Entrepreneurship through Acquisition

Entrepreneurship through Acquisition

What is Entrepreneurship through Acquisition?

By 2023, Entrepreneurship through Acquisition will be a $2 trillion opportunity in Canada. As small to medium enterprises (SME) seek a transition in ownership, there is a growing need for SMEs who do not have a succession plan to find new ownership and management for their profitable business.

Haskayne is launching a new MBA course in 2024, Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA). This course will expose students to the search fund model and ultimately help them to acquire and operate a small business. 

There is an opportunity for the business community to get involved with the Haskayne ETA course. We are looking for investors, professionals currently working within active search funds, and volunteers to act as ETA advisors. As the ETA course develops, Haskayne will help build a local ecosystem to support entrepreneurship through acquisition.

Haskayne MBA students

Haskayne’s Entrepreneurship through Acquisition course will take MBA students through the steps of developing a search fund to secure financing, finding a business to acquire, making the business acquisition and managing a profitable SME.

This course will be available as of January 2024. Don’t forget to register. This course is designed to be taken near the end of your MBA program.

Required pre-requisite course:

  • ENTI 601: Entrepreneurial Thinking & Innovation

Recommended but not required pre-requisites:

  • OBHR 647: Negotiations
  • FNCE 659: M&A
  • LAW 632: Entrepreneurial Law – UCalgary Faculty of law department
MBA students

Investors

We are currently looking for a variety of investors to get involved with the Haskayne ETA course. 

  • Individual investors: successful entrepreneurs, executives, or investors themselves.
  • Institutional investors: specialized funds or firms that focus on investing in search funds or entrepreneurship through acquisition. 
  • Search fund accelerators: programs that provide training, coaching, and support to searchers in exchange for a share of their equity or fees.

Volunteer advisors

We are looking for volunteers from the community who currently provide services to support entrepreneurship through acquisition. This could include management consultants, lawyers, accountants, M&A advisors, fractional CFOs and current business owners looking to sell their venture.

Active search funds

We are currently looking for active search funds that may be suited for Entrepreneurship through Acquisition opportunities. Your capital raised will go to support our MBA students in their search for, acquisition of, and operation through to exit of a single business.