AAA Acquire · Buy-side acquisitions
Buy a business that already trades.
A trade licence can be issued in days. A customer base cannot. AAA Acquire finds, screens and transfers an operating UAE business for the buyer, acting for the buyer only.
What it covers
Finding, checking and transferring.
Revenue, staff, premises and a trading record arrive on day one. So does everything the seller got wrong, unless someone on your side of the table checks first.
01
Mandate
Budget, sector, emirate, who will run the business and your source of funds, agreed in writing before any search begins.
02
Sourcing
Candidates drawn from AAA's acquisition register and off-market introductions, matched to your mandate.
03
Screening
Licence status, audited accounts or twelve months of bank statements, VAT and corporate tax filings, staff visas, gratuity accrued, lease and trade name. A candidate that fails is dropped.
04
Shortlist
Screened candidates with AAA reference codes and vendor figures. You choose which to open.
05
Structure and transfer
Share or asset purchase decided, then the ownership transfer, licence amendment, establishment card, investor visas and bank continuity.
06
First hundred days
Compliance calendar, renewals, tax registrations and the accounting handover, so year one runs clean.
What a shortlist carries
Each candidate has its own page: what the business does, why it is on the list, and where due diligence starts.
- Source
- AAA's acquisition register
- Price, revenue and profit
- Vendor figures
- Business names and vendor contacts
- Released at qualification
- Current candidates
- On request
Who it is for
Buying is the right route for some buyers, not all.
The comparison that matters is total cash out until the business pays for itself, and the probability that it ever does.
Buying fits
Buy a running business
- You want revenue, staff and a trading record from day one
- Your budget covers the price, transfer costs and working capital
- You can be present for diligence, or have a manager you trust
- You understand the sector you are buying into
Buyers who want cash flow, a track record and speed.
Starting wins
Start from zero
- Your budget covers only the purchase price
- The model does not yet exist in the market
- The value is your own brand
- Your real objective is a visa
Sometimes the honest recommendation is to start from zero. We will say so.
Where the lines sit.
We act for buyers only, never the seller. Legal opinions, audits and valuations sit with licensed partners engaged for the transaction. Purchase money moves between the parties or through escrow, never through us.
Vendor figures.
Every price, revenue and profit figure is the vendor's own until due diligence. No candidate is introduced without revenue proof in hand, and no transfer timeline is quoted before the licensing authority confirms the route.
How it works
From mandate to a business you run.
One advisor carries you from intake to the end of the first year.
01
Intake and mandate
Budget, sector, emirate, residency plans and source of funds. A signed mandate before any search begins.
You get: a mandate vendors take seriously
02
Sourcing and screening
AAA's acquisition register and off-market introductions, screened against the red flags that sink most purchases.
You get: only candidates worth your time
03
Shortlist and selection
Candidates presented with AAA reference codes and vendor figures. You choose which to open.
You get: a short list you can act on
04
Diligence and terms
Three to six weeks of diligence on the chosen target, with legal and audit partners engaged. Share or asset purchase decided.
You get: a price you can defend
05
Transfer and year one
Ownership transfer, licence amendment, visas and bank continuity, then the compliance calendar for the first year.
You get: a business you own and can run
What you need
Five answers turn interest into a mandate.
With these in hand, it takes about a week to establish whether your budget matches what is available, or whether starting from zero is the more honest recommendation.
Budget and target
- Your budget band, and whether it includes working capital and transfer costs
- The sector and emirate, and whether mainland is required
- Whether you want a going concern or a licence transfer
Proof
- The proof of revenue you need before a visit: audited accounts, or at least twelve months of bank statements
- Passport copy and a proof-of-funds letter, before vendor financials are shared
About you
- Your nationality and source of funds, both checked before anything moves
- Who will run the business, and whether you can be present for diligence
Time and cost
What to expect, realistically.
No transfer timeline is quoted before the licensing authority has confirmed the route.
- 1
- week, about, to tell whether your budget matches what is available
- 3 to 6
- weeks of diligence on a chosen target
- 3 to 6
- months from mandate to handover for a screened small or mid-sized company
Budget beyond the price: transfer and amendment fees, legal and audit diligence, escrow, the first renewal cycle and working capital. Our own fee: Subject to your needs, we will discuss.
Estimate your setup costQuestions
Buying a UAE business, answered.
Straight answers to what buyers ask before the first call.
01Is it cheaper to buy an existing business or start one?
Starting is cheaper to enter and more expensive to survive. Buying costs more on day one because the price reflects revenue that already exists. Compare total cash out until the business pays for itself, not licence cost against purchase price.
02Where do the candidates come from?
From AAA's acquisition register and off-market introductions. Every candidate is screened before it reaches you. Business names and vendor contacts are released at qualification.
03Are the figures verified?
Not at shortlist stage. They are vendor figures, unaudited until due diligence. Before a price is agreed we read audited accounts, VAT and corporate tax filings and twelve months of bank statements side by side. If those do not reconcile, nothing else matters.
04What transfers when the company is bought?
In a share purchase the company survives, so the licence, bank account, staff visas, customs code, contracts and tax history usually continue, liabilities included. In an asset purchase you acquire named assets into your own company, and the licence, visas and most contracts do not follow. We confirm each item with the authority, the landlord and the bank before signing.
05Does buying a UAE business give me a Golden Visa?
Not automatically. A share purchase normally supports an investor or partner residence visa through the licence. The ten-year Golden Visa has its own published criteria, so we confirm the route against the current rules before a price is agreed.
06How long does an acquisition take?
Around three to six months from mandate to handover for a screened small or mid-sized company: weeks to shortlist, three to six weeks of diligence, then the transfer, which depends on the licensing authority, any external approvals, landlord consent and the bank.
07Do you act for sellers?
No. We act for buyers only and earn nothing from the seller. An advisor cannot act for both sides and be trusted by either.
Next step
Plan it before you commit.
Two tools answer the first questions in minutes. An advisor answers the rest.
Start here
Start with a conversation.
One no-obligation consultation. We discuss your goals, answer your questions, and recommend a clear path forward. No cost. No pressure. Just clarity.