Primarily driven by outside capital and nationwide corporate interest, a wave of business acquisitions and early-stage investments has swept through the Inland Northwest this summer. From Missouri and South Dakota to Georgia and Utah, out-of-town buyers and national firms are acquiring and investing in established Spokane-area companies across a variety of industries.

Since June, Spokane-area companies in emergency communications, agriculture, technology, construction, and broadcasting have changed hands, while startups secure investment capital, according to data from PitchBook, a proprietary financial data and software company.

The activity reflects both the diversity of Spokane's business community and the availability of capital among companies and investment groups looking for acquisitions, but doesn't necessarily point to a trend, says Tom Simpson, CEO of Spokane-based business accelerator Ignite Northwest.

"There are a lot of just fascinating businesses here in Spokane," Simpson says. "A lot of them are somewhat under the radar though, but still bring interest."

Headlining the transaction activity this summer is the $120 million acquisition of Spokane Valley-based Monaco Enterprises Inc. by Clayton, Missouri-based Perimeter Solutions Inc. on July 30, PitchBook information shows. Monaco is a manufacturer, designer, and installer of life safety, asset protection, and emergency management solutions.

Perimeter Solutions funded the transaction with cash on hand and proceeds from existing credit facilities. The company is expecting Monaco to contribute more than $11 million in annual adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, according to a press release from Perimeter Solutions. The acquisition adds Monaco to Perimeter Solution's fire safety segment and expands the publicly traded company's portfolio of specialized products and services.

Unlike some other transactions that may have private equity involvement behind them, Simpson says the Monaco deal appears to be a more straightforward strategic acquisition by a publicly traded company.

Separately, the agriculture industry also drew outside investment this summer. Spokane-based Clearwater Seed was acquired by Brookings, South Dakota-based Millborn Seeds Inc. on June 15 for an undisclosed amount. Clearwater Seed produces, processes, and distributes conservation-focused products, including native seed, pasture seed, wildflowers, turf products, and seed used for reclamation projects. 

According to the company's website, Clearwater Seed's Spokane location will remain open and operational. The transaction expands Millborn's presence in the West while adding Clearwater Seed's production capacity, infrastructure, employees, and regional expertise to Millborn's nationwide seed network.

Technology companies also have been part of the summer acquisition activity, and some deals were potentially influenced by private equity, Simpson explains.

"Private equity funds are flush with cash," Simpson says. "They're very active. They're looking for opportunities."

Private equity firms generally can acquire an individual company with the goal of growing it or to use a business as the foundation for a series of acquisitions in the same industry, often referred to as a roll-up strategy, Simpson explains.

Spokane-based Bitlancer Tech LLC was acquired by Atlanta-based Xplor Technologies LLC on June 10 for an undisclosed amount, according to PitchBook data. Simpson says this deal points to private equity interest. Bitlancer develops payroll automation and artificial intelligence-powered technology for fitness businesses, according to the company's website. 

Xplor plans to incorporate Bitlancer's payroll processing and AI automation capabilities into its software platforms, according to company information.

In the media industry, Horizon Broadcasting Group acquired Spokane radio station KSBN-AM for $155,000 in June, according to PitchBook information. Horizon Broadcasting operates radio stations in central Oregon.

Silverlake Automotive added to the list of summer transactions when it expanded into Washington state through its acquisition of Spokane Valley-based Northwest Automotive Centers in August. The deal marked Silverlake's first Washington location and followed Northwest Automotive owner Jim Lambert's effort to find a successor for the business.

Spokane's assortment of specialized companies can make the market attractive to both strategic buyers and investors, Simpson says.

"I go back to my starting point, and that is the fact there's just a lot of very fascinating, profitable, niche businesses here in a lot of different industries," Simpson says.

Capital also is being directed to some younger Spokane companies.

Spokane-based motorcycle safety technology company Vata7 Inc. filed an offering for up to $1.25 million in equity financing Aug. 13. The company had sold $551,500 of the offering to 15 investors at the time of the filing, according to records on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Vata7 develops motorcycle safety technology, including smart LED helmets and other equipment designed to increase rider visibility.

Another Spokane-based company, Saudara AI, received an undisclosed amount of seed funding in June after participating in Y Combinator's spring 2026 cohort, according to PitchBook. The company previously received $500,000 through Y Combinator, which is a startup accelerator that provides seed funding, guidance, and networking to early-stage technology companies.

Saudara uses artificial intelligence and human brokers to connect U.S. businesses with overseas manufacturers and assist with sourcing, quoting, quality control, and logistics, according to the company website. 

In terms of overall funding, activity is holding steady, but Simpson says he expects to see a concentration in healthcare information systems moving forward, as the strength of the region's healthcare industry and the aging population will continue to drive market needs.