PRE HEADLINE
Find the right acquisition target Anywhere you plan to grow
We identify, screen and profile bolt-on acquisition candidates across 72 markets and five continents, so you start with a qualified shortlist, not a blank map.
The service in 60 seconds
A defensible, locally-grounded view of who to actually buy.
Most corporate buyers already know the sectors and geographies they want to grow into. What they don't have is a defensible, locally-grounded view of who to actually buy.
Who we work with
Four things that make our target identification different
In-market, not remote
Every target list is built by a Copernicus consultant who lives and works in the market, drawing on local registries, trade associations, and direct relationships, not by an analyst Googling from a desk in New York.
Single scope across 72 markets
Every target list is built by a Copernicus consultant who lives and works in the market, drawing on local registries, trade associations, and direct relationships, not by an analyst Googling from a desk in New York.
Fee-for-service, not success-fee
Every target list is built by a Copernicus consultant who lives and works in the market, drawing on local registries, trade associations, and direct relationships, not by an analyst Googling from a desk in New York.
Honest about what we don't know
Every target list is built by a Copernicus consultant who lives and works in the market, drawing on local registries, trade associations, and direct relationships, not by an analyst Googling from a desk in New York.
5
Continents covered through a dedicated local network
1000+
Discrete engagements completed for global clients
72
International markets reached via in-country partners
5
Continents covered through a dedicated local network
1000+
Discrete engagements completed for global clients
72
International markets reached via in-country partners
Who we work with
Built for buyers who need the shortlist before the deal.
Commercial or PE-backed corporates running buy-and-build or international expansion strategies. Typically looking for bolt-ons that extend capability, geography or customer base.
Funds needing market-specific deal origination beyond their existing network, particularly in geographies where local intermediaries are thin on the ground.
Smaller international players pursuing a first or second bolt-on acquisition, where the deal needs to be right first time and internal M&A capacity is limited.
Who we work with
A Five-Step Approach, From Brief to Shortlist
Criteria workshop
(01)
We work with you to define size, geography, product/service scope, ownership structure, and must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Good criteria early prevent target-list inflation and criteria drift later.
STEP 1
Landscape mapping
(02)
We work with you to define size, geography, product/service scope, ownership structure, and must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Good criteria early prevent target-list inflation and criteria drift later.
STEP 2
Long-list build
(03)
We work with you to define size, geography, product/service scope, ownership structure, and must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Good criteria early prevent target-list inflation and criteria drift later.
STEP 3
Screening
(04)
We work with you to define size, geography, product/service scope, ownership structure, and must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Good criteria early prevent target-list inflation and criteria drift later.
STEP 4
Qualified shortlist
(05)
We work with you to define size, geography, product/service scope, ownership structure, and must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Good criteria early prevent target-list inflation and criteria drift later.
STEP 5
What a Deliverable Looks Like
The shortlist dossier
A working document, not a marketing brochure, every profile answers the questions an investment committee actually asks before it authorises an approach.
- One-page profile: entity details, ownership, turnover band
- Financial snapshot: filings-based where the jurisdiction allows
- Business description and product/service positioning
- Ownership structure and likely openness to a conversation
- Commercial fit commentary from the in-market Copernicus consultant
- Local colour: reputation, key personalities, any known prior transactions
72 markets, one delivery standard
One scope of work, One point of contact, 72 markets
One UK principal owns every engagement, from briefing to recommendation. Local partners do the primary work in-country, in language, with full sector context.
AMERICA
EUROPE
ASIA
Middle East & Africa
AMERICA
EUROPE
ASIA
Middle East
& Africa
China
South Korea
Hong Kong
Japan
Singapore
United Kingdom
Germany
France
Spain
Belgium
Netherlands
Luxenburg
United States of America
Canada
Mexico
Brazil
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Qatar
Kuwait
Bahrain
Oman
Jordan
Lebanon
Israel
Egypt
Morocco
Tunisia
Algeria
Nigeria
Ghana
Kenya
Tanzania
Uganda
Ethiopia
South Africa
Beyond target identification
Adjacent services. Availability is market-dependent.
In-depth target profiling
Deeper-than-shortlist profiles, including customer and supplier interviews where accessible.
Financial modelling & valuation support
Standalone financial models or valuation triangulation to support your internal investment case.
Target approach & introduction
A discreet, briefed first approach to target ownership where a warm route exists.
Commercial due-diligence support
Market, customer and competitor work to underpin your commercial DD, complementary to specialist DD advisors.
Post-acquisition integration support
In-market support during the 100-day plan: local HR, regulatory and commercial continuity.
Bolt-on programme management
A programme-management layer across multiple geographies, with a single UK point of contact.
How we work
Six steps. Five add value; one hands off.
STEP 1/6
Brief
Briefer
The Briefest
Brief Inseption
Hey There!
Handoff
Brief to qualified shortlist.
6-8 Weeks
Working with us
Typical engagement shapes
Single-market bolt-on
Multi-market buy-and-build
Exploratory / thematic
Single-market bolt-on
One geography. Tight criteria. 8–12 profiled targets. The most common engagement shape, and the easiest to scope.
Multi-market buy-and-build
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Exploratory / thematic
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Timelines & pricing indicators
What to expect on timing and fees.
Typical timeline
6–10 weeks brief → shortlist
Typical shortlist
8–12 profiled targets
Fee basis
Fixed fee or milestone
Multi-market
Per-country + PM layer
Thin-data markets
Longer, priced honestly
What's included in the fee
- Criteria workshop and a written criteria document
- Landscape mapping and a source-attributed long-list
- Screening against agreed criteria, with scoring rationale
- Shortlist dossier. 8-12 profiles plus a comparison matrix
- Working sessions at kick-off, long-list review and shortlist walkthrough
- A final briefing for your deal team or external advisors
Buyer's guide
International bolt-on acquisitions:
a buyer's guide to target identification across 72 markets.
- A practical guide for corporate-development heads and PE associates
- What target identification actually is, and what it is not
- How to set strong acquisition criteria
- Where target universes come from across different geographies
- Our screening methodology
- What a good target dossier looks like
- Common mistakes that kill otherwise viable programmes
Related services
Where buyers go next
Related services
Where buyers go next
Answers to Common Questions
If you can’t find your answer, email us at info@copernicus-consulting.com
General
Process
Support
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