Despite an uncertain economic and geopolitical climate, a number of leading dealmakers in the Silicon Valley are predicting mergers and acquisitions in the tech space to continue at a steady pace in the year ahead, fueled by a growing appetite among non-tech buyers and private equity firms.

Recent reports by corporate lawyers at Morrison & Foerster, Hogan Lovells and White & Case said the trends that emerged in 2018 will likely continue to show through in tech M&A activity in 2019. Although their takeaways vary somewhat, they seem to agree that increased investments from non-tech companies and private equity firm have boosted dealmaking activity.

“The proportion of U.S. tech M&A deals done by non-tech buyers has increased steadily over the past 15 plus years,” said Hogan Lovells corporate partner Rick Climan, a veteran tech M&A lawyer in Silicon Valley.