Acquire Raises Additional $3.5 million ($6.3m total) From Entrepreneurs to Build the Zillow of M&A

July 20, 2021

Phew – what a week! 

After announcing our seed round just last week of $2.8 million, I’m delighted to share that we’ve raised another $3.5 million from over 70 of the most influential entrepreneurs in tech. 

We’re building a global M&A marketplace that provides everything you need to buy and sell startups (everything I wish I had when selling my companies), and I’m humbled by the opportunity to create something special for the startup community.

The next multi-trillion dollar wave for small businesses will be digital, online, and profitable. It’s never been easier to launch a niche SaaS or eCommerce startup. Having raised $6.3m, we feel better prepared than ever to consolidate the fragmented acquisitions market and help 1,000s of startups get Acquired.

Why This Founder-Led Funding Round?

After dozens of investment requests from the startup community, we invited entrepreneurs to play an active role in delivering the world’s most founder-friendly startup marketplace. 

For founders considering adding entrepreneurs to their cap table I strongly recommend checking out AngelList’s RUV product which streamlined raising capital from so many amazing founders.

Our investors include:

We’ve always wanted to build Acquire with fellow founders and entrepreneurs, to develop a community-led platform that meets the needs of both buyers and sellers.

Our investors bring a wealth of knowledge and acquisition experience we can leverage to help entrepreneurs find great startups to Acquire and founders that life-changing exit.

As a founder, I’ve always appreciated when others shared how they succeeded and we want to do the same. Here is the unscripted video we used to raise an additional $3.5 million. It also includes numbers, business details, and our vision for Acquire. Trust and transparency are core values of ours so I’ll be sharing these videos each month with everyone.

How Will This Extra Funding Help Us Achieve Our Goals?

The acquisition market is complex and opaque. Data is siloed in multiple systems, platforms, or agencies, and often skewed towards one party in the transaction. As a result, first-time buyers or sellers struggle to find the help they need and fewer acquisitions happen. 

We want to change that. Our goal is to aggregate the acquisitions market in the same way Zillow did for real estate. Due diligence, escrow, valuations, advisors, legal, and financing: we’re bringing everything together in a trusted and transparent marketplace, making acquisitions easy.

Demand is huge. We grew 33% in the past year and listed over $320 million in combined revenue on the marketplace. As we’ve begun listing larger startups ($20 million-plus ARR), we’re developing additional services that cut red tape and reduce friction in acquisitions. 

For example, you can now send and receive a Letter of Intent (LOI) within your account. Soon, you’ll also have an advisor directory from which to browse and hire expert help. Financing will also be available to you through Capchase (full announcement coming soon). 

Uniting this fragmented market won’t be easy. But with this latest funding round, we’re better equipped than ever to hire the right people, develop the best technology, and integrate the professional services that facilitate acquisitions, large and small. In other words, it’s showtime!

Thank you to all of our investors and everyone who’s joined us on this journey so far. This is just the beginning and we can wait to share what’s coming next. Until then, don’t hesitate to drop me a line with any questions or feedback at andrew@Acquire.com.

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Chris Roper

Chris is managing editor of Bootstrappers and a passionate storyteller with over a decade's writing experience across multiple industries. When not editing, managing journalists, and writing newsletters, he moonlights as head of content at Acquire.