By ^Searchfunder member‌ & ^Searchfunder member‌

The forum was organized by MBA students from IPADE Business School (Mexico City) to introduce the model to the broader IPADE community. 

The first panel consisted of ^Searchfunder member‌ (Olmo Capital), ^Searchfunder member‌ (Invia Capital) and ^Searchfunder member‌ (Vela Capital Partners). Panelists agreed the model to be most attractive for those seeking to pursue their own business agenda with an attractive risk-benefit profile. “This model is for those who wish to have something of their own, for those who want to inject energy into a family enterprise to help it reach a higher level, and, finally, for those who are willing and able to get involved deeply within the operations of a company”, said Edgar.

During the second panel with investors, ^Searchfunder member (ARCU Capital), ^Searchfunder member‌(ProActive Capital), ^Searchfunder member‌ (Lottus Capital Partners) and ^Searchfunder member‌ (Arzentia Capital) shared their insights about the model's potential. “Mexico is now the second country in number of Search Funds in the world after the US, which is the only consolidated market. There are hundreds in the US, about 30 in Mexico, and about 20 in Spain, the third largest market”, explained Angel. Rogelio added: “There’s a lot of liquidity in the country. Many investors want to diversify and support new talent. Good deals are always going to be funded”. Speakers pointed out that in the US, the search fund model is taught in Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition courses and is widely known because of its success. Unfortunately this hasn’t been the case in Mexico, where there have been few advancements in promoting the model even when there have been many success stories.

Investors also shared their perspective on what they look for in potential searchers. “We look for emotional intelligence and a person´s capacity to connect with others”, commented Mario. “We have preference for a team over a solo searcher, since this implies a wider network plus a richer skill-set. However, it’s critical to determine how well that team works together. Each fund has only one shot, so there will be a lot of heat when the moment comes to decide how that shot will be used. There’s a huge risk that an unstable team will break up during the project and our aim is to reduce that risk”, explained Angel.

To close the forum, a networking cocktail sponsored by SEARCHFUNDER.COM was held at W Hotel Polanco.