SME transfer now has its own European professional association
The Constitutive Assembly of Transeo association took place on 9th December 2010 in Brussels, in the context of the Belgian Presidency of the UE. Transeo is the First European association on SME transfer.
The main purpose of Transeo association is to encourage, to sustain and to promote collaboration and exchange of good practices and information in the field of SME transfer amongst professionals from Europe from the private, (semi-)public and academic sectors, in order to stimulate the business transfer market at both local and international level.
The Association will represent and promote the long-term interests of the SME transfer market in Europe. It will also seek to create an environment which is more favourable to SME business transfer. In this respect, the association will organise forums, seminars as well as training seminars. Transeo will also launch research projects, working groups on specific topics…
Background
Three actors in business transfer: SOWACCESS (Belgium), CRA (France) and MKBase (Netherlands), organized in May 2009 in Spa (Belgium) the first real European Conference on SME’s transfer to exchange good pratices/debate among professionals and see how business transfer is tackled in the different European and oversea countries. Three categories of professionals were invited to participate to Transeo Conference from the public, the private and the academic sectors.
In total 200 participants attented the conference, from 18 different countries.
The second objective of Transeo Conference was to confirm among European transfer professionals the relevance of setting up a European business transfer association. The participants of the conference showed a clear desire to be part of the future association and 50% considered even becoming founder members of it.
The founders
SOWACCESS
Founded in 2006, SOWACCESS, “Société wallonne d’Acquisitions et de Cessions d’Entreprises”, is a limited company owned by the Walloon Government, dedicated to business transfer and takeover. The company has two main assignments: information and awareness about business transfer in the Walloon Region and matching facilitation between buyers and sellers through a business transfer platform.
MKBASE
MKBase is the biggest platform for the transfer of companies in the Netherlands. Founded in 2001 by Martijn Westerlaken en Rosalie van Rijk, the company is the only one which combines a website, personal service and active matching to reach the best results for their clients. MKBase is an independent company, which means it is not linked to an advisor, bank or any other professional party, active in the M &A market. Because they solely concentrate on brokering businesses, information and services, you can find company purchasers and company sellers as well as advisors of aforementioned parties among their clients.
CRA
Founded in 1985, the French National Association for Company Sales and Acquisitions “CRA” has as main goal to promote the transfer of small and middle size companies, and ensure their development through mergers or partnerships. CRA facilitates contacts between company owners, company buyers and experts on regional, national and European levels. Since its creation, CRA has acquired a solid reputation as a competent mediator in this field. CRA is also initiating training courses for potential purchasers through "CRA FORMATION", with the assistance of specialized experts.
