision, and connect with the right decision-makers faster.
Schedule a demo to get started.
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