Linta Partners backs exceptional entrepreneurs through the search fund model.
We combine nearly 20 years of entrepreneurial and M&A experience to support them in acquiring and developing small and mid-sized profitable companies – from fundraising through acquisition and into their role as CEO.
We back exceptional entrepreneurs on their journey to acquire and grow established small and mid-sized companies.
We do this through the established search fund model, a proven investment path with more than 40 years of history and a strong global track record. With a primary focus on Europe and selective exposure to the US, we provide both capital and active support throughout the search fund journey.
From building and exiting a company to backing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Founder & Managing Partner
Michael is a Berlin-based entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded and scaled LionsHome, a highly profitable digital platform active in 10 European markets, which he successfully exited to Waterland Private Equity as a new platform investment. He later served as Group CEO of PubTech Group, a Waterland-backed buy-and-build platform, where he led cross-border acquisitions and integrations.
With nearly 20 years of entrepreneurial experience and several years of M&A expertise, Michael founded Linta Partners to back the next generation of search fund entrepreneurs.
Michael is supported by seasoned advisors combining extensive private equity expertise with leadership experience in German mid-sized companies.
Every search fund journey is unique. Search entrepreneurs face different backgrounds, industries, and situations – and we adapt our support to their specific needs. Based on our experience, the most common areas where we add value include:
Fundraising Phase
Helping to build strong cap tables by connecting searchers with established international search fund investors.
Search Phase
Supporting in shaping industry hypotheses and setting up a proprietary sourcing approach that goes beyond intermediated deal flow.
Acquisition Phase
Guidance from first-hand M&A experience in structuring, negotiating, and closing transactions.
Operations & Exit
Sparring from an entrepreneur who has built and exited a company himself, aligned for long-term value creation.
Hear directly from search fund entrepreneurs backed by Linta Partners.
“We’re excited to have Linta as an investor. Knowing that Michael has built and exited his own company and also led acquisitions as a CEO gives us confidence for the challenges ahead.”
Elvio Rossini & Federico Verderi, Italy
Bocconi MBAs
“From the very beginning, we felt that Michael was personally involved. His background as an entrepreneur makes him a very relatable partner for this journey.”
Albert Marquez & Pablo Ferrero, Switzerland
IESE MBAs
“Having Linta on board early in our fundraising made a big difference. Michael helped us bring well-known search fund investors into the round.”
Monica Rekhan & Charles Gay, United States
Wharton MBAs
The search fund model is still relatively new in Europe. To give investors and entrepreneurs a clear overview, we’ve answered some of the most common questions – from how search funds work to Linta’s unique investment approach.
A search fund is an entrepreneurial path where one or two individuals raise a small investment vehicle with a group of aligned investors. With capital and mentorship, they search for, acquire, and lead a privately held company for the medium to long term, typically six to ten years.
Searchers are often graduates of top business schools with strong professional experience in consulting, investing, or operations. The model combines the ambition of entrepreneurship with the guidance and resources of experienced investors. First launched in the U.S. in the 1980s, search funds have since expanded globally and are increasingly established in Europe.
Limited Partners (LPs) invest in search funds to access a unique asset class that combines attractive risk-adjusted returns with the opportunity to back exceptional entrepreneurs. The model offers exposure to profitable small- and midsized businesses that are often overlooked by traditional private equity.
By investing with Linta, LPs gain exposure to multiple search entrepreneurs, carefully selected and supported throughout their journey. This approach provides diversification and professional oversight while keeping the entrepreneurial spirit of the model at the center.
According to long-term research by Stanford Graduate School of Business, U.S. search funds since the 1980s have generated average returns of around 35% IRR and 4.5x multiples on invested capital. These results demonstrate the potential of the model when executed successfully.
While Europe has a shorter track record, performance to date has been promising and is attracting a growing base of sophisticated investors. It is important to note that past performance does not guarantee future results, but the consistency of outcomes over decades makes the asset class compelling.
Linta focuses on backing search entrepreneurs in our home market Europe, where the model is rapidly growing but still less saturated than in the U.S. We invest in entrepreneurs acquiring profitable, small- and midsized, founder-led businesses with strong fundamentals, recurring revenues, and room for long-term growth.
To manage risk, we build a portfolio across multiple searchers, industries, and geographies. While Europe is our core market, we also selectively back U.S. searchers where we see exceptional opportunities.
Beyond capital, Linta provides hands-on support through mentoring, strategic sparring, and access to a strong investor network. Our edge comes from proven entrepreneurial and M&A experience, which we share with searchers throughout their journey.
Linta was founded by Michael Röcker, an entrepreneur who built and scaled a digital platform, sold it to a leading European private equity investor, and subsequently became Group CEO of the platform to lead a buy-and-build strategy across Europe together with the investor. His experience in building, acquiring, and integrating companies shapes Linta’s approach today.
Complementing his background, Michael is supported by seasoned advisors who add further private equity and entrepreneurial expertise. Together, they combine entrepreneurial credibility with institutional investment know-how.
We’re happy to share more. Feel free to get in touch – we look forward to hearing from you.
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