ETA Without Borders Itinerary
Saturday, 19 September 2026
08:00–09:00 Registration & Breakfast
09:15–09:45 Opening Keynote
10:00–10:50 Panel One
11:20–12:10 Panel Two
12:10–13:10 Networking Lunch
14:10–15:00 Panel Three
16:30–17:20 Panel Four
17:30–18:20 Fireside Chat
18:30–20:00 Networking Reception
THE ACQUISITION JOURNEY
Keynote
09:15–09:45
ETA in Europe: The Opportunity for Us All
Europe is approaching a historic transfer of business ownership. This keynote explores the forces expanding ETA across the continent, from succession and fragmented markets to new capital and growing interest in entrepreneurial ownership, and the opportunity this creates for founders, buyers, investors and the wider European economy.
Panel One
10:00–10:50
Traditional and Untraditional Paths to Ownership
There is no single route to business ownership. This panel compares traditional search with self funded, holding companies, accelerator and other emerging models, exploring how each balances independence, support, risk, control and economics and how prospective owners can choose the path best aligned with their ambitions.
Panel Two
11:20–12:10
Searching Across Borders: An International Audit
Search may be an international model, but every market rewards a different playbook. This panel compares opportunities, sourcing environments, seller expectations, financing conditions and execution across borders sharing local knowledge, practical tools and transferable lessons from ETA ecosystems around the world.
Panel Three
14:10–15:00
Deal Killers: From LOI to Close
Between an accepted offer and a completed acquisition, every deal is tested by diligence, financing, negotiation, legal risk and human emotion. This panel examines why transactions collapse, which obstacles can be resolved and how buyers maintain momentum without losing the judgment required to walk away.
Panel Four
16:30–17:20
The First 100 Days: Leading Change Value Creation
Acquisition creates authority on paper; leadership must be earned after closing. This panel explores how new owners establish trust, manage the founder transition, align employees and investors, set priorities and create early momentum while preserving the qualities that made the company worth acquiring.
What It Takes to Win in ETA
Closing Fireside Conversation
17:30–18:20
The summit closes by turning from models, markets and transactions to the people behind them. This fireside examines the judgment, resilience, adaptability, self awareness and values that underpin sustained success in search, ownership and leadership and how these qualities will shape the future of ETA.