Corporate Finance in Europe

What Corporate Finance in Europe does

Corporate Finance in Europe (CFIE) is a private, Netherlands-domiciled network of independent M&A advisers founded in 2003 and operating across approximately 20 European countries. It provides sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory services, business valuations, due diligence (buy-side, vendor, financial, operational, legal), management buy-in and buy-out support, buy-and-build strategy consulting, and post-merger integration services. CFIE targets European business owners selling companies valued between 5 and 100 million EUR and international strategic buyers — particularly US and Asian acquirers — seeking European targets, with a secondary segment of PE firms supporting industrial buy-and-build strategies. The firm is organized by country and industry specialization, with 50+ named advisers covering Automotive, Chemicals, Food, Healthcare, ICT, Manufacturing, Pharma, Plastics, and Transportation.

The technology footprint is minimal: CFIE explicitly states it does not operate a proprietary technology platform. Its digital assets consist of a free European Industry Marketplace for listing companies for sale/wanted, a free online company valuation calculator, and a content-heavy SEO website with industry- and country-specific landing pages that serve as the primary lead-generation channel. CFIE is not venture- or PE-backed; ownership is described as founder/partner-led with no parent entity.

The revenue model is professional services, monetized through success fees (Lehman formula: 5% on first 100K EUR stepping down to 1% above 4M EUR), hybrid commitment-plus-success-fee structures (with 4,000 EUR office costs and 4,000 EUR commitment fees), subscription retainers, and hourly billing at 95–500 EUR per 4-hour block. Pricing is custom-tailored per mandate. CFIE maintains professional memberships in BVMA (Germany), CCEF (France), CNDCEC (Italy), DVFA, SECA (Switzerland), APM, and the Swiss American Chamber of Commerce, supporting referral flow across jurisdictions.

Name

Corporate Finance in Europe

Legal name

Corporate Finance in Europe

Website

https://corporatefinanceineurope.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Corporate Finance in Europe (CFIE) is a Netherlands-based network of 50+ independent M&A advisers across Europe providing sell-side and buy-side advisory, valuations, due diligence, and post-merger integration to European business owners selling 5–100 million EUR companies and international strategic buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

M&A Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

akta.pro primary industry

Outsourced Finance & CFO Services (BPAHABAE)

Keywords

• M&A advisory services
• Business valuations
• Due diligence services
• Company brokerage
• Mergers and acquisitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Son En Breugel

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory Success Fees: Success fees calculated as percentage of transaction value using the Lehman formula: 5% on first 100,000 EUR, 4% on second 1,000,000 EUR, 3% on third 1,000,000 EUR, 2% on fourth 1,000,000 EUR, 1% on everything above 4,000,000 EUR. Also offers 'no cure no pay' arrangements, performance-based fees with commitment components, subscription models, and hourly billing ranging from 95-500 EUR.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CFIE is a network of independent M&A advisers that intermediates the sale and purchase of privately held companies across Europe. Core engagements include sell-side advisory, buy-side advisory, business valuations, due diligence, MBI/MBO structuring, post-merger integration support and a buy-and-build program for serial acquirers. The firm also runs a free online European industry marketplace where owners and acquirers can list companies for sale or acquisition.

Product overview

Corporate Finance in Europe (CFIE) is a network of independent M&A advisers providing a comprehensive suite of merger and acquisition advisory services across Europe. The offering consists of core advisory services including sell-side M&A (helping European business owners sell companies valued 5-100 million euros), buy-side M&A (supporting international buyers acquiring European targets), management buy-in/buy-out services, business valuations, due diligence, buy and build strategy consulting, and post-merger integration. CFIE also operates an online company valuation tool and a free European industry marketplace platform for listing companies for sale. The network specializes in industries including Automotive, Chemicals, Food, Healthcare, ICT, Manufacturing, Pharma, Plastics, and Transportation, with advisers located across multiple European countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sell-Side M&A Advisory Advisory engagement preparing and running the sale of a privately held company, including valuation, teaser, CIM, buyer identification, NDA/process management, negotiation and signing/closing support. Designed for SME owners and shareholders planning a full or partial exit.
• Buy-Side M&A Advisory Advisory engagement supporting corporate or financial buyers in identifying, evaluating and acquiring European targets, including target screening, approach, valuation, due diligence coordination and negotiation. Used by strategic acquirers and PE funds building buy-and-build platforms.
• Business Valuation Independent valuation of privately held companies for sale, financing, shareholder disputes, succession planning or strategic review. Delivered as a fixed-fee engagement producing a documented valuation report.
• Due Diligence Commercial, financial and operational due diligence support on a target company ahead of an acquisition, structured as a fixed-fee engagement with a written report.
• MBI / MBO Advisory Advisory on management buy-in and management buy-out transactions, including deal structuring, financing sourcing and negotiation support for incoming or incumbent management teams acquiring the business.
• Post-Merger Integration

Named customers25 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• l'Association Progres Du Management (APM)minorOthersProfessional membership organization for M&A professionals
• Bundesverband Mergers & Acquisitions, München (BVMA)minorOthersGerman M&A association providing industry standards and networking
• Compagnie des Experts et Conseil Financier (CCEF)minorOthersFrench financial expert and advisory association
• Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili (CNDCEC)minorOthersItalian national council of commercial experts and accountants
• Deutsche Vereinigung für Finanzanalyse und Asset Management (DVFA)minorOthersGerman association for financial analysis and asset management professionals
• Ordine dei Dottori Commercialisti e Degli Esperti Contabili di Reglio Emilia (ODCDECRE)minorOthersRegional Italian professional accounting association
• SECA | Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance AssociationminorOthersSwiss private equity and corporate finance professional association
• Swiss American Chamber of Commerce, ZürichminorOthersBilateral Chamber of Commerce connecting Swiss and American business communities
• Schmalenbach Gesellschaft für Betriebswirtschaft, BonnminorOthersGerman association for business economics research and practice
• Compagnie des Conseilers en Investissements FinanciersminorOthersFrench association of financial investment advisors

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lincoln International: Global mid-market investment bank with European operations competing for cross-border M&A mandates in the 50M-1B EUR range. While larger than CFIE, it represents the type of broader incumbent that CFIE competes against for international mandates.
• Rothschild & Co: Global investment bank with a substantial mid-market M&A advisory practice across Europe. A larger incumbent that competes for many of CFIE's cross-border European mid-market mandates, though typically at the upper end of CFIE's deal-size band.

Direct peers

• Clairfield International: European-headquartered M&A advisory firm specializing in mid-market cross-border transactions. Closely comparable to CFIE in client size (50-500M EUR), sector breadth, and pan-European coverage.
• Translink Corporate Finance: European M&A advisory network with a partnership model comparable to CFIE. Specializes in cross-border mid-market transactions, family business successions, and management buy-outs across European markets.
• Livingstone Partners: Global mid-market M&A advisory with strong European presence, particularly in the UK, Germany, and Scandinavia. Competes with CFIE for cross-border mid-market deals in industrials, consumer, and business services.
• Oaklins: Global mid-market M&A advisory with strong European presence and industry-specialized teams. Directly competes with CFIE in serving SMEs and mid-market companies across multiple sectors including industrials, consumer, and TMT.
• IMAP: Global M&A advisory organization with a network model similar to CFIE, focused on mid-market cross-border transactions. Directly comparable in terms of serving SMEs with valuations in the 5-250M EUR range across multiple industries.
• goetzpartners: European corporate finance advisory firm with mid-market M&A, restructuring, and debt advisory services. Comparable to CFIE in serving European mid-market companies on cross-border transactions.
• M&A International: Global alliance of independent M&A advisory firms, structurally similar to CFIE's network model. Serves mid-market companies with cross-border needs and competes directly for cross-border mandates in the same deal-size band.
• Alantra: European investment banking and asset management firm with a dedicated mid-market M&A advisory practice. Comparable to CFIE in serving European SMEs and family-owned businesses on cross-border transactions.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Corporate Finance in Europe