How much equity do traditional searchers end up with?

searcher profile

April 29, 2024

by a searcher in Tulsa, OK, USA

How much equity (typical range) does the searcher end up within a deal?

Where you raise a Searchfund to pay yourself while you search and then have "committed" capital.

Is there any data out there on this?
I realize there can be a lot of variables, just trying to gauge the market.
I'm guessing ~20%

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commentor profile
Reply by a searcher
from Oklahoma State University in Wichita, KS, USA
Posing another question. What's the goal of the search?

Create value for Shareholders.

Doing so through the operating platform by creating value for customers. The sole reason that businesses exist.

How the pie is sliced is important but maximizing the risk adjusted return is more so. I see some folks get hung up on percentages but from my small vantage, the sophisticated investors and searchers/operators, remain focused on creating mutual value and delivering results. As such, incentives are aligned and possibly that translates into a larger equity stake for searchers. One way to do this is liquidation preference before the searcher is in the money.

I run a hybrid search (self + sophisticated investors). With major skin in the game at the search stage to preserve investors capital, consider the risk and reward of various opportunities and ultimately produce high returns.
commentor profile
Reply by a searcher
from Washington and Lee University in Baltimore, MD, USA
Traditional is 25% vesting in 3rds as others have stated... could be less depending on other factors.

Here is a great debate on traditional vs self-funded and the economics: https://acquiringminds.co/articles/self-funded-search-vs-traditional-search-funds#why-traditional-search-fund-terms-are-fixed
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