Viburnum Funds approached me — what now?
An acquirer reaching out can feel like a big moment, and it’s normal to be unsure what it means or how to respond. An approach is not an offer, and it doesn’t commit you to anything — it’s the start of a conversation you get to run at your own pace.
The most useful thing to do first is slow down and understand what kind of approach this actually is. The rest of this page walks through who Viburnum Funds is, how to read the signals, and the practical moves that keep your options open.
Who they are, in short
Viburnum Funds is a Perth-based active-ownership investment manager established in 2007. Its private-equity team invests in established Australian minerals technology, products and services businesses through growth and buyout transactions.
Read the full profile of Viburnum FundsWhat they look for
- Sector focus
- Established Australian minerals technology, products and services businesses that enable growth in mineral production, including critical-minerals and energy-transition supply chains.
- Geography
- Australia, with the private-equity team based in Perth, Western Australia.
- Ownership
- Long-term active ownership through growth and buyout transactions, working with entrepreneurs and executives to build and grow companies.
- Capital model
- Private-equity fund strategy; the official site identifies a private-equity team and separate public-equities strategy but does not disclose vehicle size or detailed fund terms.
Reading the approach
Not every approach means the same thing. A private equity firm might be running a wide net, or might have a specific reason to want your business. Here’s how to tell the difference.
- Who sent itRoutine BD outreachAn analyst or associate, often via a generic template or LinkedIn note.Genuine intentA partner, principal, or the platform's CEO — someone who can actually transact.
- How specific it isRoutine BD outreachPraises the sector and your growth in general terms; could be sent to a hundred companies.Genuine intentReferences your actual product, customers, or numbers — they've done real homework.
- What they ask forRoutine BD outreachA quick intro call to learn more and get to know you for the future.Genuine intentA view on whether you'd consider a transaction, and often an early sense of scale.
- Their timelineRoutine BD outreachOpen-ended relationship building with no particular urgency.Genuine intentA concrete reason they're reaching out now — a fund mandate, a thesis, a nearby deal.
- Where it leadsRoutine BD outreachAdded to a pipeline and periodically checked in on.Genuine intentToward an indicative offer, diligence, and a process — if you engage.
Neither is bad, and neither is a commitment. The point is to read the approach for what it is before deciding how much time and information to give it — an early, low-specificity note rarely warrants sharing numbers, while genuine interest is worth understanding properly.
The moves that protect your position
Whatever the intent, a few simple habits keep you in control of the conversation and your information.
- Reply politely and keep the door open — you lose nothing by being courteous.
- Ask who they are, why now, and what stage of interest this is.
- Take your time; a serious buyer will wait for a considered response.
- Get your own read on what the business could be worth before discussing price.
- Loop in an adviser who represents you, not the buyer, before sharing anything sensitive.
- Don't name a price first, or react to a number floated casually on a call.
- Don't share detailed financials or customer data before there's an NDA and real intent.
- Don't negotiate against yourself by signalling how keen — or how nervous — you are.
- Don't let a single unsolicited approach turn into an exclusive, one-buyer conversation.
- Don't agree to a binding timeline or exclusivity just to keep them interested.
Common questions
- Is an approach from Viburnum Funds an offer?
- No. An approach is an expression of interest, not an offer — it commits you to nothing. Offers come much later, usually in writing as an indicative offer or term sheet, and only after both sides have chosen to engage.
- Do I have to reply straight away?
- No. There is no clock on your side of the conversation. A considered reply a week later reads better than a rushed one the same afternoon, and a genuine buyer will still be there. You set the pace.
- Should I share my financials with Viburnum Funds?
- Not in a first conversation. An early, low-specificity approach rarely warrants sharing numbers. If the conversation gets serious, information changes hands progressively and under a signed NDA — at a pace you control.
- How do I know if Viburnum Funds is serious?
- Read the approach itself: who sent it (a partner or CEO signals more intent than an analyst template), how specific it is about your actual product, customers, or numbers, and whether there is a concrete reason they are reaching out now. Generic praise that could have been sent to a hundred companies usually means a routine sweep.
- Do I need an advisor before responding?
- Not to acknowledge an email. But before sharing anything material — numbers, customer names, growth plans — a second opinion from someone whose only job is to represent you tends to pay for itself. An advisor can read the approach, tell you how much interest it really signals, and keep your options open.
- What happens if I just ignore it?
- Usually nothing bad — an unanswered email doesn't close any doors, and a genuinely interested buyer will follow up. What you give up is information: understanding why they reached out now can tell you a lot about how your business is being seen, even if you have no intention of selling.
Want a second opinion?
If it would help to talk it through with someone whose only job is to represent you — not the buyer — that’s exactly what we do. A short, no-obligation conversation is often enough to know where you stand.
Approached by Viburnum Funds? Get a straight, unconflicted read before you reply.
General information, not legal, financial, or tax advice. Every situation is different — talk to an adviser about yours.