FE International
FE International is a London-headquartered boutique M&A advisory firm founded in 2010 that provides sell-side, buy-side, and investment banking services to mid-market technology businesses valued between $1M and $100M+ across SaaS, e-commerce, cybersecurity, FinTech, EdTech, AI, and related verticals, having completed over 1,500 transactions worth more than $50 billion in aggregate value.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FE International does
FE International is a boutique M&A advisory firm founded in 2010 by Thomas Smale and headquartered in London (FEInternational Ltd) with a US subsidiary (FE International Inc) and a FINRA/SIPC-registered broker-dealer subsidiary (FE Capital Markets LLC). The firm specializes in mid-market technology businesses, primarily serving founders and owners of SaaS, e-commerce, cybersecurity, FinTech, EdTech, agency and marketing, marketplace apps, and AI businesses valued between $1M and $100M+. It has completed over 1,500 transactions with an aggregate value exceeding $50 billion and reports a 94.1% close rate, supported by a proprietary valuation methodology and an 80,000+ vetted buyer/investor network.
The company's core offerings span full-service sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, investment banking (M&A, private capital placement, and valuation) through FE Capital Markets, comprehensive due diligence services, a self-serve M&A Platform for transactions under $1M, and an affiliated managed fundraising service called Funden for early-stage founders. Its technology stack centers on a proprietary M&A Platform that handles valuation, listing creation, buyer discovery, outreach, and deal management, with internal valuation, buyer-discovery, and due-diligence systems described as proprietary.
Revenue is generated primarily through success-based advisory and brokerage fees under a "no cure, no pay" model, supplemented by professional services revenue from investment banking mandates, capital placements, and valuations routed through FE Capital Markets. Customer acquisition is driven by content-led marketing, including semi-annual industry reports, valuation guides, and case studies targeting founders considering exit, alongside direct outreach to PE firms and strategic acquirers. The company is founder-owned, bootstrapped, and operates without disclosed external venture capital or private equity backing.
FE International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FE International
- Legal name
- FEInternational Ltd
- Website
- https://feinternational.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- FE International is a London-headquartered boutique M&A advisory firm founded in 2010 that provides sell-side, buy-side, and investment banking services to mid-market technology businesses valued between $1M and $100M+ across SaaS, e-commerce, cybersecurity, FinTech, EdTech, AI, and related verticals, having completed over 1,500 transactions worth more than $50 billion in aggregate value.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FE International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- M&A Advisory
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side) (BPAHAOAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- M&A Advisory (Buy-side/Sell-side) (BPAHADAC), Corporate Finance Advisory (Strategic Finance, Capital Structure & Recaps) (FSAEAGAE)
Keywords
Where FE International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FE International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- M&A Advisory and Brokerage Fees: FE International earns success-based fees upon completed transactions. The company operates on a 'no cure, no pay' model where they only make money if the deal closes. This aligns incentives between the advisor and sellers seeking exits.
- Investment Banking Services: M&A, private capital placement, and valuation services provided through FE Capital Markets, their registered broker-dealer subsidiary (member FINRA/SIPC).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Full-service M&A Advisory for businesses $1M to $100M+ |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | M&A Platform (Self-serve for businesses under $1M) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
FE International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FE International is a boutique M&A advisory firm that buys, sells, and raises capital for mid-market technology businesses valued between $1M and $100M+. It delivers end-to-end sell-side and buy-side advisory (Private Sales & Acquisitions), investment banking services through its FINRA/SIPC broker-dealer subsidiary FE Capital Markets, due diligence support, and a self-serve M&A Platform for sub-$1M transactions, plus early-stage fundraising via Funden. All services are built around a 'no cure, no pay' success-fee model and a curated network of 80,000+ vetted technology buyers and investors.
Product overview
FE International is a boutique strategic advisor for technology businesses, offering a combination of human-led M&A advisory services and a self-serve M&A Platform. The core offerings consist of Private Sales & Acquisitions (full-service sell-side and buy-side advisory), Investment Banking (M&A, capital placement, valuations via FE Capital Markets), Due Diligence Services, and an M&A Platform for self-serve deal management. The M&A Platform handles valuation, listing creation, buyer discovery, outreach, and deal management for businesses under $1M, while full advisory services cover the $1M to $100M+ range. An affiliated early-stage funding service called Funden supports capital raises for founders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Funden: A managed fundraising service for early-stage founders seeking capital raises
- FE Capital Markets
- FE M&A Platform
Products and services
- Private Sales & Acquisitions Full-service buy-side and sell-side M&A advisory for privately held technology businesses, providing valuation, buyer outreach, negotiation, and deal closing support with a 94.1% success rate across 1,500+ transactions. Intended for founders, owners, and acquirers of mid-market SaaS, e-commerce, agency, AI, cybersecurity, EdTech, FinTech, and marketplace app businesses valued between $1M and $100M+.
- Investment Banking (FE Capital Markets) Investment banking services for the middle market including M&A advisory, private capital placement, and valuation services, delivered through FE Capital Markets LLC, a registered broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Designed for middle-market technology companies and their owners needing capital raising or formal valuation work that requires a regulated broker-dealer.
- Due Diligence Services Comprehensive due diligence services providing strategic views of a company's financials and operations for buyers and sellers engaged in M&A transactions. Used by acquirers and investors who need independent validation of revenue, profitability, and operational quality before closing a deal.
- M&A Platform (Self-Serve Marketplace) Self-serve online M&A marketplace enabling buyers and sellers to manage valuation, listing creation, buyer discovery, outreach, and deal management across SaaS, e-commerce, agencies, AI, cybersecurity, EdTech, FinTech, and marketplace app businesses valued under $1M. Targets SMB owners and individual investors who want a lower-cost alternative to full-service advisory.
- Funden (Early Stage Funding) Managed fundraising service that streamlines capital raises for busy early-stage founders seeking pre-exit funding. Referred to from FE International for founders who need capital before reaching an exit-ready stage.
Quantifiable outcome
- 94.1% success rate across transactions
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use FE International
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FE International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
FE International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
FE International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Quiet Light: Direct peer in mid-market online business M&A advisory, specializing in SaaS, ecommerce, and content businesses. Closely comparable business model, target seller profile, and average deal size to FE International.
- Empire Flippers: Online business brokerage and marketplace for six- and seven-figure SaaS, ecommerce, and content businesses. Closely comparable vertical focus and SMB seller base to FE International.
- Flippa: Online marketplace for buying and selling websites, SaaS, and ecommerce businesses. Comparable marketplace-style distribution and SMB segment, though Flippa focuses more on the sub-$1M end of the market.
- Acquire.com: Marketplace for buying and selling SaaS and tech startups, primarily bootstrapped businesses. Comparable buyer/seller personas and deal-size band, and a notable emerging competitor in the same vertical.
- iMerge Advisors (formerly eBiz Brokers): Tech and online business M&A advisory firm previously known as eBiz Brokers. Allan Mooney, now an FE Partner, previously worked at both eBiz Brokers and Website Properties, indicating direct overlap in segment and process.
- Centurica: Boutique M&A advisory focused on the acquisition and sale of profitable online businesses. Highly comparable service offering and target customer to FE International's core advisory practice.
- Morgan & Westfield: M&A advisory and business brokerage serving online and technology businesses, particularly lower-middle-market transactions. Comparable deal-size band and target seller profile.
- Website Properties: Online business M&A brokerage and advisory. Previously employed Allan Mooney (now FE Partner), highlighting direct comparability of segment, deal flow, and process discipline.
- Clarke Capital Partners: Boutique M&A advisory with a focus on tech-enabled and online businesses in the lower-middle-market. Comparable vertical specialization and deal-size profile to FE International.
Broad incumbents
- Generational Equity: Large lower-middle-market M&A advisory firm with broad industry coverage. Overlaps with FE in the lower end of FE's deal-size band but typically services traditional, non-tech businesses.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FE International social profiles
Digital presenceFE International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FE International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
FE International subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
FE International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FE International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A7 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FE International
What does FE International do?
FE International is a boutique M&A advisory firm that buys, sells, and raises capital for mid-market technology businesses valued between $1M and $100M+. It delivers end-to-end sell-side and buy-side advisory (Private Sales & Acquisitions), investment banking services through its FINRA/SIPC broker-dealer subsidiary FE Capital Markets, due diligence support, and a self-serve M&A Platform for sub-$1M transactions, plus early-stage fundraising via Funden. All services are built around a 'no cure, no pay' success-fee model and a curated network of 80,000+ vetted technology buyers and investors.
Is FE International a public or private company?
FE International is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FE International founded?
FE International was founded in 2010. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is FE International based?
FE International is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does FE International make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. M&A Advisory and Brokerage Fees are the primary driver. The others are investment Banking Services.
Who are FE International's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Quiet Light, Empire Flippers, Flippa, Acquire.com, iMerge Advisors (formerly eBiz Brokers), Centurica, Morgan & Westfield, Website Properties and Clarke Capital Partners. Generational Equity is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does FE International have an API?
No public API is recorded for FE International.
What industry is FE International in?
FE International's product category is M&A Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAOAA, M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side), with a secondary code of BPAHADAC, M&A Advisory (Buy-side/Sell-side). Its NAICS code is 54169 and its SIC code is 8742.