How to use the DUB marketplace to find the right company to buy
Once you have specified your search, matching results appear on the right. Click a listing's headline to go to the company's detail page, where key facts about the business are listed. If a listing interests you and you would like more information, you can contact the seller directly through the DUB messaging system. This is an ANONYMOUS and SECURE exchange between you and the seller — no information is shared with DUB. To use our anonymous messaging system, you need to be registered and logged in on the DUB portal, which is free. Please use the "Contact" button on the listing's page to get in touch.
If your search doesn't return matching companies, you can save your search for free and get notified by email whenever new sale offers appear. Alternatively, you can present yourself to company sellers by creating an investor profile and posting a buying mandate. If you need expert advice on buying a company, you can find a suitable advisor in our advisor directory who can support you through your transaction. Make the most of the many options and wide reach of the DUB marketplace to find the right company to buy. For regional searches, either use the filters or find companies in specific regions via our Succession in Germany page.
Buying a company vs. buying a firm
Buying a company means acquiring an independent organizational unit that regularly carries out an economic activity. A company can consist of one or several business operations. An individual can also found such an independent unit if they regularly carry out an economic activity — in that case it is called a sole proprietorship. As a rule, sole proprietors don't have to register in the commercial register; without that registration, they don't legally count as a "firm." A trade name, colloquially a "firm," is the name under which a company or sole proprietor appears publicly and conducts its business. Buying "a firm" therefore technically means acquiring the company's name or trading name. In everyday use, though, it's used interchangeably with buying a company — i.e. acquiring the entire business.