An investor buys a minority or majority stake while the founder stays involved.
EA context: Most common East African transaction type today. Ndalani-style 49% stakes are essentially this — capital in, control retained, investor gets upside.
A buyer purchases 100% of the business; founder exits or stays through a transition.
EA context: Where the full Mazaoverse stack shines — Books proves the numbers, Equity clarifies what's being acquired, Data Room holds the DD package.
The existing management team buys the business from the owner, usually with debt.
EA context: Relevant for established Kenyan SMEs where the founder is aging out but the business is solid and bankable.
Two businesses combine into a single entity, of equals or with one absorbing the other.
EA context: Increasingly happening in fintech and agri-processing. Requires Competition Authority of Kenya approval — bake regulatory time into the timeline.
An existing shareholder sells their stake to a new investor — not back to the company.
EA context: Mazaoverse Equity handles this cleanly. Business itself doesn't change; only the cap table does.
The company buys shares back from an investor using its own cash or reserves.
EA context: Highly relevant for East African SMEs that took investment reluctantly and want to clean their cap table once cash flow allows.
A company is acquired primarily for its team rather than its product or revenue.
EA context: Growing slowly in East African tech as regional players compete for engineering and product talent.
The company lists on a stock exchange (NSE, regional cross-listing) and sells shares to the public.
EA context: Aspirational exit. Heavy regulatory and compliance load; CMA approval, NSE listing rules, and ongoing disclosure.
The business closes; assets are sold to pay creditors, with anything remaining going to shareholders.
EA context: An honest exit platform includes this. Not every business exits upward — sometimes orderly wind-down is the right answer.
Specific assets are sold (equipment, IP, customer contracts, real estate) rather than the company itself.
EA context: Common in manufacturing and agri where machinery and land retain value even when the operating business doesn't.