More about Bhavin S Bhagat

I worked in the pharmaceutical sector in various roles with a focus on business development, account management in the first part of my career between 2000 to 2015 in India and Europe. Priya and I started indiabizforsale.com together in the year 2013 as a company and launched as a platform in early 2014. 

We started indiabizforsale because we experienced and painfully learnt (at that time) that M&A for a small to medium size business is very, very challenging in India, and we decided to do something about that. 

We launched indiabizforsale.com as a discovery platform (with confidentiality so no one knows which business is looking for an exit or partial exit) for businesses and investors. 

Gradually we started building services on top as we realised that the end goal is a successful business transaction and secured discovery is only the part of the process (large though). 

Now we provide discovery, on-demand services and also advisory services with help of trusted and experienced professionals across India. 

IndiaBizforSale.com is India’s largest online investment banking platform for micro to medium-sized businesses and investors.

Haripriya Bhagat - Co-Founder, IndiaBiz Haripriya Bhagat
  and I met first-time as co-workers at part-time roles at the post office while studying in the UK. 

We became friends and then got married eventually. She worked in finance, and I worked in business growth roles in the UK.

We decided to launch www.indiabizforsale.com to solve issues of Indian businesses and investors during M&A to start with and then investments and more.

She looks into product/analytics/HR/Finance, and I look after business growth, investments, marketing, and more.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of participating in an insightful meetup organized by eChai and Venture Studio at Ahmedabad University, focused on Startup exits and M&A. The panel featured
Gaurav Barot - CEO, Tridhya Tech Gaurav Barot
  from Tridhya Tech and
Yash Shah - Co-Founder, Clientjoy Yash Shah
  from Clientjoy, skillfully moderated by
Jatin Chaudhary - Salesman, eChai Ventures Jatin Chaudhary
from eChai and myself as a representative from IndiaBizForSale.

The audience comprised a diverse mix of management students, early-stage startup founders, professionals, and seasoned business owners. We delved into valuable discussions on the nuances of M&A experiences, sharing insights from various perspectives.

Clientjoy's recent acquisition by a strategic player and Tridhya Group's strategic acquisitions of nine companies provided rich learning opportunities. As a representative of Indiabizforsale, I had the chance to contribute our experiences, shedding light on exit plans, the pivotal role of investment bankers and outside counsels, dynamics of deal progress, and the strategic timing of exits.

Discussions also touched upon when not to consider an exit, the standard fee structure associated with such activities by investment bankers, and more.

Takeaways from the evening:

1. Team: If you lack previous M&A experience, seek outside counsel to avoid costly mistakes and stay on course during this potential roller coaster event.

2. Unlocking Value: M&A brings definite value unlocking for entrepreneurs, providing a sense of relief as they embark on new beginnings.

3. Role of Clean Bookkeeping and Clear Communication:Transparent communication is vital for sell-sides. Share an accurate company picture to preemptively address any discrepancies that may arise.

4. Reputation Risk: Acquirers, building a fair and forward-looking reputation, attract better deal flow. Unethical tactics may yield short-term wins but jeopardize future opportunities.

5. Due Diligence: The multifaceted Due Diligence (DD) process covers business, HR, financial, legal, tech, IP diligence, and industry-specific areas.

It was truly gratifying to engage with a diverse audience in the thriving Ahmedabad ecosystem, and I'm delighted to be part of the eChai Ventures community. Looking forward to more enriching interactions!
Featured speaker at previous eChai events:

Preferred eChai Partners

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FMCG Food and Retail

Investment Banking

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eChai Ventures is a friendly global startup network that hosts engaging Startup Growth meetups in 10+ Countries and enables cross-border collaborations.

You can reach out to Jatin Chaudhary, Co-Founder, eChai Ventures over WhatsApp or over email at [email protected] to explore more.