What Marktlink Mergers & Acquisitions does

Marktlink Mergers & Acquisitions is an independent, privately held M&A advisory firm founded in the Netherlands in 1996 (legal entity Marktlink Fusies & Overnames B.V.), specializing in sell-side and buy-side mandates for SME and mid-market entrepreneurs. The firm operates 20 offices across 8 European countries with 450+ employees and 350+ deal specialists, and has completed more than 1,200 transactions since inception, closing roughly 150 deals per year and delivering over €1 billion in transaction value in 2024 with a reported 95% success rate.

Core products span the full deal lifecycle: full-service M&A advisory (target identification, negotiation, due diligence, closing), the Exit Ready preparation program (12-18 months of pre-sale optimization), the Marktlink Multiple proprietary online valuation tool (grounded in 1,000+ historical deals and 40,000 annual calculations), an online Business for Sale Marketplace, and since 2020, Marktlink Capital, a wholly-owned subsidiary distributing leading PE and VC fund investments to private investors. The underlying technology stack is anchored by a patented proprietary database of over 3 million companies enhanced by advanced analytics that powers buyer-seller matching and the valuation tool.

Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-based success fees on M&A mandates, supplemented by recurring management and distribution economics from Marktlink Capital. Go-to-market is direct field sales through the local office network, targeting mid-market and SME entrepreneur segments across Europe, with no disclosed public pricing or fee schedules. Customers are diversified SMEs and mid-market companies; named engagements span food, IT services, internet, foodservice, and engineering, with no observable concentration in any single client or vertical.

Name

Marktlink Mergers & Acquisitions

Legal name

Marktlink Fusies & Overnames B.V.

Website

https://marktlink.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Marktlink is an independent European M&A advisory firm founded in 1996, serving SME and mid-market entrepreneurs with sell-side and buy-side mandates through 20 offices in 8 countries and a 350+ specialist team, supplemented by its Marktlink Capital PE/VC fund platform and proprietary valuation tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

M&A Advisory Services

NAICS

Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side) (BPAHAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Buy-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAB), Business Transfer Intermediation (Introducers/Deal Sourcing Networks) (FSAEAIAL)

Keywords

• M&A advisory services
• Business valuation tools
• Exit readiness preparation
• Private equity funds
• Succession planning advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Deventer

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. M&A Advisory Services: Marktlink provides merger and acquisition advisory services to entrepreneurs, helping them buy or sell businesses. Revenue is generated through transaction-based fees, typically success fees upon deal completion. The firm also offers Exit Ready services to prepare businesses for sale.
2. Marktlink Capital: Since 2020, Marktlink Capital offers private investors the opportunity to invest in leading private equity and venture capital funds, ideal for entrepreneurs who have recently sold their businesses and want to invest their wealth wisely.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Marktlink provides independent mergers and acquisitions advisory services to SME entrepreneurs, guiding them through the full process of buying or selling a business. Offerings include sell-side and buy-side advisory, an Exit Ready preparation program, the proprietary Marktlink Multiple valuation tool, and the Marktlink Capital investment platform for investing in PE and VC funds.

Product overview

Marktlink operates as a unified M&A advisory platform offering a comprehensive suite of services for entrepreneurs across Europe. The core offering comprises Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory (covering both sell-side and buy-side mandates), supplemented by specialized service modules including Exit Ready (business preparation for sale) and Marktlink Capital (private equity/venture capital investment platform). Key digital tools include the Marktlink Multiple (proprietary business valuation tool based on a database of 3+ million companies) and a Business for Sale Marketplace. The company operates across 20 offices in 8 countries with 350+ specialists, leveraging a data-driven approach combining analytical tools with local market expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marktlink Capital: Investment platform offering private equity and venture capital fund opportunities for entrepreneurs who have sold their businesses, enabling them to invest their wealth in PE and VC funds.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% success rate in transactions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Maxima SeafoodminorOthersSuccessful M&A transaction completed for Maxima Seafood, a Croatian seafood company, demonstrating Marktlink's capabilities in the Adriatic region.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kroll (formerly Duff & Phelps): Global financial advisory, valuation, and M&A firm serving corporates and financial sponsors. Comparable to Marktlink in valuation services and cross-border M&A advisory, though at a larger scale with broader service offerings.
• BDO Corporate Finance: Global accounting-led advisory network with mid-market M&A and transaction services. Comparable to Marktlink in SME and mid-market seller/buyer mandates across Europe, leveraging a similarly broad international footprint.
• RSM Corporate Finance: Global audit-led advisory network with mid-market M&A services. Directly comparable to Marktlink in target segment (mid-market SME entrepreneurs), European footprint, and cross-border deal execution.
• Lincoln International: Global mid-market investment bank advising on M&A, capital raising, and valuation. Comparable to Marktlink in mid-market advisory focus but operates at a larger scale and broader service breadth, often competing for the upper end of Marktlink's deal range.
• Houlihan Lokey: Global investment bank with strong mid-market M&A, capital markets, and restructuring practices. Overlaps with Marktlink on cross-border mid-market M&A mandates and competes for larger deals in Marktlink's serviceable market.

Direct peers

• IMAP: International M&A advisory partnership focused on mid-market transactions across 30+ countries. Directly comparable to Marktlink in mid-market positioning, partnership-led model, and cross-border deal execution for entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses.
• Oaklins: Global SME-focused M&A advisory with 850+ professionals across 40+ countries. Directly comparable to Marktlink in target customer (mid-market entrepreneurs), deal sizes, and cross-border execution model, and is the most direct European-headquartered peer.
• Clairfield International: International M&A advisory focused on mid-market cross-border transactions across 20+ countries with strong European presence. Directly comparable in target customer (SME/family business owners), sector breadth, and partnership model.

Others

• Datasite: SaaS platform for M&A deal management, due diligence, and buyer outreach. Adjacent/ecosystem participant to Marktlink — a technology provider whose tools complement Marktlink's advisory workflow and whose growth signals broader digitization of the M&A process.

Emerging players

• Ceteris: European M&A advisory firm focused on mid-market transactions. Comparable to Marktlink in target customer and regional focus, though smaller in scale and primarily operating in selected European markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marktlink

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Marktlink Mergers & Acquisitions