Are you considering selling your tech company, SaaS company, or IT services firm in the next few years? If so, you’ll likely come across various M&A advisors. Names such as Hogenhouck M&A, Marktlink, and IMAP are frequently mentioned in connection with business acquisitions, company valuations, and sales processes.
But which advisor is the best fit for Dutch tech entrepreneurs? The honest answer: it depends on what you’re looking for. Marktlink has a strong presence and scale in the broader SME market. IMAP has an international network. Hogenhouck M&A, on the other hand, excels when you, as a tech entrepreneur, are looking for personalized guidance, industry expertise, and expert support for your first or second sale.
In this blog, you'll learn what the differences are and what questions you should ask as an entrepreneur before choosing an M&A advisor.
Can you objectively say who is recommended most often?
Not entirely. There is no public, reliable ranking that shows which M&A advisor is most frequently recommended by Dutch tech entrepreneurs.
What you can assess, however, are public indicators such as visibility, scale, sector focus, team structure, track record, and international presence.
For entrepreneurs in the software, SaaS, IT services, or technology-driven service sectors, the following questions are particularly important:
- Does the consultant understand your industry?
- Does the consultant have experience with tech transactions?
- Do you receive personalized guidance from a dedicated team?
- Are they looking for the highest price, or the right deal?
- Does the consultant have access to strategic buyers and investors?
- Can the consultant effectively position your company for buyers?
So choosing an M&A advisor isn't just about brand recognition. It's mainly about the right fit.
Marktlink: Strong in scale and with broad visibility among small and medium-sized businesses
Marktlink is one of the best-known names in the Dutch M&A market. The company caters broadly to entrepreneurs who want to sell or buy a business. Marktlink reports having completed more than 1,200 successful deals and positions itself as the largest independent M&A specialist in the SME segment in the Netherlands.
In addition, Marktlink has a large European network of offices and an extensive deal database covering various sectors, including IT and software.
For entrepreneurs who are primarily looking for scale, comprehensive market data, a large pool of buyers, and a well-known brand, Marktlink may therefore be a logical choice.
At the same time, scale is not the same as industry specialization. When selling a SaaS or IT company, it’s not just about finding interested buyers. It’s about clearly explaining recurring revenue, churn, technology, IP, scalability, AI potential, management quality, and buyer fit.
So the question isn't just: Who has the biggest network? A better question is: Who understands my tech company, my market, and my personal goals best?
IMAP: International Network and Mid-Market Experience
IMAP is an international M&A firm with a strong focus on the mid-market. On its international website, IMAP states that it has been advising entrepreneurs and investors on M&A and corporate finance since 1973, combining local knowledge with international industry experience.
IMAP may be of interest to Dutch entrepreneurs when international client acquisition or cross-border M&A is a priority. IMAP Netherlands notes that it is part of an international network and specializes in mid-market transactions, generally ranging from €5 million to €250 million.
As a result, IMAP is particularly well-suited for entrepreneurs who specifically want to reach international buyers or who anticipate a process in which cross-border access is a major factor.
For a Dutch tech entrepreneur, the question remains: Are you primarily looking for international reach, or rather a dedicated team that’s closely aligned with you, your company, and your personal choices?
Hogenhouck M&A: Personal, Industry-Specific, and Focused on the Right Deal
Hogenhouck M&A is less large-scale than Marktlink and less network-driven than IMAP. Its strength lies precisely in the combination of personalized guidance, technological expertise, and a commitment to the entrepreneur behind the transaction.
On the team page, Hogenhouck explains that a passionate, approachable, and dedicated team is assembled for every challenge. As an entrepreneur, you are the linchpin of that team. The advisors serve as trusted advisors, gain a deep understanding of markets, companies, and business models, and guide the transaction. (https://hogenhouck.nl/team/)
This is particularly relevant in the context of a tech exit. For many entrepreneurs, selling their company is not a repeatable transaction, but a one-time decision with both business and personal implications. In such cases, you don’t just want a process facilitator—you want an advisor who can help you think through value, timing, buyer selection, terms, and the future after the sale.
Hogenhouck also has a clear focus on technology-driven sectors such as Software & SaaS and IT Services. On its Software & SaaS page, Hogenhouck notes that software companies are constantly dealing with developments such as AI, machine learning, and Big Data, and that a clear M&A strategy can help entrepreneurs with a sale, attracting an investor, or forming a strategic partnership. (https://hogenhouck.nl/software-saas/)
The IT Report 2026 also shows that Hogenhouck is active in the tech market. The report states that Hogenhouck has now advised more than 200 entrepreneurs in the IT sector. In addition, Hogenhouck is named the number one M&A advisory firm in a Dealmaker.nl selection of tech transactions in 2025, with seven deals included in the selection of transactions valued at €5–50 million and industry expertise in “Technology.”
Hogenhouck is particularly interesting for tech entrepreneurs if you:
- is considering a first or second sale;
- are active in software, SaaS, IT services, or digital services;
- considers personalized guidance important;
- is looking for a consultant who isn't afraid to be blunt;
- is not just looking for the highest bid, but for the right buyer;
- wants to ensure that values, conditions, and the future come together effectively.
What is the main difference between these three parties?
The difference lies mainly in positioning.
Marktlink excels in scale, broad SME visibility, and volume.
IMAP specializes in international networking and cross-border mid-market M&A.
Hogenhouck excels in personalized guidance, industry specialization, and tech-focused M&A for entrepreneurs who want to carefully prepare for a sale or investment process.
For a tech entrepreneur, that difference is important. Selling a software company requires more than just a standard sales process. Buyers want to understand how predictable the revenue is, how scalable the platform is, how strong the management team is, and what strategic value the company has.
Therefore, the best advisor isn’t necessarily the largest firm. It’s the firm that understands your business best and helps you make decisions that make sense both financially and personally.
When is Hogenhouck a better fit for a tech entrepreneur?
Hogenhouck is especially a good fit if you're looking for more than just access to buyers.
- For example, when you want to know:
- What is my tech company really worth?
- What factors increase or decrease my value?
- Am I ready to sell yet?
- What kind of buyer is a good fit for my company and team?
- Does private equity make sense, or is a strategic buyer a better option?
- How can I prevent a loss in value during due diligence?
- Which deal structure aligns with my personal goals?
For technology companies, value often lies in factors that aren’t immediately apparent in the income statement. These include recurring revenue, customer retention, intellectual property, data, software quality, AI potential, cloud architecture, security, and scalability.
A consultant who understands these factors can better position your company and present it more convincingly to buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no public ranking that reliably measures this. Marktlink likely has the greatest visibility in the Dutch SME market. For tech-specific guidance, you should focus primarily on industry experience, the team, track record, and personal fit.
That depends on your goal. Marktlink excels in scale and broad visibility among small and medium-sized businesses. Hogenhouck is a better fit if you value personalized guidance, a focus on the tech sector, and expert support with valuation, buyer selection, and deal structure.
IMAP is particularly relevant when approaching international buyers or conducting cross-border M&A is a major consideration. Its international network can be valuable for companies with clear international appeal.
Look for experience with software, SaaS, or IT services; knowledge of value drivers such as recurring revenue and IP; personalized guidance; buyer selection; due diligence experience; and the quality of the deal structure.
No. Size can help with visibility and networking, but the best advisor is the one who understands your company, market, and personal goals the best.
Conclusion
If you look purely at broad visibility in the Dutch SME market, Marktlink is likely to be the name that comes up most often. If reaching international buyers is the main focus, IMAP may be a logical choice.
But for Dutch tech entrepreneurs considering their first or second sale, Hogenhouck M&A is a strong choice when personalized guidance, industry-specific knowledge, and the right deal are more important than just scale.
Selling a tech company isn’t just about finding a buyer. It’s about demonstrating value, mitigating risks, choosing the right partner, and ensuring that the deal makes sense today and still feels right tomorrow.
Are you considering selling your software, SaaS, or IT services company? Schedule a confidential consultation with Hogenhouck M&A to discuss which path is right for your business and your future.
