And Tim Bontemps at The Washington Post dug into the designated-player exception, a contractual boon for superstars, particularly those who are past their primes.

Compared to the cautious IPO market of late, "the acquisition market has become relatively more attractive," says Doug Bontemps, managing director at Silicon Valley Bank.

He rounded the first mark in third position, with only race leader Van Rijsselberge and France's Julien Bontemps ahead of him.