"We Don’t Want to Miss Anything”: Reducate Fuels Growth Through Targeted Acquisitions

How can you grow quickly in new markets? With a buy & build strategy, you gain immediate access to experts with knowledge of the local market. E-learning specialist Reducate is successfully applying this strategy and has acquired seven companies in just three years.

Reducate develops high-quality, mission-critical e-learning for regulated professions such as medical specialists, lawyers, and financial professionals. Using a buy & build strategy, the company is rapidly expanding into new markets, particularly in Northern Europe. A major advantage over organic growth is that local brands already enjoy name recognition, making new market entry unnecessary.
“These labels have meaning and value. Everyone in that country knows them, so we don’t discard them,” says Christiaan van Hardeveld, Head of M&A at Reducate. He also emphasizes the importance of preserving the subculture of the acquired companies - though it must align with the culture of the overall organization. “I always want to see the office,” Van Hardeveld says. “What’s the atmosphere when you walk in? How do people interact? Those are the small things. We're in education. That requires an empathetic and respectful work environment.”

‍“We’re in education. That requires an empathetic and respectful work environment.”– Christiaan van Hardeveld

The company started in 1999 by offering e-learning for pharmacists’ continuing education. Under the brand name E-Wise, it became a market leader in distance learning for regulated professions in the Netherlands. Three years ago, following a merger with Danish online learning specialist Blueprint Learning, the company rebranded as Reducate. Since then, it has acquired seven companies - across Scandinavia, the UK, and Germany.

Support for Rapid Growth

Acquired companies benefit from a centralized IT platform, so they don’t need to develop or maintain their own technology. Information security is managed in compliance with the ISO 27001 standard. They also receive support in improving their strategies across finance, HR, marketing, and sales. “We also help them target new audiences. Sometimes they’re hesitant or simply haven’t considered it. We challenge them to double their revenue within three years—profitably.”

Reducate also supports the development of online course content, for example through the central studio in Utrecht, which serves as a reference model for country operations. Quality and reliability are top priorities for the organization. Therefore, only reputable subject-matter experts develop the content of e-learning modules to help professionals meet their continuing education requirements. The market for such eCPD-certified training is growing rapidly, particularly in Northern Europe. Regulators in this region closely monitor whether professionals in regulated industries comply with their obligations. Moreover, these professionals are increasingly choosing to complete their training online, in their own environment and at a time that suits them - rather than traveling to a training location.

Crucial Links in the M&A Strategy

Van Hardeveld’s goal is to continue growth with three to four acquisitions per year. He sees local business brokers as crucial links in the international M&A strategy. “They know the market and the culture. They can also connect us with a good lawyer and financial advisor.” Many conversations with potential acquisition targets in the current learning market are initiated through these local M&A advisors. For Reducate, key criteria to start acquisition talks include company culture, financial health, and organizational maturity. “With smaller companies, you often see everything depends on the founder—including key client relationships. That makes us vulnerable. We prefer more mature businesses with a second layer of management.”

Dealsuite to Get a Seat at the Table Early

Van Hardeveld sees an important role for Dealsuite when companies enter the market discreetly in an early stage. After all, it’s a closed platform. “Companies are actively looking for buyers. Those are the ones I want. I want to be at the table before they go public with a proposition. In an auction, you either overpay or walk away empty-handed.” If Dealsuite helps him initiate even one conversation per year, it already pays off. “Ultimately, I don’t want to miss anything. I don’t want to look back and say: ‘If only I had known.’

“I want to be at the table before they go public with a proposition.”– Christiaan van Hardeveld

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