Free Diagnostic Tool
SME Friction Map
7 questions. Under 5 minutes. Understand exactly where your business needs preparation before a sale, capital raise, or investor conversation.
Common questions about the Friction Map
Everything you need to know before or after running the diagnostic.
What does the Friction Map actually measure?
It scores your business across 7 dimensions that buyers and investors examine in every deal: corporate governance and structure, financial clarity and reporting, contract and revenue quality, management depth and founder dependency, operational processes and documentation, legal and compliance exposure, and strategic positioning. Each dimension is rated 1 to 5 against benchmarks aligned with what a professional buyer or investor expects to find.
How do friction scores affect my valuation and deal terms?
Friction points directly reduce the multiple a buyer is willing to pay and increase the conditions attached to any offer. High founder dependency, undocumented processes, legal exposure, or weak reporting each translate into price adjustments, earnout provisions, or deal delays. Addressing the highest-friction dimensions before approaching buyers is consistently the highest-return preparation investment an SME owner can make before a transaction.
What should I do once I have my results?
Start with your lowest-scoring dimension — that is where a buyer will look first and where preparation has the most impact on your final terms. Use the IMERGEA Valuation Tool to estimate your value corridor alongside the friction score, and the PE/VC Atlas to understand which buyer and investor types are most relevant for your sector and geography. If you want a structured advisory conversation, you can book a consulting session directly on imergea.com.
Is this tool relevant for businesses outside Europe?
Yes. IMERGEA works on cross-border transactions across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and other frontier and emerging markets. The friction dimensions — governance, financial clarity, legal structure, management depth — are relevant in every jurisdiction. The diagnostic is designed for SMEs with revenues between EUR 1M and EUR 25M regardless of geography.
Does completing this diagnostic commit me to anything?
No. The Friction Map is completely free, requires no registration, and produces no obligation. It is a starting point for your own thinking. IMERGEA offers it as a practical tool to help business owners understand where they stand before any transaction process begins.
How is IMERGEA different from a traditional investment bank?
IMERGEA focuses specifically on SMEs between EUR 1M and EUR 25M revenue — a segment too small for large investment banks but too important to be handled casually. We combine advisory judgment with practical data tools, work across cross-border and under-covered markets, and engage early in the preparation phase rather than only at the point of deal execution.