Questions over the competitive effects of the acquisition of start-ups or ‘nascent’ firms, by dominant incumbents have become a key part of the debate on how effective merger control regimes have been in protecting competition during a period of increasing profits.

One of the most discussed theories of harm in such mergers has been the risk of ‘Killer Acquisitions’ in which firms acquire nascent competitors only to discontinue the target’s innovation projects, thereby pre-empting the emergence of future competition.

In June 2020, the OECD explored questions such as:

• How to ensure these mergers can be investigated?
• How agencies can identify the relevant counterfactual in such cases?
• What tools can be used to assess competitive effects?
• Which types of efficiency might result from these acquisitions? 
• What, if any, broader policy reforms might be required to help improve decision-making in these cases?

This page contains all related materials.

SEE ALSO

Full list of OECD best practice roundtables on competition

OECD Handbook on Competition Policy in the Digital Age

2021 OECD Competition Open Day - Panel 3 Killer Acquisitions on Replay

In February 2021, killer acquisitions was addressed at the third edition of the OECD Competition Open Day. 

Watch the session on replay l Watch the full event's playlist   

READ  ALSO

Blog #1 Acquisition Killed the Innovation Star?

Blog #2 ‘How tech rolls’: Potential competition and ‘reverse’ killer acquisitions

INVITED SPEAKERS

Amelia Fletcher Bio   
Professor of Competition Policy, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) and Norwich Business School, University of East Anglia

Colleen Cunnnigham Bio  
Assistant Professor, London Business School

Erik Hovenkamp Bio
Assistant Professor, University of Southern California

Wim Holterman Bio   
Professor of Business Valuation (University of Groningen) and Partner at Value Insights

KEY DOCUMENTS

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OECD Background note • Note de réflexion de l'OCDE

Executive Summary with key findings

Detailed Summary of the discussion

PAPERS FROM PARTICIPATING DELEGATIONS

Chris Pike

Amelia Fletcher 

Wim Holterman

 Colleen Cunningham

Erik Hovenkamp

RELATED MATERIAL

Investigations of consummated and non-notifiable mergers (2014)

Fighting Bid Rigging in IMSS Procurement: Impact of OECD Recommendations (2018)

RELATED TOPICS

OECD best practice roundtables on competition

More OECD work on competition