We've already mentioned some of the 'burning questions' which can be answered by IDIS BUSINESS EXCHANGE. Below, we deal with them in greater detail individually.

Succession
Many directors and major shareholders who have founded and successfully grown a company are looking for a successor who can secure the business' continuity and expansion, ultimately becoming its owner. Sometimes a successor is found within the company, but often one has to look outside. IDIS BUSINESS EXCHANGE can bring the two parties together.

Improved entrepreneurship
In a growing design company, the director/major shareholder often feels the need for a partner entrepreneur with qualities that complement their own. A now-classic example is the 'creative' founder in search of a 'business-oriented' partner. In practice, we've found that design entrepreneurs find the responsibility for the company and its employees to be a heavy burden. IDIS BUSINESS EXCHANGE is the place to find the right partner to share it with.

Acquisition by a company
Independent designers increasingly are trying to find a balance between their independent practice and the interaction and synergy offered by contact with other professionals. And always dealing with the ups and downs of practice on your own - especially after a long period as an independent - results in fatigue, a need for new inspiration. IDIS BUSINESS EXCHANGE can help you to find a company that will acquire your independent practice with its circle of clients.

Co-operation while remaining independent
New inspiration can be found only by joining forces with like-minded people. This can take many forms: from the offering of facilities to a an extensive, in-depth, creative co-operation. Whatever the form: IDIS BUSINESS EXCHANGE aims to help independents (and other professionals) find the right partners for co-operation.

Starting a new company
Your ambitions may go beyond co-operation between independents: you may want to set up a new company. In recent years, despite tough market conditions, a number of new companies have made a strong start and now have acquired a solid position among their peers in the market. IDIS BUSINESS EXCHANGE can help you find the right partners for a new business.

Sale of a company
There can be different reasons to consider selling a company. One may want to reinforce one's market position by joining forces with a larger group. A director or major shareholder may want to retire. A larger scale operation may help cut costs. In recent years, IDIS has brought many companies in contact with potential buyers. Now, with IDIS BUSINESS EXCHANGE, we're creating a permanent place where potential sellers and buyers can meet.

Acquisition of a company
The acquisition of an existing company can often accelerate the realisation of your ambitions as a design entrepreneur. It is a realistic alternative to autonomous growth. Motivations vary widely. Among others: the acquisition of specific, complementary expertise to offer new services to existing clients; the acquisition of interesting clients; the realisation of a better market position by increasing scale. In principle, all of these are mirror images of the reasons for selling a company.

Internationalisation
In the 1990s, following the lead of the advertising sector, the design sector also saw a wave of international group formation, resulting in conglomerates like Enterprise IG, Interbrand and Futurebrand. At present, it's mainly the smaller, still-independent companies which are actively forming international co-operations. These vary from complete integration of property (merger) to co-operations aiming at collaborative service provision to international clients, or in order to create new business.

Alliances and joint ventures
When the aim is the realisation of synergy between disciplines, the realisation of new service and product concepts or entry into new markets, co-operation between companies may take the form of a strategic alliance or joint venture. IDIS BUSINESS EXCHANGE brings together entrepreneurs in search of partners for this kind of co-operation.