ACQUIREMANM&A and early-stage investment guides
Practical, plain-English guides for founders, buyers and investors in AI, SaaS and high-growth technology businesses — from valuation and due diligence to deal structure, FEMA and selling a startup in India.
How AI businesses are being valued in 2026
What drives AI company valuations in 2026: revenue quality, gross margin after model costs, proprietary data, defensibility and the questions acquirers ask first.
Read the guide →How to sell your startup in India: a step-by-step guide for founders
A practical guide to selling a startup or small business in India — valuation, finding buyers, LOI, due diligence, deal structure, tax and closing — and how long it takes.
How to value a SaaS company: ARR multiples, metrics and what buyers really pay for
How SaaS companies are valued: ARR and revenue multiples, the Rule of 40, net revenue retention, churn, gross margin and the adjustments buyers make in M&A.
M&A due diligence checklist for technology companies (2026)
A practical M&A due diligence checklist for tech and AI companies: financial, tax, legal, IP, technology, data protection, HR and commercial documents buyers request.
Exit readiness: how to prepare your company for acquisition 12–24 months ahead
An exit-readiness plan for founders: what to fix 12–24 months before selling — financials, metrics, cap table, IP, contracts, team and compliance — to maximise price and speed.
Letter of intent (LOI) in M&A: what founders should negotiate before signing
What an M&A letter of intent or term sheet contains, which terms are binding, and the key points sellers should negotiate: price, structure, exclusivity, earn-outs and conditions.
Share sale vs asset sale vs slump sale in India: which is right for your deal?
The differences between a share sale, slump sale (business transfer) and itemised asset sale in India — tax, liabilities, approvals, employees and which buyers prefer.
Earn-outs explained: how to structure deferred and contingent consideration
What an earn-out is, when buyers use one, how to define milestones and accounting rules, the risks for sellers, and how earn-outs work in Indian and cross-border deals.
Cross-border M&A in India: FEMA, pricing guidelines and approvals for foreign buyers
How foreign companies acquire Indian businesses: FDI routes, Press Note 3, FEMA pricing guidelines, deferred consideration, FC-TRS reporting, share swaps, CCI and tax.
Early-stage fundraising in India: equity, CCPS, CCDs, convertible notes and iSAFEs explained
How early-stage startups in India raise money: equity shares, CCPS, CCDs, convertible notes and iSAFE notes — plus valuation, private placement rules and key term-sheet clauses.
M&A advisor fees explained: retainers, success fees and how to choose a sell-side advisor
How M&A advisors and investment bankers charge — retainers, success fees, the Lehman formula, minimum fees and tail periods — and how to choose the right sell-side advisor.
Buyer onboarding & NDA process: how confidential M&A deals stay confidential
How buyers and investors get verified, sign an NDA and access a deal data room on Acquireman — and why this process protects sellers while letting serious buyers move fast.