Singapore, Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Many SME owners only start learning how mergers and acquisitions (M&A) work when they are ready to sell their business. By then, it could be too late, as many of the factors that determine buyer interest and valuation may be difficult to change.
Practical M&A Education Across Southeast Asia
Based on match.asia’s experience overseeing hundreds of buyer-seller discussions, misalignment between buyers and sellers is by far the most common reason potential M&A transactions fail to progress.
Following requests from business owners and investment firms seeking practical M&A guidance for themselves and their portfolio companies, match.asia is expanding its Prepare for Exit programme.
Over the next 12 months, match.asia plans to deliver at least 12 free M&A workshops to more than 350 business owners across Southeast Asia, working with venture capital and private equity firms, business associations, accelerators, founder networks and other ecosystem partners.
“A business owner may sell a company once in their lifetime, while a professional buyer may look at hundreds,” said Marcus Yeung, CEO and Co-Founder of match.asia.
“That creates a significant knowledge gap. If owners understand earlier how buyers think and what drives value, they can prepare better. Ultimately, successful M&A is about bringing together the right seller and the right buyer, with aligned expectations and a genuine commitment to completing a transaction.”
The workshops provide practical M&A guidance on how buyers assess businesses, the key drivers of valuation, strategic positioning, transaction readiness and common areas of seller-buyer misalignment. They also help business owners consider M&A as part of their longer-term exit and succession planning.
A recent workshop with portfolio companies of Wavemaker Partners explored how strategic buyers evaluate businesses, what drives valuation and why preparing for an exit should begin well before an owner decides to sell.
The workshops form part of match.asia’s broader efforts to make M&A more accessible to Southeast Asian SMEs. Other initiatives include its Exit Health Check, which helps business owners assess their readiness for a potential sale, and business valuation tools designed to help owners better understand what drives the value of their companies.
Together with match.asia’s platform connecting serious and committed sellers and buyers, these initiatives aim to give SME owners greater access to the knowledge, tools and connections needed to prepare for and successfully navigate an M&A transaction.
Better M&A starts before the deal does.
Workshop Partnerships
VC and private equity firms, business associations, accelerators, founder networks and other organisations interested in hosting a free Prepare for Exit workshop can visit match.asia or contact contact@match.asia.
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About match.asia
match.asia is a Southeast Asian M&A platform focused on making M&A more accessible to SMEs. The platform brings together serious, committed business owners and buyers to pursue acquisition opportunities across the region, supported by M&A expertise, technology and a curated network of buyers and sellers. match.asia also provides tools and resources to help SME owners understand business valuation, prepare for a potential sale and navigate the M&A process.
Press Inquiries
Marcus Yeung
CEO, match.asia
