Image credit: Global Startups Insights.
Wisable announced $5M in seed funding on October 27, 2026. The company is backed by The D. E. Shaw Group.
Wisable is an M&A advisory firm for owners of businesses with at least $1M in annual revenue. It has advised owners since 2024. Each client gets a dedicated advisory team that positions and markets the business, finds and engages qualified buyers, and manages the deal through close. AI and automation handle financial analysis, buyer outreach, information management, and due diligence. The firm also offers fast-tracked valuations and a curated buyer network.
The company is aiming at a large market. It cites McKinsey’s estimate that six million small and midsize businesses will face an ownership transition by 2035. More than one million of those are viable candidates for sale, representing up to $5 trillion in enterprise value. Wisable argues that many owners lack a succession plan or trusted information, and that a fragmented market makes it hard to reach qualified buyers.
CEO Bryan O’Connell previously co-founded and led Huckleberry, which Paychex acquired in 2023, and later served as general manager of a Paychex subsidiary. He has also worked at McKinsey and Morgan Stanley, and he says he has sold businesses himself. The company says its team has more than 80 years of combined experience and $300M in total transaction value. Its sector experience includes home services, automotive services, and light manufacturing.
Samantha Monge Kaser of D. E. Shaw said the firm has spent several years looking at ways to bring sophisticated resources to small and midsize businesses. She described Wisable as a key part of that effort, alongside its investments in founder-owned businesses and technology-enabled companies. The team and transaction figures are self-reported.
Source:
Global Startups Insights: Wisable Raises $5 Million in Seed Funding to Expand Small Business M&A Advisory
