Why we created Leez: the story of an independent platform for SME succession in Switzerland
Introduction
In Switzerland, 75,000 SMEs will change hands by 2030. Behind each succession lies a story: that of an entrepreneur who has built their business over decades and is now looking to transfer it under the best possible conditions.
Yet, when we observed the Swiss SME succession market, we noticed a gap. No genuine technology platform. No dedicated digital infrastructure. Sellers had to either go through expensive intermediaries or navigate alone through a complex process, without real visibility on potential buyers.
It is from this observation that Leez was born: an independent platform to sell your business in Switzerland, designed to give entrepreneurs control over their succession. No commission on the sale. No imposed advisory. Just a clear, secure and transparent infrastructure.
This article tells why and how we created Leez. Our vision, our choices, and what sets us apart in the business succession ecosystem in Switzerland.
📌 Summary (TL;DR)
Leez was born from an observation: Switzerland lacked an independent digital infrastructure for SME succession. Founded by three entrepreneurs who each experienced a succession around the age of thirty, we created a technology platform that gives sellers qualified visibility, confidentiality, and total control of their process, without commission or imposed advisory. Our mission is simple: centralise the succession ecosystem by connecting sellers, qualified buyers and experts, with particular attention to companies whose transaction value is below 1 million francs, too often ignored by traditional players.
📚 Table of contents
The observation: a Swiss succession market without genuine digital infrastructure
We observed a paradox in the Swiss market. On one hand, 75,000 SMEs will need to be transferred by 2030. On the other, no genuine independent digital infrastructure to facilitate these transactions.
The SME succession market in Switzerland remained fragmented. Sellers depended on their personal networks, word of mouth, or traditional intermediaries charging high commissions. No transparency on prices. No qualified visibility. No neutral technology platform.
This observation drove us to create Leez.
An idea born from three personal experiences
Angelo, Vincent and Jonathan, the three co-founders of Leez, each experienced a business succession around the age of thirty. Three different journeys, but the same conclusion: the process is unnecessarily complex, opaque, and costly for those who do not have a solid network or a business large enough to attract traditional players.
This direct experience allowed us to see the limitations of the current system from the inside. Not as observers, but as entrepreneurs confronted with the reality of the market. It is this reality that guided every decision in building Leez.
A deliberately ignored angle: small transactions
Specialised succession firms focus on large operations. Transactions below one million francs are too often neglected, deemed unprofitable for traditional intermediaries.
Yet, this segment represents a significant part of the Swiss economic fabric. Tens of thousands of micro and small businesses whose founders are looking to hand over, without finding a suitable partner, without infrastructure to support them.
Leez was built precisely for this market. We believe that every succession deserves the same tools, the same visibility and the same seriousness, regardless of the transaction size.
Why a platform, and not an advisory firm
We made a fundamental choice: to be a technology infrastructure, not an advisory firm. Leez does not sell M&A advisory services. We provide the tools and visibility.
This position allows us to be completely independent. No conflicts of interest. No commission on the sale. No commercial pressure to influence the seller's choices.
The seller keeps control of their process.
Our mission: centralise the ecosystem and connect all players
Our mission is not limited to connecting sellers and buyers. We want to centralise the entire succession ecosystem: sellers, buyers and experts in the same place.
Too often, these three players operate in parallel without crossing paths at the right time. The seller is looking for a buyer. The buyer is looking for the right opportunity. The expert is waiting to be approached. Leez creates the convergence point.
The seller publishes their business, defines their level of confidentiality, chooses who they give access to detailed information. They remain in control of their process, with the possibility of relying on a network of qualified experts if needed, never under pressure.
The pillars of Leez
Leez rests on four fundamental pillars that define our approach to the SME succession platform in Switzerland. Each responds to a concrete need identified in the market.
These pillars are not marketing slogans. They are operational commitments that structure our platform and guide our daily decisions.
Qualified visibility
Leez connects sellers and verified buyers on a single platform. Each buyer goes through identity verification before accessing detailed listings.
Your business gains visibility with a national and international network of serious buyers: entrepreneurs searching, executives in career transition, investors, groups in expansion.
Confidentiality and security
We understand that selling your business in Switzerland requires absolute discretion. We systematically anonymise each listing: sensitive data is replaced by ranges, and we rewrite descriptions to make them non-identifiable. Each listing is also reworked to highlight what truly matters to a serious buyer. You remain invisible until you decide to reveal yourself.
Total transparency
No unpleasant surprises. No commission on the sale. No hidden fees. No percentage taken on the final transaction.
Network of experts available, never imposed
We have built a network of qualified partners: fiduciaries, lawyers, M&A experts. They are available if you need them. Never imposed.
You can call upon our partners for valuation, legal structuring, or tax support. Or work with your own advisers. The choice is yours.
A Swiss platform, for the Swiss market
Leez is based in Switzerland. We know the specificities of the Swiss market: cantonal taxation, company law, entrepreneurial culture, realities of SME succession in Switzerland.
Our platform is designed to address local challenges, whether you are in French-speaking Switzerland, German-speaking Switzerland or Ticino. This proximity allows us to offer an experience adapted to the Swiss context.
Leez was born from a simple observation and lived experience. The Swiss business succession market lacked a transparent, accessible digital infrastructure, attentive to small transactions too long ignored. We chose to create a platform rather than an advisory firm to give control back to sellers and buyers, by centralising around them all the players in the ecosystem.
Are you considering selling your business in Switzerland? Estimate its value for free or discover the businesses available on our platform.
