The Process
From search to exit
A search fund follows a deliberate lifecycle. Here's how each phase unfolds — and what it means for the company and for its investors. Select a phase to explore it.
The search is patient, proprietary, and disciplined. Stonemont Group reviews hundreds of companies a year, builds relationships directly with owners, and pursues only those that clear a high bar on quality, durability, and fit.
Key activities
- Sourcing directly from owners and through intermediaries
- Screening opportunities against the investment criteria
- Building genuine relationships and trust with sellers
- Preliminary review of financials and operations
- Maintaining a focused pipeline of the best fits
For investors
Capital is drawn down slowly to fund the search. Your commitment is modest at this stage, and you receive regular updates on the pipeline and progress.
Once owner and fund align, the process moves deliberately through diligence and structuring. The goal is a fair deal that works for the seller, the company, and Stonemont Group's investors — closed with care.
Key activities
- Letter of intent and a period of exclusivity
- Confirmatory financial, legal, and commercial diligence
- Financing — investor equity plus acquisition debt
- Negotiating terms and a thoughtful transition plan
- Closing and a careful handover of ownership
For investors
Investors are invited to fund the acquisition and become equity owners of the company. This is where the bulk of capital is deployed, on terms agreed in advance.
Stonemont Group steps in as the full-time operator — learning the business from the inside, keeping what works, and investing patiently in people, systems, and growth. This is where value is built.
Key activities
- Leading the company day-to-day as owner-operator
- Retaining and supporting the existing team
- Strengthening operations, pricing, and systems
- Investing in organic growth and selective add-ons
- Steady, transparent reporting to investors
For investors
Value compounds here through profit growth and disciplined reinvestment. Investors receive regular reporting and, where appropriate, distributions along the way.
Unlike a traditional fund, there's no forced timeline. When the business and the market align, Stonemont Group pursues the exit that best rewards investors while protecting the company's future.
Key activities
- Assessing the right moment and the right buyer
- Positioning the business for a premium outcome
- Running a disciplined, well-prepared sale process
- Distributing proceeds to investors
- Ensuring continuity for the team and customers
For investors
Investors realize their return on exit, typically through a sale to a strategic or financial buyer. Returns are fully aligned — the fund succeeds only when its investors do.
A long-term model, built on alignment
Curious how the economics work for investors, or whether your business might be the one Stonemont Group acquires? Let’s talk.