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Speaking at NXT Conclave, Arielle Lawrence highlights the transformative model of entrepreneurship through acquisition. She explains how this underutilized approach enables individuals to acquire and lead successful businesses without starting from scratch, redefining the path to business ownership. “So I want to talk to you today about an underutilized model of entrepreneurship. And that’s search funds and entrepreneurship through acquisition,” said Lawrence.
‘What Is Search Fund?’ Explains Arielle Lawrence
Explaining Search Fund, Lawrence said, “This model is transforming the way individuals become business owners. It allows them to acquire and lead successful companies without having to start from scratch. So, what is a search fund? At its core, it’s an investment vehicle through which an entrepreneur raises capital from investors to find, acquire, manage, and grow a single existing company. To understand the search fund model, it’s often helpful to compare it with private equity and venture capital.”
Lawrence further elaborated, “These are two well-established approaches to business investment. Venture capital focuses on early-stage, high-growth startups with unproven business models but significant upside potential. Investors take minority stakes, spread risk across multiple startups, and accept high failure rates in exchange for the possibility of outsized returns from a few breakout successes. Private equity, on the other hand, typically targets mature, larger companies, often acquiring controlling stakes through leveraged buyouts.”
Arielle Lawrence Elaborates: ‘Why does ETA matter?’
Lawrence explained entrepreneurship, saying, “An Entrepreneur, often an emerging leader with strong operational experience and possibly an MBA, searches for a business, becomes the CEO, and works to grow the company over the long term with aligned incentives. The model was pioneered in the 1980s at Stanford University in the United States by Irv Groesbeck, a leading figure in entrepreneurial finance. Since then, it has grown into a global phenomenon, with thousands of successful acquisitions across North America, Europe, and Latin America.”
“New momentum is building in Asia. Why does ETA matter? Because it represents an alternative pathway to entrepreneurship, one that reduces some of the volatility of starting a business from scratch. Instead of facing the brutal odds of a startup, entrepreneurs can acquire an existing business with proven revenue, proven customers, and proven operations. They can then inject fresh energy, innovation, and strategic direction to scale it further,” she added.
About NXT Conclave
The world is entering a new era of progress, with breakthroughs in AI, quantum computing, cybersecurity, green energy, space exploration, finance, healthcare, and governance transforming how we live and work. NXT Conclave 2025 will be India’s answer to Davos—an annual powerhouse of ideas where governments, corporations, and visionaries converge to shape policies, unveil breakthrough innovations, and set the course for the future. Designed as a catalyst for real-world impact, NXT will feature exclusive large-scale project inaugurations, world-first research announcements, and high-stake closed-door discussions reaching millions.
More than just a summit, NXT drove tangible action. Attendees witnessed game-changing product debuts, pioneering research presentations, and policy frameworks set to influence industries and governments worldwide. Live demonstrations of next-generation AI, quantum computing, and transformative technologies offered a glimpse into the future.
Watch the whole session here:
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