Preserving Europe’s Local Businesses for Future Generations
A profitable, principled alternative to the corporate buyout machine. We buy, modernise, and steward the enduring heritage of Europe's most vital local businesses.
Our Thesis
Local Legacy was founded on the belief that small businesses are the backbone of thriving societies. They aren't just economic drivers—they're the heart and soul of our communities, custodians of local culture, and enablers of social cohesion.
Yet too often, when small businesses face succession challenges or seek to transition, their only options are corporate consolidation or closure. Both outcomes strip communities of their character and economic vitality.
We offer a third way: professional acquisition expertise combined with a genuine commitment to community prosperity. We're not just buying businesses—we're investing in Europe's future, one local legacy at a time.
What We Value
Community First
We preserve the character and identity that makes each business unique to its community. Local jobs, local suppliers, local prosperity.
Sustainable Growth
Professional modernisation that respects tradition. We invest in technology and processes that ensure long-term viability without losing soul.
Long-Term Stewardship
We're caretakers of legacy, not exploiters of assets. Our success is measured in generations, not quarters.
Our Approach
1) Identify & Connect
We seek out small, local businesses facing succession challenges, owners planning retirement, or enterprises ready for their next chapter.
2) Respectful Acquisition
Fair valuation, transparent terms, and a genuine understanding of what the business means to its founders and community.
3) Thoughtful Modernisation
Strategic investments in technology, processes, and people that respect heritage while ensuring competitiveness.
4) Long-Term Stewardship
Ongoing commitment to local employment, supplier relationships, and community engagement.
Who We Are
Local Legacy is a private investment vehicle and M&A advisory firm dedicated to helping private investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs acquire solid, cash-generative businesses in Europe’s lower mid-market. We focus on enduring, “essential” SMEs that form the backbone of local economies—businesses that generate stable cash flows, support local jobs, and provide services communities rely on every day. Rather than contributing to the wave of corporate consolidation, we offer a profitable, principled alternative: buying, modernising, and stewarding Europe’s most vital local businesses for the long term.
Founded and led by its sole shareholder, Kelvin Klatt, Local Legacy combines committed, patient capital with hands-on buy-side advisory. Kelvin is a Lisbon-based entrepreneur and former management consultant with 15+ years of experience advising SME owners on strategy, operations, and M&A strategies across a range of sectors. Having spent his career working alongside founders in the trenches, he brings both analytical rigour and a deep respect for the human side of succession, transition, and legacy.
Connect with Kelvin on LinkedIn
Ready to discuss the future of your business?
Whether you're a business owner exploring succession options or an investor excited about our thesis, we'd love to hear from you.