Most entrepreneurs sell a business only once in their lives. Sam van Gentevoort, founder and owner of Vertaalbureau Perfect, was well aware of this when, after years of building his company, he decided it was time for a new chapter. What he could not have foreseen was that the best partner for his Dutch translation and localisation business would be found not around the corner, but on the other side of the ocean. And that it would be found through Dealsuite.

A clear story as the starting point

Van Gentevoort brought in ECFG to advise him on the sale. At ECFG, Allied Partner Hubert Bosch and Investment Director Ruben Baijens led the process, from the first strategic discussions through to closing. The process began in January 2025 and ran for more than a year and a half, until closing in July 2026.

Over the years, Vertaalbureau Perfect had built a strong reputation through a combination of language expertise, personal service and high quality standards. Even so, it was not a simple case. Like many language service providers, the company had seen the rise of AI affect its revenue in recent years. For Van Gentevoort, the sale was therefore not only about getting a good price. Above all, he wanted a partner that could take the organisation further without losing the character of the business.

To tell that story well, ECFG first prepared a detailed information memorandum that set out the strengths, market position and growth potential of Vertaalbureau Perfect. A broad group of potential buyers was then approached, both in the Netherlands and abroad.

Searching internationally pays off

The first prospective buyer, found through another intermediary in ECFG's network, initially looked like a good match. However, this party pulled out. To widen the search and secure targeted international exposure, Bosch listed Vertaalbureau Perfect's profile on Dealsuite, Europe's largest market network for M&A. The platform lets users choose precisely which countries a proposition is visible in, or excluded from.

This quickly paid off. A buyer soon came forward that wanted to acquire Vertaalbureau Perfect to expand its own product offering. This candidate also eventually withdrew. The breakthrough came through a German Dealsuite member, who passed the profile on to a German M&A consultant who has lived in the United States for many years and works exclusively in the translation industry. She put ECFG in touch with several potential buyers, and ultimately with Translate.One.

Translate.One is an international provider of language and AI-driven localisation solutions, headquartered in Atlanta. The company was actively looking to expand in the Benelux as part of its European growth strategy, and Vertaalbureau Perfect proved an excellent strategic fit.

What makes this deal interesting is not only that the eventual buyer was found outside the Netherlands, but that the route there ran via two candidates who dropped out and an introduction that passed from Germany to the United States. Hubert Bosch sees this pattern more often:

"When selling, entrepreneurs often think of Dutch parties first. In practice, we regularly see that the best strategic match is found internationally. Thanks to our international network and our creative, proactive approach to the market, we can reach both domestic and international parties. That creates more choice and, ultimately, often a better result for our client."

Throughout the process, ECFG managed the negotiations, the coordination between buyer and seller and the preparation of all transaction documentation, working closely with Dirk de Waard of Venture Lawyers in Amsterdam on the legal side.

A result to look back on with satisfaction

For Van Gentevoort, trust in the process mattered at least as much as the outcome: "You usually only sell a business once. So you want an adviser who not only knows the process, but also understands what is at stake for you as an entrepreneur. ECFG guided me extremely well throughout, kept track of every stage and ultimately brought the right international party to the table. That gave me a great deal of confidence and led to a result I look back on with real satisfaction."

International buyers are knocking more often

The acquisition of Vertaalbureau Perfect fits a trend that is increasingly visible on Dealsuite: international strategic buyers, including many American companies, actively looking for European businesses to expand their footprint. For Dutch SME owners, this means the pool of serious potential buyers is much larger than just the familiar names at home.

Bosch stresses that this is exactly why he deliberately searches more widely: "It is precisely by looking beyond the obvious candidates that the best transactions often come about. Translate.One's acquisition of Vertaalbureau Perfect is a good example of that."

For Translate.One, the acquisition is an important step in building its presence in the Benelux. For Vertaalbureau Perfect, the transaction means a future with an international strategic partner that can accelerate the organisation's growth, and proof that the best buyer is sometimes further away than you think.

Considering a sale or acquisition yourself?

ECFG's advisers, including Hubert Bosch and Ruben Baijens, support entrepreneurs like Sam van Gentevoort with a wide range of corporate finance matters, including buying and selling businesses, financing and valuation. They guide processes from initial strategic preparation through to closing. Alongside corporate finance, ECFG invests in promising Dutch companies through its venture capital funds, supporting growth ambitions with expertise, capital and a strong network.