Off-market deals, verified and ready to work.
We find owner-managed companies that fit your mandate, check every one against independent sources, and build the software your deal team runs on.
- Trading
- 31 years
- Ownership
- Founder, 100%
- Signal
- Finance director appointed 2024
Sourcing and software under one roof
Four services, kept separate. Most firms start with one. Nothing depends on buying anything else.
FlagshipDeal Origination
Verified companies, researched by people. Buy-side target lists and sell-side buyer lists, delivered as documents you can act on.
StudioDeal Systems & AI
The software your deal team runs on. Screeners, trackers, document generators and AI agents, built around your workflow and handed over.
StudioPortfolio & Investor Reporting
Consolidation, KPI scorecards and LP updates, built around the spreadsheets and systems your operators already use.
StudioBrand & Marketing
Your firm's own website, credentials deck and deal materials. Sellers judge you on them before the first call.
A target list you can check line by line
Every company comes with a register number and a plain reason for being on the list. Facts are sourced. Estimates are marked as estimates.
| Company | Company no. | Sector | Employees | Trading | Why it is on the list | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 | Electrical contracting | 45 to 60 | 34 years | Founder is 67. No second-generation director on the board. | Verified | |
| 04 | Fire and security systems | 20 to 30 | 22 years | Operations director appointed 18 months ago, from outside the family. | Verified | |
| 03 | Facilities maintenance | 80 to 110 | 41 years | Two founding shareholders, both over 60. Same ownership since 1985. | Verified | |
| 10 | HVAC installation | 25 to 35 | 19 years | New holding company registered this year with the same directors. | Verified | |
| 12 | Solar and renewables | 10 to 15 | 11 years | Founder resigned as director in March. Still holds control. | Checking | |
| 02 | Commercial plumbing | 30 to 45 | 28 years | Person with significant control unchanged since 1998. | Verified |
Your real competitor is a spreadsheet
Brokers and list providers leave the hard part to you. We do the research and build the tools that turn it into meetings.
You bid against the room
They sell you into a process that is already running. By the time the teaser lands, a dozen other buyers have it too.
- Their sell-side mandate, not yours
- Competitive process by design
Same records as everyone
You get a database and a seat licence. Filtering and verification are your job, on the same records every subscriber sees.
- Verification left to you
- No help once the list exists
Built to your mandate
We build the list to your buy-box, verify each company against independent sources, then build the systems your team uses to work it.
- Proprietary to your buy-box
- Verified before it reaches you
- One point of contact for sourcing and software
Proof you can check yourself
Deal teams should not have to take research on faith. Every part of our work is built to be checked.
Company numbers on every target
Check any entry on the official register yourself, in under a minute.
Free sample before you pay
Two real targets in your niche, so you judge the research first.
Scope and price in writing
You see the full cost before any work starts. No open-ended hours.
NDA on request
Your mandate stays confidential and is never reused for another client.
From your mandate to live conversations
A clear sequence, agreed in writing before any research starts. You approve every target before anyone is contacted.
- 1Week 1
Learn your mandate
Sector, size, geography, ownership and clear exclusions, agreed in writing.
- 2Weeks 2 to 3
Research and verify
Targets sourced to your buy-box and checked against independent sources. You approve each one.
- 3Week 4 onwards
Outreach under your brand
Optional. Replies are sorted into interested, not now and no, with the context attached.
- 4Ongoing
You own the relationship
The sourcing engine is ours. The deal and every conversation stay entirely yours.
Deal flow in any country
We source wherever company information can be established. Most of our clients are in the United States and the United Kingdom, and we tell you upfront how well a market can be sourced before you spend anything.
- United StatesOur largest market, across services, healthcare and industrials.
- United KingdomCompanies House makes ownership history public, so verification is unusually strong.
- Every other countryEurope, Canada, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and beyond. Registry depth varies, and we say so before we start.
A team of researchers and builders
Targetcrest was founded by Muhammad Asif, a deal origination and B2B research specialist. Our team of researchers and developers works on every engagement, and you speak directly with the people doing the research and building the tools. There is no account manager in between.
See the research quality before you spend anything
Tell us your niche. We send two real off-market targets, profiled and verified, usually within a few working days.
- Two companies that fit your criteria
- Ownership, trading history and why each one is actionable now
- Sources marked, so your team can check every fact
- No cost and nothing to sign
Get 2 free targets
Takes about a minute.
Guides for finding and working deals
Practical notes from our research team on sourcing, verification and deal systems.
How to find off-market acquisition targets in the UK
A practical method for finding owner-managed UK companies that are not for sale yet, using Companies House data, clear criteria and careful verification.
Succession signals: what Companies House filings reveal before a business sells
Five patterns in UK company filings that often appear before an owner-managed business changes hands, and how to read them without over-reading them.
How to write a buy-box that actually filters targets
A clear acquisition brief saves weeks of wasted research. Here is what to include in a buy-box, with examples of criteria that work and criteria that do not.
Straight answers to common questions
Anything else, email hello@targetcrest.com or ask the assistant in the corner.
Do you only work buy-side?
No. Buy-side, we build target lists. Sell-side, we build buyer lists: who would realistically acquire the company you are mandated to sell, with the reasoning for each name and a verified route to the decision-maker.
Can I take one service without the others?
Yes, and most firms do. Origination, deal systems, portfolio reporting and brand work are scoped and priced separately. Nothing is bundled.
How do you verify a target?
Every target is checked against independent sources: filings and financials, ownership records, contact validation and live web signals. Anything we cannot confirm is marked as an estimate or removed.
Which countries do you cover?
We work in every country where company information can be established. Most of our clients are in the United States and the United Kingdom. Registry depth varies from country to country, and we tell you upfront where the data is thinner.
What is in the free sample?
Two real off-market targets in your niche, profiled and verified. It costs nothing and you sign nothing. Samples usually arrive within a few working days.
What does it cost?
The sample is free. Origination pilots are priced per batch and retainers are a flat monthly fee by volume. Software builds are a fixed price on a written scope, with optional monthly hosting and support.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes. Confidentiality is part of how we work, and your mandate is never reused for anyone else.
Do you work under our brand?
Yes. Briefs, outreach and tools can all be white-labelled, so counterparties only see your firm's name.