Good business. Great people. Growth potential. That’s all we ask.
Investment Criteria
When shared ambitions unite, you’ve found the next home for your business.
We don’t invest in just any business, we invest in people, potential, and purpose. Our criteria are designed to identify companies with a strong foundation, a clear direction, and the right mindset for sustainable success. We take a long-term view, offering not just capital but continuity, care and commitment. If you share our values and ambition, we’d love to start a conversation.
With foundations spanning over six decades Bailie Group offers flexible capital solutions to lower mid-market companies based in the UK. We partner with industry leaders with growth potential that will benefit from our support, expertise and clear strategic roadmap for business growth and acquisitions.
And whilst we have a range of investment parameters in place, a hallmark of our approach is that of flexibility. That’s why we are always happy to discuss opportunities that may sit slightly outside of these guidelines where there are clear synergies and tangible opportunities.
4 Core Investment Criteria.
Turnover & Growth.
Organisations with a scalable business model, consistent growth, stability and a solid trading history.
£1m to £10m in annually recuring revenue.
EBIT of 15% and above
EBITDA between £500k & £1m
We look for businesses that have moved beyond the early start-up phase and proven their ability to generate sustainable revenue. Strong financial performance demonstrates resilience, but equally important is the presence of a model that can scale without eroding profitability. We are particularly interested in companies that combine stability with ambition as well as businesses with a reliable trading history, consistent growth, and the operational foundations to support significant expansion.
Status & Aspirations.
A strong management team who will remain in place post acquisition. Where the owner is involved in the business, we would like them to progressively exit the business.
We invest in businesses throughout the UK.
We seek out businesses where ownership transition is a natural next step, not a disruption. Our ideal partners are owner-operated organisations with experienced management teams already embedded in day-to-day operations. This ensures continuity, stability, and confidence for employees, customers, and suppliers as the business evolves. We recognise that many owners want to unlock value while ensuring their legacy is protected, which is why we favour progressive exits, giving founders the time to step back gradually while their leadership team continues to thrive.
Personality & Outlook.
We want to work with professional, passionate and grounded owners and whilst no two deals are ever the same, the consistent feature, the magic ingredient that creates successful, sector-defining companies is the people who lead them and the relationships we can forge together.
We want to work without ego.
For us, investment is as much about people as it is about numbers. We believe the strongest companies are built by leaders who combine vision with humility, and who care deeply about the culture they have created. That’s why we look to partner with owners and management teams who are open, collaborative, and motivated by more than short-term gain. Our approach works best when both sides bring integrity, professionalism, and passion to the table, fostering a relationship built on trust rather than ego. In our experience, it is these shared values that unlock the real potential of a business and allow it to become truly sector-defining.
Investment Range.
Our acquisition sweet spot involves deals up to a value of £4m based on approximately 4-5 times EBIT.
We are not constrained by external investors or pressured into short-term decision making. Instead, we have the flexibility to structure fair, straightforward deals that work for both parties. With an acquisition sweet spot of up to £4m — typically at a multiple of four to five times EBIT — we focus on opportunities where our capital and long-term perspective can make a meaningful difference. This pragmatic approach allows us to deliver certainty and clarity throughout the investment process, while ensuring the businesses we acquire have the financial stability and backing they need to continue growing with confidence.
Value Creation.
Before acquisition and investment, we work closely with you and your management team to uncover practical opportunities for growth and operational improvement. We also help remove structural barriers and simplify complexity with the sole purpose of freeing the business to reach its full potential.
Every strategy is tailored, but common initiatives include strengthening leadership teams, investing in infrastructure, expanding into new markets, streamlining operations, and pursuing both strategic bolt-on and larger transformational acquisitions.
Fundamental to this is our commitment to letting the people who have created the success enjoyed so far to continue to do what they do best. Our role is to ensure autonomy whilst providing support as, when and where required.
Investment Sectors
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.
MARKETING & CREATIVE AGENCIES
CYBER SECURITY
Artificial Intelligence
Training Providers & EDtech
Data Consultancy
SAAS Start Ups
CONTENT CREATION AGENCIES
PROPERTY
Marketing & Creative Agencies
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.
Cyber Security
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.
Marketing & Creative Agencies
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.
Marketing & Creative Agencies
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.
Marketing & Creative Agencies
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.
Marketing & Creative Agencies
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.
Marketing & Creative Agencies
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.
Marketing & Creative Agencies
With a business heritage spanning more than 160 years the Bailie Group has established a reputation for buying and investing in good businesses that go on to do even greater things. We seamlessly bring experts together to unlock cross-industry insights and opportunities.