M&A as a Force for Good: Scaling Mission & Wealth Through Employee Ownership

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) have historically operated as a gated strategy, reserved for the powerful few, designed to consolidate control, extract value, and benefit those already at the top. But what if we unlocked that gate? What if M&A could be an accelerant for impact, mission-driven growth, and broad-based economic empowerment?

This session challenges the traditional extractive M&A model and presents a new paradigm. In this vision, acquisitions are intentionally structured to scale mission and distribute wealth more equitably. We will explore how employee ownership (EO) structures can be integrated at the time of acquisition or post-acquisition, ensuring that all employees, not just the founder, share in the success and expansion of the business.

Whether you are a founder, acquirer, investor, or stakeholder, this session offers a roadmap to democratize M&A. It transforms the process from a gated, wealth-concentrating mechanism into a strategy for accelerating impact, distributing ownership, and building long-term resilience.