Q1 2026 Lower Middle Market M&A Report + New Website Launch

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What is Searchfunder.com?

Searchfunder.com is an online community of searchers, investors, lenders, brokers and other professionals. Over 80% of those involved in searchfunds maintain a Searchfunder account to help them network, hire, and mentor others.

What are the benefits of membership?

In addition to accessing the most active online network of business buyers, Searchfunder licenses research that is simply not cost effective for individuals. Access over 15,000 industry reports and 50,000 transaction financials. You also get monthly credits for contact information for your company sourcing campaign with the option to purchase more at drastically discounted rates. Searchfunder has pre-purchased access from these data providers in order to empower individual buyers and to help searchers level the playing field versus private equity.

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While we are primarily a buy-side network, we do have hundreds of brokers that regularly post deals to the community.

Can I find an internship on Searchfunder?

Absolutely! We have the industry's largest intern job board. If you are considering a search, the first step is to help another business buyer so you can hit the ground running.

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Those who maintain an account with us for over 4 continuous years are permanently added to the community without the need for a membership.

Do I need an MBA to join?

While a large number of our members come from dedicated programs at Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, Chicago Booth, and other top programs, searching is no longer reserved for the elite. With the current abundance of dry powder in private equity, and an increasing number of business owners reaching retirement age, good deals rarely go unfunded.

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by an intermediary from Howard University - School of Business
in Denver, CO, USA

1mo ago

Q1 2026 Lower Middle Market M&A Report + New Website Launch

Two updates for independent sponsors actively deploying capital in 2026. 📊 RKJ Partners has published its Q1 2026 Lower Middle Market M&A Market Overview. A few standout findings: • The LMM has stabilized — capital is available, seller motivation is rising, and the bid-ask gap that froze deals through mid-2025 has narrowed • Platform acquisitions grew for the fifth consecutive quarter — strong signal for add-on demand • Average EBITDA multiples: 6.8x (typical) · 9.8x (premium) — quality bifurcation is real • Private credit dominates — direct lenders actively competing for $10M–$75M EBITDA credits • Hottest sectors: Business Services · Specialty Healthcare · Tech-Enabled Services · Home Services The bottom line: sponsors with proprietary sourcing pipelines are winning. Those relying on brokered deal flow are competing in the most crowded part of the market. 📄 Full report: redacted 🌐 We've also launched our new website at redacted — a full overview of our buy-side advisory capabilities and proprietary sourcing process. Feel free to connect or reach out directly to discuss your acquisition strategy. #LowerMiddleMarket #IndependentSponsors #PrivateEquity #MergersAndAcquisitions #BuySideAdvisory #RKJPartners

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