The best starting point for a searcher who needs a working acquisition pipeline by end of day, at zero cost.
HubSpot is a US-based cloud CRM used by millions of businesses worldwide. For search funds it functions as a deal pipeline tracker, contact manager and outreach log, the operational backbone of a structured search. It is free to start and requires no technical setup.
Why searchers use it
The search phase is fundamentally a volume and consistency game, identifying targets, reaching out to owners, following up at the right moment, and never losing track of a warm conversation. HubSpot gives a searcher the structure to manage that process without spending time building a system from scratch. On day one a searcher can create their acquisition pipeline stages, import their first target list, and start logging owner interactions. The free tier covers everything needed during the search phase, most searchers never need to upgrade.
Core capabilities relevant to search funds
- Pipeline management: Customizable kanban board, build your exact acquisition stages from first contact to LOI
- Contact and company records: Log owner details, company information, outreach history and documents in linked records
- Email tracking: Know when an owner opens your email, useful for timing follow-up calls
- Meeting scheduler: Share a booking link directly with owners and advisors
- Reporting: Basic pipeline and outreach reporting suitable for investor updates
- Integrations: Native connectors for Gmail, Outlook and 1,000+ tools
Honest limitations
HubSpot is a general-purpose sales CRM, not a tool built for acquisitions. The terminology, default fields and suggested workflows are built for selling products, not buying companies. A searcher will need to rename stages, add custom fields for financial data, and ignore large parts of the interface that are irrelevant to their workflow.
The free tier also limits automation, if a searcher wants to run structured follow-up sequences, they will need to upgrade or use a separate outreach tool.
Getting started
A searcher can have a working pipeline set up within a few hours, create a free account, build your deal stages, add your first target companies as deals, and start logging outreach. No implementation support or technical knowledge required.
Pricing
The free tier is permanent, it covers pipeline management, contact records, email tracking and basic reporting.
Paid tiers start at approximately €15/month (Starter) and unlock automation and email sequences.
Most searchers complete their entire search on the free tier.
