Acquisition Identification
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
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. We build that view. We work with you to define the criteria that matter, then our in-market Copernicus consultants map the landscape, build a long-list, screen it, and deliver a qualified shortlist with enough commercial intelligence to start a real conversation, not a cold pitch.
5
Continents covered through a dedicated local network
1000+
Discrete engagements completed for global clients
72
International markets reached via in-country partners
Why Clients Come to Us
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
Whether the brief is one country or twelve, you get one scope of work, one UK-based point of contact, and consistent methodology. We run the programme-management layer; you run the transaction.
Fee-for-service, not success-fee
We are not a deal broker. Our fee is for the shortlist and the commercial intelligence inside it. That matters: it means the dossier tells you the whole truth about each target, not the version that maximises a closing fee.
Honest about what we don't know
Some markets are structurally more transparent than others. Where public data is thin, we say so at scoping and design the engagement accordingly: more interviews, longer timeline, priced to match.
Who This Is For
Who We Work With on Target Identification
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.
Our Target Identification Service
A Five-Step Approach, From Brief to Shortlist
This is the core of what we do. Every engagement moves through the same five steps, scoped in proportion to the market, the sector and the complexity of the brief.
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)
Our in-market Copernicus consultants map the universe: company registries, trade associations, sector databases, local advisor networks, and direct on-the-ground knowledge. The map is built locally, not from a desk in New York, Tokyo or London.
STEP 2
Long-list build
(03)
We assemble a structured long-list, typically 30–80 companies depending on market concentration and how tightly the criteria are defined. Every entry has source attribution and a first-pass commentary.
STEP 3
Screening
(04)
We score each long-list entry on strategic fit, commercial fit, financial snapshot (where public data is obtainable), ownership and deal-feasibility signals, and contactability. Screening is done against your agreed criteria, not ours.
STEP 4
Qualified shortlist
(05)
We deliver a shortlist (typically 8–12 targets) each profiled with enough depth for a clear "yes / no / hold" conversation at your investment committee. The dossier is the handoff point to your deal team.
STEP 5
What a Deliverable Looks Like
The Shortlist Dossier
The shortlist is a working document, not a marketing brochure. Each target profile is designed to answer the questions an investment committee actually asks before authorising an approach. Typical profile contents:
- One-page profile with entity details, ownership, and turnover band
- Ownership structure and likely openness to a conversation
- Business description and product/service positioning
- Local colour: reputation, key personalities, any known prior transactions
- Commercial fit commentary from the in-market Copernicus consultant
- Contactability rating and a suggested approach route
- Financial snapshot: filings-based where the jurisdiction allows
Alongside individual profiles, the dossier includes a comparison matrix scoring each target against your agreed criteria, plus a brief section on the broader market context, so the shortlist is read in its landscape, not in isolation.
72 markets, one delivery standard
One Scope of Work. One Point of Contact. 72 Markets.
Our 72-market footprint means we can deliver target identification under a single scope of work across multiple geographies, with consistent methodology and a single point of contact at the UK hub. Whether the brief is one country or twelve, the client-facing experience is the same.
AMERICAS
EUROPE
MIDDLE EAST & ASIA
AFRICA
AMERICAS
EUROPE
Middle East
& ASIA
Africa
Myanmar
Oman
Philippines
Qatar
Singapore
South Korea
Thailand
UAE
Vietnam
Cambodia
China
India
Indonesia
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Kuwait
Malaysia
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
USA
Canada
Mexico
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Dominican Republic
Peru
Uruguay
Algeria
Benin
Cameroon
Egypt
Ghana
Guinea
Ivory Coast
Mali
Morocco
Nigeria
Senegal
South Africa
Togo
Tunisia
Beyond target identification
Adjacent services. Availability is market-dependent.
Please read before commissioning adjacent scope
Beyond target identification, our in-market Copernicus consultants can often support the wider buy-side lifecycle. The scope we can deliver varies by geography according to the current capability of the local consultant. We will be transparent at scoping about what we can and cannot deliver in each market.
In-depth target profiling
Deeper-than-shortlist profiles, including customer and supplier interviews where accessible. Available in select markets.
Financial modelling & valuation support
Standalone financial models or valuation triangulation to support your internal investment case. Available in select markets.
Target approach & introduction
A discreet, briefed first approach to target ownership where a warm route exists. Available in select markets.
Commercial due-diligence support
Market, customer and competitor work to underpin your commercial DD, complementary to specialist DD advisors. Available in select markets.
Post-acquisition integration support
In-market support during the 100-day plan: local HR, regulatory, commercial continuity. Available in select markets.
Bolt-on programme management
Programme-management layer across multiple geographies, with a single UK point of contact. Available in select markets.
How we work
Six-Step Process
Steps 1–5 are where we add value. Step 6 is the explicit handoff: the dossier is designed to be actionable by your deal team or external advisors without further translation.
STEP 1/6
Brief
Criteria workshop
Long-list
Screen
Shortlist dossier
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. 6–8 weeks brief-to-shortlist. 8–12 profiled targets. Fixed fee. Most common engagement shape, and the easiest to scope.
Multi-market buy-and-build
Three-to-ten geographies under one scope of work. Programme-management layer coordinating in-market consultants. Per-country fee plus programme-management line. Typically 10–16 weeks.
Exploratory / thematic
Client has a thesis but has not yet chosen the geography. First phase sizes the opportunity across candidate markets; second phase runs full target identification in the chosen one or two. Priced in two milestones.
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 written criteria document
- Landscape mapping and long-list (source-attributed)
- Screening against agreed criteria, with scoring rationale
- Shortlist dossier with 8–12 target profiles and a comparison matrix
- Working sessions at key milestones (typically three: kick-off, long-list review, 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
Answers to Common Questions
If you can’t find your answer, email us at enquiries@copernicus-consulting.com
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