What Acquisition Lab does

Acquisition Lab (legal entity Acquisition Lab Ops LLC, Delaware) is a privately held ecosystem for entrepreneurship through acquisition, founded by Walker Deibel with Chelsea Wood as co-founder and Jordan Fliegel as CEO. The company serves individual SMB acquisition entrepreneurs — both pre-close "Searchers" pursuing a first or next business and post-close "Operators" running acquired businesses — and bundles community, capital, and capability services. Core deliverables include a lifetime membership with daily/weekly live advisory, 600+ annual Q&A hours, 80+ proprietary tools and templates (LOI, APA, SPA, financial models), and access to 500+ broker mailing lists on day one. The platform is delivered through a member portal (app.acquisitionlab.com), a private Slack community, and a Searcher Dashboard, with integrations to QuickBooks Online, Ramp, Gusto, and IBISWorld Premium.

The business model combines a lifetime subscription for the core membership with paid service modules (Search Entity Setup, Search Assistant, Search Entity Manager, Finance Services, Hiring Services), an annual event (Acquire It Summit aboard Virgin Voyages, $1,999–$3,999 per cabin), and a capital arm (Acquisition Lab Fund I LLC) that provides $500k–$1M pre-committed capital per deal under a participating preferred equity structure. Distribution is primarily direct via a vetted application process, supplemented by 15+ US city quarterly meetups, weekly open roundtables, the free SearcherList buyer-profile tool, and a two-way Partner Network of capital, lending, legal/tax, QoE, and operating-software partners. Subsidiaries include the Fund vehicle and roll-up holdings such as We Rent Copiers and Voray that demonstrate a Succession pathway into long-term ownership.

The company has scaled to 1,200+ lifetime members and 480+ closed member acquisitions representing $1B+ in cumulative enterprise value, with a reported ~1.5% post-close failure rate. Members have closed deals ranging from $40k bolt-ons to $24M independent sponsor deals, averaging $2.4M enterprise value with $678k of earnings, and over 40% of actively pursuing members close an acquisition. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the company states it has no flexibility on price due to high-touch service costs, and a 30-day refund policy applies.

Name

Acquisition Lab

Legal name

Acquisition Lab Ops LLC

Website

https://acquisitionlab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Acquisition Lab is a private Delaware ecosystem for SMB acquisition entrepreneurs, bundling a vetted lifetime membership community, advisory and deal-flow tools, $500k–$1M capital commitments via its Fund, post-close finance and hiring services, and the Acquire It Summit event for searchers and operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Lifetime membership subscription providing access to the vetted community, all advisory services, deal tooling, legal templates, and the Partner Network. All new members receive Search Entity setup as part of their enrollment. The membership is positioned as a business expense that can be rolled into acquisition financing at closing.
2. Search Entity Manager Service: A paid service tier above the base membership that includes QuickBooks configuration, in-house bookkeeping, curated deal sourcing from 50+ sources, buy-box-matched alerts, financial model support, structured deal summaries, and the Searcher Dashboard.
3. Annual Acquire It Summit: Multi-day annual conference held aboard Virgin Voyages. Revenue generated through cabin bookings priced per cabin (not per attendee). Includes event ticket, lodging, meals, scheduled programming, private receptions, and group dinner.
4. Search Assistant Service: Curated deal sourcing and pipeline management service for active searchers. Includes access to deals from 50+ sources, buy-box-matched alerts, financial model support, and structured deal summaries.
5. Finance Services: Back-office financial execution services for acquired businesses including bookkeeping, financial reporting, payroll coordination, accounts payable/receivable management, cash flow forecasting, and lender reporting.
6. Hiring Services: Recruiting coordination services for SMB operators including role definition, candidate sourcing and outreach, interview coordination, and onboarding planning support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Acquisition Lab is an ecosystem for acquisition entrepreneurs built around three pillars: Community, Capital, and Capability. The core offering is a vetted lifetime membership (1,200+ members) providing daily office hours, weekly deal review calls, biweekly roundtables, and 80+ proprietary tools and templates. Supporting services include Search Entity Setup and Search Assistant (deal sourcing from 50+ sources, pipeline management) for searchers, and Finance Services and Hiring Services for operators of acquired businesses. Capital solutions include the EIR Program ($500K-$1M committed capital), the Acquisition Lab Fund, and Succession services for member business transitions.

Product overview

Acquisition Lab is a full-service ecosystem for acquisition entrepreneurs built around three pillars: Community, Capital, and Capability. The core offering is the Membership program with lifetime access to a vetted community, advisory services (daily office hours, weekly deal reviews, biweekly roundtables), and 80+ proprietary tools and templates. Supporting services include Search Entity Setup and Search Assistant for searchers (deal sourcing from 50+ sources, pipeline management), and Finance Services and Hiring Services for operators (back-office operations, recruiting). Capital solutions include the EIR Program ($500K-$1M committed capital), the Acquisition Lab Fund (equity investment), and Succession services for member business transitions. The ecosystem is augmented by events (Acquire It Summit, Quarterly Meetups in 15+ cities, Roundtables), a Partner Network of vetted service providers, and free tools including SearcherList. The Buy Then Build Masterclass provides foundational education. All components are designed to support the full acquisition lifecycle from search through operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Acquire It Summit: Annual summit for acquisition entrepreneurs, formerly known as Buy Then Build Summit. Combines structured sessions with open conversation among Searchers, Operators, and Partners.
• SearcherList
• PACT
• Succession

Products and services

• Acquisition Lab Membership Vetted community of serious acquisition entrepreneurs with lifetime access to advisory services including daily office hours, weekly live deal review calls, biweekly post-close roundtables, and 80+ proprietary tools and templates.
• Search Entity Setup Done-for-you service establishing a formal search vehicle and financial structure, including LLC formation, EIN creation, business bank account setup, and search entity guides. Included with membership.
• Search Assistant Curated deal sourcing and pipeline management service providing access to 50+ deal sources, buy-box-matched alerts, financial model support, structured deal summaries, and a searcher dashboard.
• Search Entity Manager Enhanced search entity service including QuickBooks configuration, in-house bookkeeping, access to deals from 50+ sources, buy-box-matched alerts, financial model support, structured deal summaries, and searcher dashboard access.
• Finance Services Back-office financial operations for acquired businesses including day-to-day bookkeeping, financial reporting, cash flow visibility, scenario modeling, lender reporting, and strategic finance support.
• Hiring Services Recruiting support for SMB operators including role definition and planning, candidate sourcing and outreach, interview coordination, and onboarding support with domestic and international talent sourcing capabilities.
• EIR Program Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program providing pre-committed capital of $500,000 to $1,000,000 for qualified operators to acquire businesses generating $1M-$2M SDE, with participating preferred equity structure and 2X step-up provisions.
• Acquisition Lab Fund Equity fund backed by 130+ investors that invests alongside acquisition entrepreneurs who intend to lead and grow their businesses over time, providing capital for larger acquisitions with operator control.
• Succession Acquisition pathway for Lab members to transition businesses they acquired into the Lab's long-term holding structure, enabling owners to avoid lengthy sales processes and broker fees when stepping away.
• Acquire It Summit Annual flagship networking event for acquisition entrepreneurs featuring keynotes, deal breakdowns, operator panels, and structured networking aboard Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady.
• Quarterly Meetups In-person regional meetups hosted in 15+ cities across the U.S. bringing new Searchers and Operators together for discussion, deal insights, and community connection. Free to attend with limited seats available to non-members.
• Roundtables Live, free, open-to-public anti-hype conversations for every stage of the acquisition journey with cameras on, small groups, and operators discussing real topics.
• SearcherList Free dynamic buyer profile platform designed for acquisition entrepreneurs that replaces static PDF buyer profiles with interactive profiles showing acquisition criteria, operating background, and funding availability.
• Buy Then Build Masterclass DIY foundational course developed as an upgrade to the book Buy Then Build, designed like an MBA course with resource guides, skill practices, supplemental readings, guest lectures, and 30+ expert interviews.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 480 businesses acquired by members with a combined enterprise value exceeding $1B+
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• QuickBooks OnlinecoreTechnology or IntegrationAcquisition Lab is an official partner with QuickBooks Online. This partnership standardizes financial execution and delivers consistent outcomes for Lab members engaged with the Services Team. QuickBooks is the preferred accounting platform for members utilizing Lab's finance services.
• RampcoreTechnology or IntegrationAcquisition Lab is an official partner with Ramp. This partnership allows standardization of expense management and financial operations for Lab members engaged with the Services Team. Ramp's spend management platform is integrated into the Lab's back-office service offering.
• GustocoreTechnology or IntegrationAcquisition Lab is an official partner with Gusto. This partnership standardizes payroll and HR operations for Lab members engaged with the Services Team. Gusto's payroll platform is embedded in the Lab's back-office service offering for newly acquired businesses.
• Center for American Entrepreneurship (CAE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonpartisan 501(c)(3) research, policy, and advocacy organization. Acquisition Lab CEO Jordan Fliegel serves on CAE's Entrepreneurs Council, advocating for a supportive national policy environment for acquisition entrepreneurs across Innovation, Talent, Capital, Regulation, and Tax.
• SearcherListminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDynamic buyer profile platform created by Acquisition Lab to improve transparency and credibility in the acquisition marketplace. Replaces static PDF buyer profiles with searchable profiles communicating acquisition criteria, operating background, and funding availability. Free tool for the ETA community.
• PACT (Partnership for Acquisition Transparency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative developed by Acquisition Lab to establish clearer expectations between Operators and investors in the acquisition process. Sets shared principles and frameworks for transparent partnerships and long-term alignment around ownership, governance, and economic participation before a deal is completed.
• Legal and Tax PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAttorneys and tax advisors who work regularly on acquisition transactions and support Operators after close. These partners understand that clean financial operations and good hiring decisions reduce downstream risk. They are introduced to members through the Partner Network.
• Quality of Earnings (QoE) PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerQoE firms that deliver clear, decision-useful diligence for Lab members. These partners are often deeply embedded in deals and well-positioned to introduce Acquisition Lab Services as a post-close finance partner. EIR Program requires use of preferred QoE providers.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MicroAcquire: MicroAcquire is a marketplace for buying and selling small SaaS and internet businesses, with a strong educational content track for buyers. It targets the same first-time acquisition entrepreneur buyer base as Acquisition Lab.
• Axial: Axial is a private deal network and M&A platform for the lower middle market, connecting buyers, sellers, lenders, and advisors. It serves the same searcher/operator buyer pool that Acquisition Lab targets, with comparable deal-sourcing infrastructure for acquisitions.
• Flippa: Flippa is a global online marketplace for buying and selling websites, SaaS, apps, and domains. It targets the same buyer pool of digital-first acquisition entrepreneurs and competes for deal-sourcing attention alongside Acquisition Lab's Search Assistant.
• Acquire.com: Acquire.com is a marketplace focused on buying and selling SaaS and startup businesses. It serves the same acquisition entrepreneur demographic as Acquisition Lab and overlaps with the Lab's Search Entity / Search Assistant offering on deal sourcing.
• Empire Flippers: Empire Flippers is a brokerage and marketplace for online businesses (SaaS, content, e-commerce). It shares Acquisition Lab's audience of acquisition entrepreneurs looking to buy internet and SMB assets and publishes comparable educational content for buyers.
• Quiet Light: Quiet Light is a leading SMB M&A brokerage focused on e-commerce, Amazon FBA, and SaaS businesses — directly serving the same first-time acquisition entrepreneurs and searcher buyer pool that Acquisition Lab cultivates, and offering educational content to the same community.
• BizBuySell: BizBuySell is the largest online marketplace for buying and selling small businesses in the U.S. It is a primary listing source used by Acquisition Lab members and competes for the same searcher/buyer audience and broker relationships.
• FE International: FE International is an M&A advisor for SaaS, e-commerce, and content businesses, advising founders on both sell-side and buy-side transactions. It targets the same lower-middle-market buyer and seller community that Acquisition Lab members operate within.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Coursera is a large-scale online education platform hosting MBA and entrepreneurship content (including from top business schools). It is an alternative source of acquisition-entrepreneurship education that competes for the same learner mindshare as the Lab's content pillar.
• Wall Street Prep: Wall Street Prep is a financial training and certification provider widely used by M&A and PE professionals. It overlaps with Acquisition Lab's educational pillar (Buy Then Build Masterclass, 80+ templates) at a broader, more generalist financial education level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Acquisition_Lab
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AcquisitionLab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acquisition-lab
• Instagraminstagram.com/acquisition_lab

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Acquisition Lab