UK’s acquisition entrepreneurs take center stage at second annual awards

Following the resounding success of the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Awards 2023, Gerald Edelman is thrilled to announce the return of this prestigious event. Bringing together a network of searchers and entrepreneurs to celebrate their achievements and notable acquisitions over the past year, the awards will take place on Thursday 7 November at Landing Forty Two, London.

There has been significant growth in the number of new search funds and search fund acquisitions in recent years. In the US and Canada, 94 traditional search funds launched in 2023, which is a record number in a single year and represented a significant increase over previous years (source: Standford Business School: 2024 Search Fund Study). Outside of the US and Canada, the latest available data shows that there were 44 new traditional search funds in 2021 and 23 acquisitions by traditional search funds, both of which were records (IESE Business School – International Search Funds 2022). This trend has continued as more prospective searchers and investors recognise the potential returns and opportunities that search funds can offer.

These investment vehicles allow entrepreneurs to raise capital, acquire an existing business, and then manage and grow it. The surge in search fund activity highlights the UK’s thriving entrepreneurial landscape and business succession opportunities, offering ambitious individuals a unique path to business ownership and value creation through acquisition.

The ETA Awards recognise and honour exceptional achievements in the space. Award categories include Deal of the Year (for both Traditional and Self-Funded), Lender of the Year, Community Contribution and ESG Excellence.

All award entries are judged by a panel of esteemed industry experts: Bramley Johnson, Director of the International Search Fund Center and search fund investor, Alex Glasner, a successful searcher who acquired Workpays in 2021 and won an ETA award for that transaction at the inaugural event, and Lisa Conmy, Partner at JMW, an experienced adviser to entrepreneurs.

With the assistance of a celebrity compere, the event will be hosted by Carl Lundberg, CEO at Gerald Edelman and Founder of The ETA Awards. Shawbrook Bank returns as the primary sponsor, demonstrating continued support for the acquisition entrepreneur community. The awards are further supported by Marriott Harrison, Ashtons Legal, BizCrunch, and JMW. In a first for the ETAs, Irwin Mitchell joins as drinks sponsor and Altenburg Advisory as entertainment sponsor. Search Fund News is this year’s media partner.

The support of these leading organisations highlights their commitment to fostering excellence within the ETA and Search Fund space.

“We are delighted to bring back the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Awards,” said Carl Lundberg, CEO and Founder of The ETA Awards. “The overwhelming response to last year’s event demonstrated the growing importance of entrepreneurship through acquisition as a succession solution for entrepreneurs and an asset class for investors. We are excited to showcase the remarkable accomplishments of this year’s nominees and winners.”

The ETA Awards will take place on Thursday 7 November at Landing Forty Two. Registration and award submissions can be made here: awards.geraldedelman.com. (Deadline for submissions is 20 September 2024).