What are you looking for?
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To scale-up your business, but missing some key skills or competencies ?
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Exit your business, capitalise on all that investment of blood, sweat and tears over the years, but want a safe pair of hands to pass it on to?
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Or are you looking to systemise, automate and streamline your operation, but struggling to identify what’s really going to make the needle move?
We do things a little different.
At Engineo, we only get involved with a business when we are sure we can add value…but once we’re sure, we invest.
We invest time, expertise, experience and funds, through deploying our tactical team to unearth opportunities which will generate real value. These opportunities are often broad and varied, but will be specific to your business, your market niche, your industry sector, as well as orientated around your goals.
We work with owners to realise the best out of the circumstances they find themselves in, either by partnering through share options for resources, by acquiring a controlling interest in the company or simply buying the business outright.
Why we're different
We believe a talented Team should be at the heart of every organisation, whether that’s our tactical team, your management team or any member of staff, or indeed a supplier or customer. Our focus is to inspire intelligent thinking, skilled performance and positive people to grow within the businesses we invest in.
And it’s these foundational principles that allows us to untap the true value of a company, working in harmony with all those who share our belief in what they do, our vision for their business, along with our commitment to success. That’s why we invest so much of ourselves into the process, because we know the results are not just prosperous workplaces, where everyone shares in the winnings, but they are happy, vibrant spaces where people feel they belong.
How we work
It’s fair to say we’ve developed our own approach in considering the multitude of interrelated factors that impact on modern businesses. SME’s are the bridge between incubated start-ups and fully-fledged international operations of medium sized companies, meaning they are often the most vulnerable.
Consequently, we assess threats and opportunities not just locally and nationally, but internationally too…from financial markets to geopolitics and from commercial trends to government policy. So when we identify a business we want to work with, it’s because we see how our input aligns with those factors, so we act swiftly and expertly.
We make detailed assessment of your business and its market. weigh-up products and service offerings related to the resources available. We then quickly develop a strategy based on the existing strengths and opportunities we see, combined with the businesses perceived capacity to manage change, together with estimated implementation costs and timeline to complete the first phase. Only then do we act.
Why engineo...?
Simply put, we optimise business performance and accelerate growth, plus...
We tailor each deal
No two deals are the same, just as no two business are the same, nor are the owners’ objectives and desires ever the same. That’s why we look at each opportunity with fresh eyes. We don’t just come to the table with a rigid structure or fixed terms, but rather offer a collaborative approach, choosing to work with sellers to draw up the deal structure together, so it’s agreeable to all parties i.e. for the existing shareholders, funders, employees, suppliers and customers, not just us as the purchasers. This approach is rarely adopted by others, sadly.
Keep Paperwork to a Minimum
Sale-Purchase Agreements (SPA’s) can be monstrous documents and can cause unnecessary friction during a transaction, making it a slow and dreary process. They can also be woefully biased contracts…but not ours. We ensure our deals are structured fairly, protecting both buyer and seller, with only the essential warranty requirements. No smoke-and-mirrors and nothing to trip over further down the line.
Don't mess you around
We know from experience that many sellers want to conclude matters without delay once a buyer has been selected. This can be for several reasons; they may be anxious about their employees or have shareholders to reassure, or they may simply need things done quickly due to personal circumstances. We understand this, so when required we can move very fast, sometimes finalising the entire deal in a couple of weeks after our initial meeting, meaning the timeline can be driven by the Seller if need be.
Pay what we agreed
As ethically-driven investors, we stick by what we commit to. No haggling close to completion date (which is more common than you might think!), no pulling out, to then try and renegotiate. As long as your original information stacks-up during due diligence, we just stick to our initial valuation.
Questions often asked...
What sectors and size of businesses are you interested in?
We generally find ourselves acquiring or partnering with businesses of between £2m & £6m turnover, but that’s not a hard and fast rule. What matters to us is the potential we see in the opportunity, not necessarily the size of the deal or the industry sector. We’ve helped to unlock potential in businesses from a small specialist schools insurance firm of 10-people, to an international component manufacturing company.
How long does a transaction take?
Typically, an acquisition will take anywhere between 8 to 12 weeks. However, if required, we could complete in a few weeks after initial meeting, but that would very definitely hinge around the deal structure, because if we’ve got to get third-party lenders involved, then it’s their due diligence which will slow the process down.
Are you a Private Equity (PE) firm or a Venture Capital (VC) firm?
Actually neither. Both PE & VC firms provide funding for fixed period of time, after which, the businesses have to be sold. We don’t operate in that way. When we commit to invest there is no fixed period. We focus on stabilising through systemisation, growing by deepening and diversifying the market and offering, subsequently securing the future of the business and the people in it. That takes as long as it take.
