Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Training Course

Build an acquisition thesis, screen and value targets, structure financing and prepare to lead an established business after closing.
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Training Course

At a glance

Duration
1 Week
Format
Classroom
Cities
Seoul, Toronto, Amsterdam, Casablanca, Munich, New York and more
Next session
16 – 20 November 2026, Seoul
Average fee
5,750 €

Overview

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Training Course is a one-week intermediate course for entrepreneurs, executives, investors and successors, who leave with an ETA Search and Acquisition Decision File. The course connects acquisition thesis, search models, target screening, outreach, valuation, due diligence, financing, negotiation, transaction structure, transition, governance and value creation. It addresses the path to owning and leading an established business without treating acquisition as guaranteed success. Agile Leaders Training Center presents entrepreneurship through acquisition practice.

Who Should Attend

  • People responsible for evaluating entrepreneurship through business acquisition
  • People responsible for search-fund or self-funded search decisions
  • Teams responsible for acquisition analysis, financing and transaction support
  • Family-business successors evaluating ownership transitions
  • Executives preparing to acquire and operate an established enterprise

The course assumes participants can read basic financial statements and assess business opportunities; it leaves out jurisdiction-specific legal, tax and investment advice.

Departments and Industries

The course supports entrepreneurship through acquisition across privately held business sectors.

  • Entrepreneurship, strategy and business-development functions
  • Investment, finance and transaction teams
  • Family enterprise and succession offices
  • Professional services, technology and education businesses
  • Healthcare, distribution and business-services firms
  • Private investors and search-fund communities

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Compare ETA and search-fund operating models.
  • Build an acquisition thesis and target criteria.
  • Analyze valuation, diligence and financing evidence.
  • Evaluate transaction structures and negotiation positions.
  • Prioritize transition, governance and value-creation actions.
  • Build an ETA Search and Acquisition Decision File.

Course Agenda

Day 1: Define the ETA Path

  • Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Lifecycle Map
  • Traditional Search Fund and Self-Funded Search Comparison
  • Searcher Readiness and Resource Assessment
  • Acquisition Thesis and Investment Criteria
  • Search Budget and Timeline Model

Day 2: Find and Screen Targets

  • Target Industry and Business Quality Scorecard
  • Proprietary and Intermediated Sourcing Plan
  • Seller Outreach and Conversation Guide
  • Target Screening and Prioritization Funnel
  • Confidentiality and Information Request Checklist

Day 3: Value and Investigate the Business

  • Normalized Earnings and Cash-Flow Review
  • Comparable and Cash-Flow Valuation Range
  • Commercial, Financial and Operational Due Diligence Plan
  • Customer, Supplier and Management Dependency Map
  • Red-Flag and Deal-Risk Register

Day 4: Structure and Negotiate the Acquisition

  • Indication of Interest and Letter of Intent Terms
  • Debt, Equity and Seller-Financing Mix
  • Purchase Price and Consideration Structure
  • Negotiation Mandate and Trade-Off Matrix
  • Closing Conditions and Transaction Workplan

Day 5: Practice Ownership Transition

  • Exercise: Test an Acquisition Thesis Against Targets
  • Exercise: Review Valuation and Due Diligence Evidence
  • Exercise: Structure a Financing and Offer Position
  • Exercise: Build a First 100 Days Governance Plan
  • Capstone Exercise: Complete the ETA Search and Acquisition Decision File

Practical Exercises

The course uses suggested activities based on business services, software, education and distribution acquisition scenarios.

  • Suggested activity: compare traditional search-fund and self-funded pathways.
  • Suggested activity: screen targets against recurring-revenue, concentration and owner-dependency criteria.
  • Suggested activity: identify valuation adjustments and diligence priorities from a case file.
  • Suggested activity: negotiate an offer position and first-100-day priorities.

FAQs

Who suits entrepreneurship through acquisition training?

Entrepreneurship through acquisition training suits aspiring owner-operators, executives, successors and investors assessing the purchase and leadership of an established business.

How does entrepreneurship through acquisition differ from a startup?

Entrepreneurship through acquisition begins with an operating business, customers, people and financial history, while a startup builds those elements from an earlier stage.

What is a search fund in entrepreneurship through acquisition?

A search fund is a structure in which an entrepreneur raises investor capital to finance a search and, if a suitable target is found, support its acquisition and leadership transition.

What evidence matters during small-business acquisition due diligence?

Acquisition due diligence examines earnings quality, cash flow, customers, suppliers, people, operations, contracts, assets, liabilities, compliance and the assumptions supporting value and financing.

Why is a first 100 days plan needed after acquisition?

A first 100 days plan sequences stakeholder communication, governance, cash controls, leadership transition, operational priorities and evidence gathering without assuming immediate large-scale change.

Conclusion

Participants take back an ETA Search and Acquisition Decision File linking the thesis, search model, targets, valuation, diligence, financing, terms, transition and value-creation priorities. The file makes assumptions and decisions traceable. It supports disciplined evaluation and ownership preparation while preserving the need for qualified legal, tax, financial and investment advice.

credits: 5 credit per day

Course Mode: full-time

Provider: Agile Leaders Training Center

Showing 1-20 of 76 events
Image Location Dates Duration Mode Price Actions
Seoul Seoul Week 47, 2026
16 – 20 November 2026
1 Week Onsite €10,000
Toronto Toronto Week 47, 2026
22 – 26 November 2026
1 Week Onsite €12,000
Amsterdam Amsterdam Week 48, 2026
23 – 27 November 2026
1 Week Onsite €5,700
Casablanca Casablanca Week 49, 2026
30 November – 4 December 2026
1 Week Onsite €4,100
Munich Munich Week 50, 2026
7 – 11 December 2026
1 Week Onsite €5,700
New York New York Week 51, 2026
14 – 18 December 2026
1 Week Onsite €12,000
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Week 52, 2026
21 – 25 December 2026
1 Week Onsite €4,700
Sharm El-Sheikh Sharm El-Sheikh Week 53, 2026
28 December 2026 – 1 January 2027
1 Week Onsite €4,100
Tashkent Tashkent Week 53, 2027
3 – 7 January 2027
1 Week Onsite €4,500
Cape town Cape town Week 01, 2027
10 – 14 January 2027
1 Week Onsite €4,500
Dubai Dubai Week 02, 2027
11 – 15 January 2027
1 Week Onsite €4,500
Barcelona Barcelona Week 03, 2027
18 – 22 January 2027
1 Week Onsite €5,700
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Week 03, 2027
18 – 22 January 2027
1 Week Onsite €4,700
Phuket Phuket Week 04, 2027
31 January – 4 February 2027
1 Week Onsite €6,000
London London Week 05, 2027
1 – 5 February 2027
1 Week Onsite €5,700
Manama Manama Week 05, 2027
7 – 11 February 2027
1 Week Onsite €4,700
Istanbul Istanbul Week 06, 2027
8 – 12 February 2027
1 Week Onsite €4,500
Vienna Vienna Week 07, 2027
15 – 19 February 2027
1 Week Onsite €5,700
Berlin Berlin Week 07, 2027
15 – 19 February 2027
1 Week Onsite €5,700
Paris Paris Week 08, 2027
22 – 26 February 2027
1 Week Onsite €5,700

Frequently asked questions

What does this course cover?

OverviewEntrepreneurship Through Acquisition Training Course is a one-week intermediate course for entrepreneurs, executives, investors and successors, who leave with an ETA Search and Acquisition Decision File. The course connects acquisition thesis, search models, target screening, outreach, valuation, due diligence, financing, negotiation, transaction…

Are training dates available?

Yes. Available dates and destinations are listed in the course dates section on this page.

How can I register?

Choose an available date on this page and complete the registration form, or send a programme enquiry.

Can I download the course brochure?

Yes. Use the brochure download link provided on this page.

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