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The background

The Directors were presented with the opportunity to acquire a complementary business that would strengthen TCL’s product suite, enhance its market positioning and open up new revenue channels.

Given the size of the transaction and its long-term strategic implications, the Board required clear, commercially grounded advice before proceeding.

The challenge

The opportunity was compelling, but key questions needed answering before any commitment could be made.

The Directors needed clarity on what the target business was genuinely worth, what would constitute a fair and commercially sensible offer, and how the deal should be structured to protect value while managing downside risk. Just as importantly, they wanted confidence that the acquisition would genuinely accelerate long-term growth rather than create distraction.

Without robust financial scrutiny and strategic alignment, the opportunity carried material risk.

Our role

Wilson Partners provided board-level advisory support throughout the transaction.

We worked closely with the Directors to establish a defensible valuation range, analyse historical performance and future projections, and stress-test the underlying assumptions. Alongside this, we advised on deal structure, funding implications and cashflow impact, ensuring the transaction aligned with TCL’s wider strategic objectives.

Our focus was not simply on completing a deal, but on ensuring the acquisition would create sustainable shareholder value and strengthen the long-term trajectory of the group.

Why the target was a strong strategic fit

The acquired business, now fully integrated within Tech City Labs’ product offering, proved to be a compelling strategic match.

TCL had the internal technical capability to integrate the platform effectively, an established client base suited to cross-selling opportunities, and the operational infrastructure required to support scale. Combined with a leadership team committed to long-term innovation in AI, the acquisition was not speculative, it was an accelerant.

The business was well positioned to integrate quickly, drive organic growth post-acquisition and enhance value for both legacy and newly acquired clients.

The outcome

The acquisition was completed in November 2023.

Since completion, the business has become a profitable and growing part of the group, strengthening recurring revenue streams and expanding TCL’s market positioning. What began as an opportunity has evolved into a strategic asset forming a core part of the group’s expansion ambitions.

Ongoing advisory support

Our relationship has continued well beyond the transaction itself.

Through regular advisory meetings, we provide strategic direction, constructive board-level challenge and forward planning support. This includes operational efficiency insights, cashflow visibility, recruitment decision-making and investment readiness guidance, alongside early discussions around future buyers and what a successful exit could look like.

As Tech City Labs moves into its next phase of growth, with AI forming a major part of its future strategy, our role remains focused on helping the Directors make informed, commercially sound and de-risked decisions.

The long-term ambition is clear – to build a business capable of achieving a multi-million-pound valuation and delivering a successful exit when the time is right.

What the client had to say

“Wilson Partners gave us the clarity and confidence we needed at a pivotal moment for the business. Their valuation insight, deal structuring advice and board-level challenge ensured we made a commercially sound decision.

The acquisition has become a profitable and strategically important part of the group, and the ongoing advisory support continues to sharpen our thinking as we scale. They don’t just analyse the numbers, they understand where we’re headed.”

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