The market for Fintech deals seemed to be taking off

Welcome back! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC.

Today we’ve got stories on how to land an internship at DE Shaw, what’s up with Credit Suisse bankers looking for new gigs, and the airports you should probably avoid if you don’t like crowds.

But first, just give me a number.

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1. Let’s make a deal.

Looks like the time has finally come for some M&A and one group is ready to go.

I wrote last week about how a couple of blockbuster deals could spark a round of deals after a long drought.

Insiders Paige Hagy and Bianca Chan identified a bunch of acquisition targets in a segment of the market that needs some deals: fintech.

Paige and Bianca spoke with nearly a dozen insiders to identify 27 fintechs that could be scooped up, along with the firms that might be interested in buying them. The list spans seven different segments, further illustrating how this is an industry ripe for transactions.

You can say that each the industry has a backlog of potential deals, but fintech seems particularly ripe.

The pandemic, and the years of volatile market activity that followed, are partly to blame. Many companies that should have been acquired or went public in 2021 did not due to the amount of money in the private markets. The following year, the market fell, which delayed things again.

Now it looks like we’re finally getting some activity. Sure, prices are still high. But beggars can’t be choosers, and many fintechs can’t afford (literally) to wait much longer.

Click here to read more about the 27 fintechs that could be acquisition targets, according to industry experts.

In other news:

2. DE Shaw’s interns don’t work for free. With a base salary starting at $9,000 a month, an internship at the secretive hedge fund comes with many perks. Jeremy Reff, DE Shaw’s Chief Recruiter, describes the hiring process. Here are some tips for getting a place in next summer’s intern class.

3. The best Credit Suisse has to offer. Investment bankers at the soon-to-be-acquired Swiss bank are weighing their options on their next move. We spoke to recruiters to identify those who will be most sought after. These are the 19 bankers who are attracting the most interest.

4. The work-life balance fallacy. Everyone talks about it, but is it actually achievable? In most cases probably not. Why it is so difficult to find a balance between work and private life.

5. Mooch loses momentum. Anthony Scaramucci’s SkyBridge Capital has had a tough time in recent years, prompting investors to ask for their money back, Bloomberg reports. More on how it all went so wrong for Scaramucci.

6. Podcasts that aren’t a waste of time. Take a break from listening to sports recaps and reality TV and check out these AI-focused podcasts. Here are 11 AI-focused podcasts recommended by industry experts.

7. Where, oh where, have the PE firms gone? One group conspicuously absent from the midst of the recent banking crisis was private equity. Bloomberg has details on Blackstone’s failed bid for SVB, along with why PE firms largely stayed out of the fray.

8. So about those JPM deals… A US regulator is reviewing the range of deals that JPMorgan has made in recent years, the Financial Times reports. The news comes as questions arise regarding the bank’s due diligence process following the collapse of the deal for Frank. For a full breakdown of the 16 fintech and consumer deals JPMorgan has done since 2020, click here.

9. Arrivals and departures. Airports aren’t usually a place most people would consider “chilling out,” but these hubs are especially busy. These are the 10 busiest airports in the world.

10. Don’t skip leg day. Having bad knees is not an excuse to ignore leg exercises. A personal trainer shares tips for getting a good leg workout even if you can’t squat or deadlift. Check out some great options.

Curated by Dan DeFrancesco in New York. Feedback or tips? Email [email protected], tweet @dandefrancesco, or connect on LinkedIn. Edited by Jeffrey Cane (tweet @jeffrey_cane) in New York.