ProFundraising · Simulator
Search Fund Return Simulator
Buy a business with debt and grow it.
Assumptions
Equity out
$4,552,550
MOIC
3.0x
IRR
25%
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Equity in | $1,500,000 |
| Debt | $3,500,000 |
| Exit EBITDA | $1,610,510 |
| Exit value | $8,052,550 |
| Equity out | $4,552,550 |
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Built by The Crimson Bench · Educational model, not financial advice
About the Search Fund Return Simulator
Model acquiring a business with leverage, growing EBITDA, and selling to see the searcher’s equity return.
It's built for directional planning: change any assumption and watch the whole projection move, the way a seasoned operator pressure-tests a plan before committing capital. Everything is computed live in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere.
How the Search Fund Return Simulator Works
The model takes 6 assumptions and returns 3 headline metrics plus a full breakdown. Here is exactly what goes in and what comes out — no black box.
The Inputs
| Assumption | Example value |
|---|---|
| Purchase price | $5,000,000 |
| Equity (down) % | 30% |
| EBITDA | $1,000,000 |
| EBITDA growth / yr | 10% |
| Exit multiple | 5 |
| Hold (years) | 5 |
Worked Example
Every figure below is produced by the live model using the example assumptions above. Change any input in the simulator to see your own numbers.
Equity out
$4,552,550
MOIC
3.0x
IRR
25%
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Equity in | $1,500,000 |
| Debt | $3,500,000 |
| Exit EBITDA | $1,610,510 |
| Exit value | $8,052,550 |
| Equity out | $4,552,550 |
The Operator's Read
Search funds let an operator buy an established, profitable business using mostly debt plus investor equity — returns come from growth, debt paydown, and multiple expansion. It's "entrepreneurship through acquisition." Educational only.
Assumptions & Limitations
- •The model is deterministic: it projects your inputs forward with clear arithmetic, not a Monte-Carlo or probabilistic forecast. It shows one scenario at a time — run several to bracket a range.
- •Defaults are illustrative benchmarks, not your business. Replace every field with your real numbers before drawing conclusions.
- •It abstracts away taxes, financing, seasonality, and one-off events unless a field explicitly captures them. Treat the output as a directional estimate.
- •This is an educational tool, not financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Validate real decisions with a qualified professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Search Fund Return Simulator calculate?
Model acquiring a business with leverage, growing EBITDA, and selling to see the searcher’s equity return. It takes 6 assumptions — Purchase price, Equity (down) %, EBITDA, EBITDA growth / yr, Exit multiple, Hold (years) — and returns Equity out, MOIC, IRR, along with a full projection table you can export.
How do I use the Search Fund Return Simulator?
Enter your own figures in the input fields above — Purchase price, Equity (down) %, EBITDA, and the rest. The model recalculates instantly and shows the resulting Equity out and full breakdown. No sign-up needed to run it.
Is the Search Fund Return Simulator free?
Yes — you can run the simulator and see the headline results for free. Toolkit Pro unlocks the full projection table, Excel/PDF export, saved scenarios, and AI analysis: $180/mo, $1,728/yr, or unlock any 3 simulators for $20.
What's the difference between this and a free calculator?
A calculator answers one question. This simulator models the full picture — multiple linked assumptions, a projection table, and scenario comparison — the way an operator would build it in a spreadsheet, but instantly.
Who built the Search Fund Return Simulator?
The Crimson Bench's Ivy League-educated operators — the same people we deploy into C-suites. This is the self-serve version of a model they'd build inside a live engagement.
Is this financial advice?
No. The Search Fund Return Simulator is an educational modeling tool for directional planning — not financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Validate any real decision with a qualified professional.
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The Crimson Bench · Est. 2002 · Founded in New York City
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