Event category: Breakout

This session offers seasoned entrepreneurs a deep dive into the mechanics of partial exits. Through our panel of experts, learn how to unlock liquidity, retain a stake in your company’s future, optimize tax strategies and create deal or tax structures to ensure long-term success for your business and legacy.

In this behind-the-scenes session we’ll explore the highs and lows, pinch points and power plays, and loves and loathes of the M&A process as experienced by lawyers, accountants and bankers. A lively Q&A will allow attendees to ask their burning questions and gain first hand knowledge on how to optimize their own M&A journey making it more enjoyable for everyone.

For seasoned dealmakers, the initial rush of an M&A transaction is nothing new—but neither are the inevitable roadblocks that arise along the way. Delays in due diligence, shifting financial expectations, deal fatigue, internal politics, and competing priorities can all threaten to derail even the most promising transactions. In this session, experienced buyers, sellers, bankers, and advisors share candid war stories and hard-earned insights from navigating complex, high-stakes deals. Learn how to manage stakeholder dynamics, maintain momentum during drawn-out negotiations, and stay focused on closing without compromising the ultimate value of the deal. This isn’t about theory—it’s about what it really takes to cross the finish line in today’s M&A landscape.

Preparing for an acquisition is a high-stakes process, and the 24 months leading up to the deal are critical. This session provides a roadmap, detailing the key milestones and roles of lawyers, advisors, bankers, and accountants in ensuring compliance, positioning for valuation, and streamlining due diligence activities. Whether you’re preparing for your first acquisition or fine-tuning your exit strategy, this session will provide actionable insights and a physical timeline to help you navigate every step with confidence.

Search funds offer a unique and compelling pathway for entrepreneurs who aspire to acquire, operate, and grow established companies. In this session, we’ll explore the search fund model, which has become an increasingly popular avenue for individuals looking to lead a business without starting from scratch.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur considering the search fund path, an investor interested in this growing asset class, or a business owner curious about the potential of being acquired by a search fund, this session will offer valuable insights into this innovative approach to company leadership.

Preparing for an IPO can be a transformative experience for a company but comes with unique challenges. This discussion will cover lessons learned and insights gained from the IPO process that are often overlooked until it’s too late. Drawing from real-world experiences and industry best practices, we’ll cover preparation, compliance, market timing, valuation, investor relations, and post-IPO realities. Join us to gain a better understanding of the IPO process and learn critical lessons to navigate the transition to a public company with greater confidence and strategic foresight.