Business and Transaction Consulting

What Business and Transaction Consulting does

Business Transaction AG is a Zürich-based, owner-managed M&A boutique founded in 2014 that specializes in business succession, company sales, and business valuations for Swiss small and medium enterprises (KMU). The firm serves SME owners — typically with target-company revenues in the CHF 1-15 million range — who are seeking to sell their businesses or arrange external succession, as well as the corresponding buyer-side market of private individuals, strategic acquirers, and financial investors pursuing SME acquisitions. The company is led by founding partners Yves Süess and Fabian Rudin, alongside partners Philipp Gübeli and Ilan Kriesi, supported by a team of approximately 8 partners/consultants.

The firm's core offering is end-to-end succession advisory delivered through a four-step process (valuation, intelligent matching, competitive negotiation, and contract closing). It is differentiated by two proprietary technology assets: an intelligent company-DNA matching software that screens candidates from a network of more than 8,000 vetted buyers and investors, and a proprietary KMU valuation tool calibrated against realized Swiss SME transaction prices, which is also being extended through an Innosuisse research partnership with OST into a "Datenbilanz" data-balance-sheet tool. GTM is sales-led and consultative, with no channel partners; marketing leverages content (insights portal, industry fact sheets, YouTube client stories, monthly newsletter), earned media (SRF, Handelszeitung, KMU Magazine), and the SCRJ Lakers sponsorship.

Revenue is generated primarily through percentage-based success fees tied to transaction value (Swiss market norm of 2-7%), supplemented by monthly retainers during the transaction lifecycle and standalone business valuation engagements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The firm claims 400+ completed sales since 2014 with a 97% succession success rate, an average project duration of more than eight months, and DACH-wide market positioning, with no external institutional investors, parent company, or public listing identified.

Name

Business and Transaction Consulting

Legal name

Business Transaction AG

Website

https://businesstransaction.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Business Transaction AG is a Zürich-based, owner-managed M&A boutique specializing in business succession, company sales, and valuations for Swiss SMEs. Founded in 2014, it has completed over 400 transactions using proprietary matching software and a network of 8,000+ vetted buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

M&A Advisory Services

NAICS

Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391), Miscellaneous Intermediation (523910)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Succession & Exit Planning (Owner Exit Readiness) (FSAEAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Main Street Business Brokerage (SMB/Owner-Operated) (FSAEAIAA)

Keywords

• M&A advisory services
• Business succession planning
• SME company brokerage
• Company valuation services
• Succession consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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 Fee: Percentage-based success fee tied to final transaction sale price. Industry standard typically 2-7% of transaction value.
2. M&A Advisory - Retainer/Phase Fee: Monthly retainer or phase-based fixed fees for document preparation and process management during transaction lifecycle.
3. Business Valuation Services: Valuation reports and market price assessments for SME transactions, using multiple industry-recognized methodologies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Business Transaction AG provides M&A advisory and business succession services for Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises (KMU), guiding owners through the full process from valuation and buyer matching to deal structuring and contract closing. Core services include company sale advisory, buyer-side acquisition advisory, professional business valuations, and end-to-end succession planning, supported by a proprietary intelligent matching software and an in-house KMU valuation tool.

Product overview

Business Transaction AG operates as an M&A boutique offering a unified suite of succession planning and business transfer services for Swiss SMEs. The core offering encompasses company sales (Firma verkaufen), acquisitions (Firma kaufen), and professional valuations (Firma bewerten), supported by their proprietary Business Transaction Valuation Tool and intelligent matching software. Additional services include a confidential company listings marketplace (Firmenangebote) and an expert knowledge portal (Insights/Branchen-Fact-Sheets). The company has facilitated over 400 successful business sales with a 97% success rate in succession planning, maintaining a network of more than 8,000 vetted buyers and investors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Firma verkaufen (Company Sale Services) Comprehensive M&A advisory guiding Swiss SME business owners through the full company sale process, from preparation and valuation to buyer matching, negotiation, and contract signing.
• Firma kaufen (Company Acquisition Services) Advisory services for acquiring Swiss SMEs, connecting qualified buyers with succession opportunities in the Swiss KMU market using the firm's network and proprietary matching software.
• Firma bewerten (Company Valuation) Professional business valuation using multiple industry-recognized methodologies to determine fair market value for Swiss SMEs, drawing on experience from over 300 transactions.
• Nachfolgeregelung (Succession Planning) End-to-end succession planning that matches Swiss SME owners with ideal successors, managing the entire transition process from valuation and candidate identification through closing and handover.
• Business Transaction Valuation Tool Proprietary valuation tool that calculates value ranges and conducts market testing against realized sales prices, forming the foundation for the firm's business valuation engagements.
• Firmenangebote (Company Listings) Confidential curated marketplace of Swiss SME companies available for acquisition, sourced from the firm's succession mandate portfolio and presented to prospective qualified buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% success rate on succession arrangements
• +2 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Schweizer BerghilfecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration to support mountain region businesses facing succession challenges. KMU in urban areas have better succession opportunities than those in mountain regions. Business Transaction supports construction of the Hofkäserei Fänglihof in Zweisimmen as a model project. Partnership aligned with BT's motto 'Der Nachfolge verpflichtet' (Committed to succession).
• BergversetzerminorOthers · 1 January 2025Corporate volunteering partner for employee team-building activities. BT team participated in volunteering day on Alp Empächli in Elm, helping with pasture maintenance and fence building to support mountain agriculture. Promotes team cohesion and social responsibility.
• Ostschweizer Fachhochschule (OST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Business Transaction AG serves as lead implementation partner (Hauptumsetzungspartner) in an Innosuisse research project led by Prof. Dr. Rigo Tietz and Prof. Dr. Wilfried Lux. The project develops a 'Datenbilanz' (data balance sheet) - an easy-to-use tool for SMEs to economically assess data as an asset and risk factor. BT contributed its proprietary KMU valuation tool as the foundation.
• SCRJ Lakers (Lakers Sport AG)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Multi-season marketing and sponsorship partnership initiated in 2021/22 season. Business Transaction AG co-produces video content with Lakers executives shown during games on the videocube, and conducts video campaigns at home games. The partnership uses sports reach to sensitize entrepreneurs about succession planning. Shares values of teamwork, trust, and responsibility with both sports and business succession.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Helvetica Partners: Swiss M&A advisory boutique focused on mid-market transactions and SME succession in Switzerland. Comparable on boutique positioning, Swiss-German SME target market, and succession advisory services.
• Business Broker AG: Swiss M&A broker specializing in the sale and acquisition of small and medium-sized companies — the closest direct competitor to Business Transaction AG, and former employer of several BT partners. Highly comparable on target market, deal size, and geography.
• Wenger Vieli AG: Swiss corporate finance and legal advisory boutique with a dedicated M&A practice serving mid-sized Swiss companies, including succession and sale mandates. Comparable boutique model and Swiss SME target market.
• MP Corporate Finance AG: Independent Swiss corporate finance advisor providing M&A advisory for SMEs and mid-market companies, including succession mandates. Directly comparable on service offering, geography and target segment.

Regional players

• VR-Beratung (Firmenverkauf / Nachfolge): Swiss advisory firm focused on SME succession planning and company sale transactions. Comparable on services, target segment and Swiss-German regional focus.
• BZP Treuhand AG: Swiss fiduciary and corporate finance advisor active in SME succession and M&A mandates in German-speaking Switzerland. Comparable on target customers and regional focus, with somewhat narrower M&A specialization.

Broad incumbents

• EY-Parthenon Switzerland: Strategy and M&A arm of EY in Switzerland, providing transaction advisory, valuations and succession planning for mid-market clients. Operates at broader scale than the BT boutique while targeting overlapping SME succession opportunities.
• Deloitte Switzerland (M&A): Big Four corporate finance practice in Switzerland offering M&A advisory, valuations and succession services. Larger scale and broader capabilities than Business Transaction, with overlap on Swiss SME succession mandates.
• KPMG Switzerland (Deal Advisory / M&A): Big Four advisory practice in Switzerland providing corporate finance, M&A and succession advisory to mid-market and large clients. Broader portfolio than Business Transaction but competes for the upper end of the SME succession segment.
• AUCTUS Capital Partners AG: Germany-headquartered M&A advisor with strong focus on SME transactions across DACH, active as both advisor and acquirer. Comparable target customers (German-speaking SMEs) and overlap with Business Transaction on the buyer side of select deals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQhvoJ0z9rK07hkjmCM0gxQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61582010565115
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/business-transaction-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/businesstransactionag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Business and Transaction Consulting