The software sector has experienced a downturn in the past quarter, with 18 companies raising a total of $2.2 billion, 95% less than in Q1 2021. Pre-IPO companies are reducing valuations to maintain their fundraising appeal. The US housing market has seen a surge in activity, with multiple COVID-driven factors propelling home buying to all-time highs. SaaS products, such as loan trading platforms, have capitalized on this trend. IT managers are switching to bundled solutions to address multiple pain points. Security-based development is becoming increasingly important after the Log4Shell incident, with DevSecOps prioritizing security in each step of software development. The conflict in Ukraine is disrupting Eastern Europe's tech ecosystem, reshuffling the security software landscape and exacerbating the global talent shortage in software and IT. E-commerce brands have relied on a handful of advertising platforms, and new customer acquisition platforms have emerged, such as Bloomreach and Dscout Engine. Improved metrics and reporting will determine the large platforms' foothold in the market.
