Introduce us to the owner. We do the rest. If we acquire the business, you earn up to £200,000 — starting with a £5,000 payment once we sign Heads of Terms.
Owners care about a lot more than just price. They care about their people, their customers, their legacy and reputation, and the name above the door. Astra acquires to hold for the long term, keeps management in place, and protects what the founder built. That makes us an easy business to introduce.
Someone you know runs a UK or Irish business that fits our focus and is thinking about succession or a sale.
You've spoken to the owner, they're open to a conversation, and you introduce us by email to scout@astraholding.com.
We meet the owner, evaluate, run diligence and negotiate. You stay informed; we do the work.
£5,000 within 30 days of signed Heads of Terms, then the balance of your fee in step with the price we pay the seller.
Most referral schemes make you wait until the very end. We don't. You see the first part of your reward as soon as a deal becomes real.
Paid within 30 days of signing — no invoice, no claim form, no chasing.
Capped at £200,000 in total, with your £5,000 credited against it. For the payment schedule, see note 1.
If you know a business owner and they trust you, you can be a Scout. Some of our best introductions come from people who simply know the owner well.
Below are our investment criteria. If it broadly fits, send it our way.
You've spoken to the owner (who holds at least half the business) and they're expecting to hear from us.
If more than one person introduces the same business, the reward goes to whoever got there first.
If we've already met the business, we'll tell you within 24 hours so no one wastes time.
The reward applies if we complete within 12 months of your introduction.
A business being in a sale process doesn't rule it out — if you can introduce the owner, send it our way.
A short, plain-English agreement sets it all out. Ask us and we'll send it before you introduce.
No. Brokers and advisors are welcome, but so is anyone who knows a business owner well. The only thing that matters is that the introduction is warm and the owner is open to a conversation.
That's entirely up to you — your own network, your clients, your sector contacts, your own research. We don't mind how you get there. What we pay for is a quality introduction: you've spoken with the owner, they're open to a sale, and they're expecting to hear from us.
No. Scouts can be based anywhere in the world. What matters is the business — it needs to be a UK or Irish company that broadly fits the criteria above.
Email scout@astraholding.com and we'll send you the Scout Programme terms. Sign and return them, we'll counter-sign and send a copy back, and you're set. Do this before you make your first introduction.
An email to scout@astraholding.com naming the specific business, where you've already spoken to the owner and they're expecting to hear from us. The owner needs to hold at least half the business, and we'll ask you to set up a first conversation that we attend.
£5,000 lands within 30 days of signed Heads of Terms automatically. The balance of your 1.5% (up to £200,000 total) is paid against a simple VAT invoice, in step with the price we pay the seller — so you're paid in the same shape as the deal. The full schedule is in note 1 at the foot of this page.
The £5,000 is non-refundable — it's yours to keep. The balance is only payable if we complete, and completion needs to happen within 12 months of your introduction.
No to both. Fees are exclusive of VAT; if you're not VAT-registered an ordinary invoice is fine and we can raise one for you. There's no joining fee, and Scouts carry none of Astra's legal, advisory, financing or other transaction costs.
It varies with how motivated the seller is and how readily the financial information comes together. As a rough guide, 2–3 months to signed Heads of Terms, then around 3 months to completion.
Astra Holding Group Ltd, company no. 15231624, 80 Cheapside, London EC2V 6EE. The agreement covers an acquisition by Astra or any of its subsidiaries.
Send it anyway, or just ask. We'd far rather take a quick look than miss a good business. There's no downside to introducing.
Tell us about the business and the owner. One short email is all it takes to start — and to put your introduction on record.
Prefer email? Write to scout@astraholding.com