Glossary
Technology company divestiture mandate
A divestiture mandate supports the sale of a company. When that company is technology-driven, its value rests on assets the acquirer must understand before paying.
Definition
A technology company divestiture mandate is an engagement given to a specialist advisor to organise and support the sale of a company whose primary value is technological: patents, know-how, product pipeline, R&D team. The mandated advisor prepares the documentation, approaches acquirers, and drives discussions through to signing.
What makes it different from a standard divestiture
In a standard divestiture, value is expressed primarily in financial terms: revenue, margins, tangible assets. In a technology company, a decisive part of the value is intangible: does a patent actually cover what it claims? Is the R&D team transferable? Is the product pipeline credible?
Translating this value for a financial or industrial acquirer requires a dual competence: deep technical understanding and the ability to present a transaction. This is what distinguishes a specialist mandate from a generalist M&A advisor.
Typical steps of a mandate
- Strategic review and valuation of technological assets
- Drafting of teaser and information memorandum
- Identification of potential acquirers (strategic industrials, specialist funds)
- Organisation of the sale process (timeline, data room, Q&A)
- Support through technical and financial due diligence
- Negotiation and support through to signing
At Calsoï
Jean-Christophe Simon, a physicist and former R&D Director of major industrial groups, supports technology company divestiture mandates. His technical background makes the value legible to the acquirer. See the technology company divestiture service.