Founder Partnership · Succession track
You're not ready to sell. But it's time to start preparing.
You've run your business for decades. You'll exit one day — not next year. BTJT enters at a small stake, modernises alongside you, and acquires the rest at your pace.
The model
Four steps. Five to ten years. Your timeline.
Year 0
We enter at a small stake
5 to 15 % equity, paid mainly through the operating value we bring — digital infrastructure, marketing, structure, governance. Cash component possible depending on the case.
Years 1–3
We modernise, you keep the helm
Web, e-commerce, CRM, digital accounting, recruitment, processes. We absorb the work. You stay focused on the trade and the team. Your income and your role are unchanged.
Years 3–5
The business is repositioned and worth more
Modernisation lifts valuation. You start delegating what you want to let go of, and keep what you still enjoy. We agree on a buyout schedule that fits your retirement horizon.
Years 5–10
We acquire the rest at your pace
Phased buyouts on a calendar that suits you. You exit cleanly, with no rush, at the post-modernisation valuation rather than the pre-modernisation one.
Deal mechanics
How the deal actually works
A clarification before you submit, because the misunderstanding comes up often: BTJT does not write you a cheque on day one.
We bring operational value, not cash
Our entry into the capital is paid through the work and structure we deliver — modernisation, digital infrastructure, marketing, governance, network. The operating value is what gets us the equity slice.
Cash investment exists, but it's not the standard
In specific cases — modernisation requiring upfront investment, working capital constraints, asset acquisition — we can complement with cash. It is the exception, decided after due diligence, never the entry assumption.
Value flows over time, not at signing
What we bring — modernisation, structure, network — has its full effect over years, not days. The arrangement is built around that horizon: each side holds something the other needs, and both unlock value as the business is repositioned. The upside materialises at exit, not at entry.
We are aligned by definition
We earn only when you do — through the equity, when you decide to sell. No hourly fees, no retainers, no commissions. We share the upside or we share nothing.
Sectoral fit
Where this model creates the most value
Modernisation creates the strongest valuation lift in sectors where the digital and structural gap is wide and the underlying business is solid. We focus, in priority, on:
B2B industrial SMEs · Health-adjacent services and labs · Independent professional firms · Specialised craft retail · Technical maintenance services
Generally less suited to: traditional hospitality, small traditional retail and single-person crafts. Exceptional cases — irreplaceable location, unique positioning, strong goodwill — are studied individually.
What we bring
Operating value, not invoices
Web and brand: a serious site, e-commerce when relevant, brand identity, lead generation.
Digital infrastructure: sovereign cloud, professional email, CRM, automation, document digitisation.
Operations and structure: process design, governance, hiring, financial discipline, banking relationships.
Network: introductions to suppliers, partners, future buyers, and the sister brands of the BTJT portfolio.
Case studies
Four scenarios that may resemble yours
Composite scenarios drawn from situations we work on. Names, regions and figures are illustrative; the dynamics are real.
Wine · Heritage
Family wine quinta, Alentejo
Forty harvests of recognised wines, near-zero international sales despite quality. The founder's daughter is trained as oenologist; what is missing is the commercial machine.
Read the caseIndustrial distribution · B2B
Industrial supply distributor, Greater Lisbon
Thirty years supplying components to manufacturers. Print catalog, phone-and-visit sales, two recently digitised competitors gaining ground on procurement portals.
Read the caseProfessional services · Architecture
Independent architecture and engineering practice, Porto region
Twenty-five years of solid local reputation, no portfolio website, project management on spreadsheets. The founder wants to step back but cannot see the path.
Read the caseB2B services · Facility management
Industrial cleaning and facility services, Greater Lisbon
Over a hundred recurring B2B contracts, dispatch by phone and paper, renewals tracked in the founder's head. The son works in the business; the structure does not yet exist for him to take over.
Read the caseWhy now
Five years from now is too late
A business sold today at its current state is worth what its current state is worth. The same business, modernised over five years, can be worth thirty to fifty per cent more at exit. Starting now means selling later, at the better number, with no last-minute pressure.
Confidential first contact
Fill in the basics. We respond within five business days, with no obligation. Everything you share is covered by confidentiality.