M&A Advisory

Advisory built
around the mandate

NorthBridge advises business owners and investors through the acquisition and sale of privately held companies — representing owners pursuing an exit and investors seeking acquisition opportunities. From preparation through closing, we manage the process with a focus on alignment, discretion, and execution.

Sell-Side Advisory

Representing
the owner

We represent business owners and shareholders pursuing a sale, recapitalization, or strategic transaction — managing the process from preparation through closing while protecting confidentiality throughout.

Preparation & Positioning

i.

Transaction Preparation

Getting the business and its story ready for a process, before it ever reaches a buyer.

ii.

Business & Financial Positioning

Valuation analysis and confidential marketing materials built around the strength of the business.

iii.

Confidential Marketing

The story of the business, packaged for the buyers who are actually the right fit.

Outreach & Negotiation

iv.

Buyer Identification

Strategic buyers and private equity firms identified and approached as a competitive process, not a single conversation.

v.

Indication & Offer Management

Running multiple conversations at once, so the owner is negotiating from a position of options.

vi.

Negotiation Support

Terms negotiated on the owner’s behalf, from indication through final agreement.

Execution & Closing

vii.

Diligence Coordination

Managing the diligence process so the owner can keep running the business.

viii.

Transaction Execution

Keeping the process moving through the points where deals typically stall.

ix.

Closing Coordination

Managed through signing and funding, with the owner’s interests represented at every step.

Common Situations

Full company saleMajority recapitalizationPartial liquidityStrategic saleSponsor-backed transactionFounder succession & exitShareholder buyout

Both Sides Of The Deal

Sell-side and buy-side
under one firm

Buy-Side Advisory

Representing
the acquirer

We work with private equity firms, family offices, strategic acquirers, and other investors pursuing targeted acquisitions — developing and executing searches around defined investment criteria.

Strategy & Criteria

i.

Acquisition Strategy

Investment criteria development built around what the buyer actually wants to own.

ii.

Market Mapping

Sizing up the landscape of potential targets within the defined criteria.

iii.

Target Identification

Building the list of businesses that actually fit the thesis, not a generic database pull.

Origination & Screening

iv.

Deal Origination

Direct outreach to owners outside the auction process, before a deal is broadly shopped.

v.

Owner Outreach

Initiating the conversation with an owner who may not be actively looking to sell.

vi.

Opportunity Screening

Initial transaction analysis to prioritize the conversations worth having.

Execution

vii.

Deal Coordination

Managing the moving pieces of a transaction from first call to closing.

viii.

Negotiation Support

Structuring and negotiating terms on the acquirer’s behalf.

ix.

Diligence & Closing

Coordinating diligence and transaction execution through to close.

Who This Serves

Private equity firmsFamily officesIndependent sponsorsStrategic acquirersPlatform acquisitionsAdd-on acquisitions

Deal Origination

Proprietary opportunities
don't start with a listing

NorthBridge originates acquisition opportunities around defined investment criteria. We identify businesses that fit the mandate, engage owners directly, qualify interest, and develop opportunities before bringing the right conversations to our clients. Our process is built around the buyer’s thesis — sector, geography, revenue, EBITDA, transaction size, and ownership profile — rather than simply forwarding whatever happens to be on the market.

01

Define the Mandate

Establish investment criteria, transaction parameters, target profile, sector focus, geography, size, and acquisition thesis.

02

Map the Market

Build a targeted universe of businesses aligned with the mandate, including companies outside traditional marketed processes.

03

Originate

Conduct direct owner outreach and develop conversations with potential acquisition targets.

04

Qualify

Evaluate strategic fit, ownership objectives, transaction readiness, and initial economics before advancing the opportunity.

05

Execute

Facilitate the right conversations and support the process through analysis, negotiation, diligence, financing where applicable, and closing.

Institutional sourcing — built around an acquisition thesis, not a database of listings.

Capital Meets M&A

Find the acquisition
finance the acquisition

A buyer working with NorthBridge on an acquisition may also need acquisition financing. Our Capital Advisory practice can structure, arrange, and place that debt — one firm, from origination through execution.

01

Find the acquisition

Buy-side origination and target identification around defined investment criteria.

02

Structure the financing

Acquisition debt arranged through NorthBridge’s Capital Advisory practice, across banks, private credit, and specialty lenders.

03

Execute the transaction

Diligence, negotiation, and closing managed through to funding.

Let's discuss
your transaction

Confidential, no obligation. Tell us about the mandate and we'll follow up personally.

Confidential  ·  No obligation