Case Studies
See how leading firms are leveraging Allen to transform their deal sourcing process
Finding a Niche UK B2B SaaS Bolt-on
The Challenge
A UK mid-market private equity fund, executing a buy-and-build strategy within the compliance software sector, struggled to identify suitable bolt-on acquisitions. Their criteria were highly specific: UK-domiciled B2B SaaS companies generating £2m-£5m ARR, growing over 30% YoY, serving financial services or legal tech clients, with specific ISO certifications.
Allen's Solution
The fund inputs its detailed thesis into Allen. Allen's AI interprets these multi-faceted requirements and systematically scans integrated data sources: private company financial data, tech stack analysis tools, job posting aggregators, news sentiment/review aggregators, and certification databases.
The Results
Key Achievements:
Compared to weeks of manual research yielding a broad, mixed-quality longlist, Allen delivered a high-confidence shortlist rapidly, potentially within hours. Crucially, Allen provided deep analytical summaries for each target: estimated growth trajectories, technology profiles, compliance posture summaries, and competitive context.
By the Numbers:
- 5 highly relevant targets identified
- 2 genuine off-market opportunities
- Hours vs. weeks of manual research
Identifying a Resilient European Specialist Service Provider
The Challenge
A European growth equity firm aimed to invest in the resilient Testing, Inspection, Certification, and Compliance (TICC) sector. They targeted companies in the DACH or Benelux regions with €10m-€50m revenue, strong EBITDA margins, and a specialisation in environmental or sustainability testing. Identifying suitable companies using standard SIC/NACE codes proved challenging due to lack of granularity.
Allen's Solution
The firm outlines its thesis to Allen: TICC sub-sector (environmental/sustainability), geographies (DACH/Benelux), financials (€10m-€50m revenue, strong margins), customer diversification. Allen leverages its European market capabilities, accessing local registries, specialised TICC databases, and processing news/websites using multi-language NLP for German, Dutch, and French where needed.
The Results
Key Achievements:
Allen surfaced three compelling targets matching the complex criteria within just 24 hours. One was a family-owned German business, previously unknown to the investor – a valuable off-market lead. The prescriptive analysis highlighted specific environmental TICC services, estimated margin comparisons, key management personnel, and relevant certifications.
By the Numbers:
- 3 highly relevant targets identified
- 1 off-market family-owned business discovered
- Multi-lingual data sources leveraged
Early Identification of a High-Growth UK HealthTech Innovator
The Challenge
A venture capital firm sought promising early-stage UK HealthTech companies applying AI to diagnostics (pre-Series A). Target characteristics included: strong technical founders (PhD-level); early product validation (pilots, publications, NHS partnerships); proprietary tech/patents; and operation within radiology, pathology, or genomics. Identifying such companies required monitoring disparate sources like academic journals and university tech transfer offices.
Allen's Solution
The VC firm defined its thesis in Allen: AI diagnostics focus, UK location, early-stage indicators, and target sub-fields. Allen scanned diverse sources: academic repositories (PubMed, arXiv), patent databases, grant portals, accelerator sites, and specialised HealthTech/AI news feeds. Its AI interpreted technical papers and identified personnel with specific credentials.
The Results
Key Achievements:
Allen identified a recently formed university spin-out precisely matching the VC's criteria, potentially months before formal seed funding seeking. The system flagged the foundational research, identified key PhD founders, and surfaced an early pilot mention in a regional NHS trust newsletter – easily missed conventionally. The analysis summarised the AI approach's novelty, potential market size, and founding team strength.
By the Numbers:
- Early detection before formal funding rounds
- NHS pilot program identified in obscure newsletter
- First-mover advantage for potential lead investor position
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