SaaS
Transform your software success into maximized deal value.
Unlock the full potential of your software enterprise. Our expert M&A process ensures maximum value realization.
Expert Wall Street Guidance
Unlike many lower middle market M&A firms, our team has real wall street experience. Our CEO, Emmett Kilduff worked on Wall Street at firms including Morgan Stanley. He has completed >$20bn of deals since 2000.
Data-Driven Valuation Insights
We host the leading valuation webinar bi-annually and issue a detailed valuation report following this explicitly focused on SaaS valuations. Our team are true experts on all trends and value drivers.
Superior Acquiror Relationships
We have actively built strong relationships with SaaS acquirors to best serve our clients, including creating a unique WhatsApp based community that connects engaged and active buyers in the SaaS space.
Annual In Person Pitch Events
Acquirors love attending our in person events and gaining access to shark type format where multiple companies can pitch themselves. This is great for mass networking and deal making opportunities. It’s also highly valuable for insights and valuable feedback. Reach out to a member of the team to learn more about our next event.
Technology & Software Experts
Our focus and expertise is our strength. Our leadership team have genuine SaaS expertise. Co-Founder & CEO, Emmett Kilduff, is the Founder & Chairman of a SaaS business called Eagle Alpha. In addition, another Co-Founder, David Hyland, was CFO of SaaS business Marine Software.
Our 8-Step Exit Process
Our 8-step exit process is designed to maximize your companies valuation while allowing you time and energy to focus on continued business growth while we do the heavy lift of al transactional services. This includes materials building, target list creation, marketing and transactional preparation.
Join The Leading Discussion On eCommerce Valuations
Our focus is our strength and as such we pride ourselves on being experts on the topic of eCommerce brand valuations. Twice per year we bring together an expert panel and discuss key valuation trends and tactics to drive increased brand value.
Maximize Your Value Through Our 8-Step Exit Process
Realizing your software company’s full potential: Our M&A guidance delivers strategic exits and seamless transitions.
1. Early Preparation
This stage has the biggest impact on valuation. Clients utilize the 3 best tactics in M&A:
- the best approach to deals making is flirt > date > marry.
- the best laid plans don't survive contact with the enemy - so we get early feedback from the enemy.
- the best businesses get bought not sold - we encourage bids to take deals off the market.
2. Final Preparation
When you are ready to formally begin the exit process we will prepare a deal teaser, virtual dataroom and a 50+ page confidential information memorandum (CIM).
3. Marketing
Once all deal materials are finalized, we will being marketing to all relevant targets. We pride ourselves on having strong relationships with acquirors and can market your deal to senior decision makers.
4. LOIs
As targets start issuing LOIs, we help you compare terms on a like-for-like basis. We help you negotiate and select the most preferential terms for your business.
5. Due Diligence
We will partner with you throughout the entire due diligence process ensuring you are prepared to accommodate any additional materials and information.
6. Documentation
Together with your legal advisors we will help you with the signing of all key documentation.
7. Closing
Once documentation has been signed we ensure payments are processed in an agreed timely fashion.
8. Post-Completion
Post completion we remain in communication to ensure any deferred or earnout component are being acted on as agreed.
Successful Transactions
Our team has been involved in the following successful transactions:
FR-Based Social Moov Acquired by Marin Software
IE-Based Lucid Interactive Acquired by eDesk
Marin Software Expands with Perfect Audience Acquisition
Ad-Tech Leader Marin Software Goes Public on NYSE
Let’s discuss your M&A journey
Reach out for customized M&A and valuation guidance
In our first call, we can discuss:
Valuation multiples
Gain insights into the market trends impacting your company's valuation and discover strategies to enhance it in the near term.
Timing of the deal
Learn if now is the right time to sell considering your company's KPIs and market environment.
How early preparation maximizes valuation
Discuss operational tactics of how you can start working on adding value into your company today ahead of an exit process. The best businesses get bought not sold and top deals spend years planning their exit strategy.
Schedule a complimentary, non-obligatory consultation today!
Helpful Resources
Find the answers to your M&A questions and gain inspiration from industry-leading research.
Subscribe To Our SaaS Newsletter
In our monthly newsletter, we present how we think about SaaS valuations and from macro to micro and what the biggest impactors and drivers are to value.
Transform Your Software Success into Maximized Deal Value
Unlock the full potential of your software enterprise. Our expert M&A process ensures maximum value realization.
How We Add Value
Selling your business is a major milestone. Our tech M&A expertise ensures you can focus on future opportunities while we optimize every transaction detail.
Expert Wall Street Guidance
Unlike many lower middle market M&A firms, our team has real wall street experience. Our CEO, Emmett Kilduff worked on Wall Street at firms including Morgan Stanley. He has completed >$20bn of deals since 2000.
Data-Driven Valuation Insights
We host the leading valuation webinar bi-annually and issue a detailed valuation report following this explicitly focused on SaaS valuations. Our team are true experts on all trends and value drivers.
Superior Acquiror Relationships
We have actively built strong relationships with SaaS acquirors to best serve our clients, including creating a unique WhatsApp group that connects engaged and active buyers in the SaaS space.
In Person Pitch Events
Acquirors love attending our in person events and gaining access to shark type format where multiple companies can pitch themselves. This is great for mass networking and deal making opportunities. It’s also highly valuable for insights and valuable feedback. Reach out to a member of the team to learn more about our next event.
Technology & Software Experts
Our focus and expertise is our strength. Our leadership team have genuine SaaS expertise. Co-Founder & CEO, Emmett Kilduff, is the Founder & Chairman of a SaaS business called Eagle Alpha. In addition, another Co-Founder, David Hyland, was CFO of SaaS business Marine Software.
Our leading 8-Step Exit Process
Our 8-step exit process is designed to maximize your companies valuation while allowing you time and energy to focus on continued business growth while we do the heavy lift of al transactional services. This includes materials building, target list creation, marketing and transactional preparation.
Our Leading 8-Step SaaS Exit Process
Realizing your software company’s full potential: Our M&A guidance delivers strategic exits and seamless transitions.
01
Early Preparation
This stage has the biggest impact on valuation. Clients utilize the 3 best tactics in M&A: i) the best approach to deals is flirt > date > marry; ii) the best laid plans don't survive contact with the enemy - so we get early feedback from the enemy; and iii) the best businesses get bought not sold - we encourage bids to take deals off the market.
02
Final Preparation
When you are ready to formally begin the exit process we will prepare a deal teaser, virtual dataroom and a 50+ page confidential information memorandum (CIM).
03
Marketing
Once all deal materials are finalized, we will being marketing to all relevant targets. We pride ourselves on having strong relationships with acquirors and can market your deal to senior decision makers.
04
LOIs
As targets start issuing LOIs, we help you compare terms on a like-for-like basis. We help you negotiate and select the most preferential terms for your business.
05
Due Diligence
We will partner with you throughout the entire due diligence process ensuring you are prepared to accommodate any additional materials and information.
06
Documentation
Together with your legal advisors we will help you with the signing of all key documentation.
07
Closing
Once documentation has been signed we ensure payments are processed in an agreed timely fashion.
08
Post-Completion
Post completion we remain in communication to ensure any deferred or earnout component are being acted on as agreed.
What Is Involved In Early Preparation?
Deep Analysis
- Financials: Comprehensive analysis of your monthly recurring revenue (MRR), annual recurring revenue (ARR), customer acquisition cost (CAC), customer lifetime value (CLV), churn rates, and three years of historical financial statements and forecasts.
- Platforms and Data Sources: Review of data from your key platforms, such as CRM systems, analytics tools, billing software, and product usage data (e.g., Stripe, ProfitWell, or Baremetrics).
- Questionnaire: Evaluation of your responses to our detailed diligence questionnaire, developed over years to address the specific questions SaaS acquirors typically ask.
- Valuations: Discussion of your current valuation range based on metrics like ARR, growth rate, net revenue retention (NRR), and profitability, as well as potential upside scenarios.
Initial Teaser
An initial teaser is key to succinctly articulate the acquisition opportunity to potential acquirers.
Components:
- Acquisition Highlights
- Category Growth
- Company Snapshot
- Product Overview
- Technology and Infrastructure
- Channels to Market
- Marketing and Customer Success
- Growth Opportunities
- High-Level Financials
Early Acquiror Calls
“No battleplan survives contact with the enemy”.
It is important to embrace early feedback from a small number of acquirors (the “enemy”).
There are 4 different types of institutional acquirors we can approach depending on the business:
- Strategics
- Private equity firms (either as a platform deal or a bolt-on to an existing portfolio company)
- Search fund
- Family offices
- SaaS Roll-Ups
Action Items
Based on the work of the prior 3 stages we will recommend action items to suit your exit timelines allowing you to maximize valuation when you continue with the remaining 7-steps in our exit process.
Benefits
What are the benefits of early preparation
- Incorporating feedback from acquirors means the ‘pitch’ is stronger.
- ”The best businesses get bought, not sold.” During stages 1 and 2 we welcome bids to take your firm off the market.
- Additional time to identify every firm to approach and thereby make the auction as competitive as possible.
- The flirt > date > marry approach to dealmaking yields the best results. For example, it enables the slower moving acquirors (e.g. strategics) time to get your business on their radar.
Successful Transactions
Our team has been involved in the following successful transactions:
FR-Based Social Moov Acquired by Marin Software
IE-Based Lucid Interactive Acquired by eDesk
Marin Software Expands with Perfect Audience Acquisition
Ad-Tech Leader Marin Software Goes Public on NYSE
Join The Leading Webinar On SaaS Valuations
Our focus is our strength and as such we pride ourselves on being experts on the topic of SaaS valuations. Twice per year we bring together an expert panel and discuss key valuation trends and tactics to drive increased value.
Let’s discuss your M&A journey
Reach out for customized M&A and valuation guidance
In our first call, we can discuss:
Valuation multiples
Gain insights into the market trends impacting your company's valuation and discover strategies to enhance it in the near term.
Timing of the deal
Learn if now is the right time to sell considering your company's KPIs and market environment.
How early preparation maximizes valuation
Discuss operational tactics of how you can start working on adding value into your company today ahead of an exit process. The best businesses get bought not sold and top deals spend years planning their exit strategy.
Schedule a complimentary, non-obligatory consultation today!
Resources for Software Founders
Find the answers to your M&A questions and gain inspiration from our industry-leading research.
Subscribe to our newsletter
The Leading voice in Saas valuations
In our monthly newsletter, we present how we think about SaaS valuations and from macro to micro and what the biggest impactors and drivers are to value.