M&A Career Simulator

The craft of a deal

begins before the offer.

You pick a real simulated transaction, analyze the numbers, and defend every assumption to Rafael Torres, a tutor who never accepts "it depends" as an answer.

Enter the deal roomSee how it works
15
Cases from first call to closing
60
Modules with clear objectives
AI
Socratic tutor — Rafael Torres
Free
Full TechCo case. No card required.

Frameworks don't close deals.
The ones who master them do.

Most M&A training teaches you the theory. The map, the framework, the model. Deal Crafting makes you stand in the terrain, where the numbers don't always match the seller's narrative.

Deal Crafting was built to force exactly that reasoning. You don't watch. You decide, defend and answer for the number.

How it works

Learn by doing. Not watching.

01

You enter the deal

Fifteen simulated transactions. From a competitive SaaS IOI to a turnaround with a covenant breach in 90 days. You choose where to start.

02

Rafael Torres enters the room

Your tutor won't accept 'it depends.' He wants the number, the rationale, and the sensitivity, and will push until you defend every assumption with real data.

03

The committee wants answers

Three members. Three angles. One unscripted session. You defend the thesis you built or expose exactly where your reasoning broke down.

04

The memo goes into the file

The AI consolidates your sessions into a professional Investment Memo, exportable as PDF. A portfolio piece or a lesson for the next deal.

Case library

15 deals. Six angles of the market.

The full TechCo case is free. Lifetime access to all 15 cases with a single payment of $197.

M&A Buy-Side

You represent the buyer. Analyze the target, defend the valuation, and close the deal.
Buy-side M&A · PEIntermediateFree

TechCo Acquisition

B2B SaaS with $10.2M ARR in a competitive process with 4 funds. You have 3 weeks to submit the IOI.

Strategic M&A · Buy-sideIntermediate

VoltSoft Acquisition

EV software acquisition at $185M. DriveCore needs the OEM contracts — but does the price make sense?

PE Add-on · LBOIntermediate

NourishCo Add-on

PE fund evaluating a CPG bolt-on at 8x EBITDA. The LBO model needs to work — and the synergies need to be real.

Strategic M&A · PharmaAdvanced

NexaRx Acquisition

$480M upfront + $150M earnout for a commercial-stage oncology company. FTC scrutiny and a pipeline to price.

M&A Sell-Side

You represent the seller. Maximize the price, qualify buyers, and protect the client.
Sell-side M&A · IBIntermediate

RetailCo Sale

47 stores and an e-commerce growing 65%. Founder wants a full exit. You run the process and maximize the price.

Cross-border · Sell-sideAdvanced

EduTech Cross-border Sale

An unsolicited €85M offer from a European group. You have 8 weeks to create competition and close at the best price.

Cross-border M&A · Buy-sideAdvanced

Euromedia Acquisition

US streaming giant acquiring a European media group for $620M. FX exposure, EC antitrust, and content rights to navigate.

Restructuring & Distressed

Distressed capital structure, covenant breach, activist pressure. You build the plan and defend it to the board.
Turnaround · ActivistAdvanced

SteelCo Turnaround

$200M in debt, negative EBITDA, covenant breach in 90 days. You represent the activist fund with 18%. The lender wants a plan.

Distressed · 363 SaleAdvanced

SkyBridge 363 Sale

Regional airline in Chapter 11. You represent the secured lender — credit bid the assets or let it liquidate?

Equity Markets

Growth equity, IPOs, and ECM. You price the round, build the narrative, and defend it to investors.
Growth Equity · Series CBeginner

PayFlow Series C

B2B payments startup raising $60M at $340M pre-money. Your MD wants your initial read on the unit economics by end of day.

IPO · ECMIntermediate

BioMed IPO

Oncology biotech filing a $200M NASDAQ IPO. Phase 3 shows 68% ORR — now build the investor narrative and price the offering.

Debt Markets

High-yield bonds, project finance, and leveraged credit. You structure the deal and defend it to credit committee.
DCM · High-Yield NotesIntermediate

PackagingCo High-Yield Bond

$600M high-yield notes for a PE-backed packaging manufacturer. You are left bookrunner — set the coupon and execute the roadshow.

Project Finance · DCMAdvanced

GridCo Transmission Financing

$2.1B regulated utility debt financing. FERC-approved rate base, 4.7x leverage — build the structure and defend it to credit committee.

Financial Services M&A

REIT acquisitions and bank mergers. Regulatory complexity, TBV marks, and NAV discounts under the microscope.
REIT M&A · Buy-sideBeginner

ShopPark REIT Acquisition

Small-cap Sun Belt retail REIT at a 12% NAV discount. IC presentation in 5 days — is the $1.34B offer the right price?

Bank M&A · RegulatoryAdvanced

Pinnacle × Heritage Merger

$280M community bank acquisition. EPS accretion, credit quality marks, and a 1.42x TBV premium to defend before Fed and OCC.

Your tutor

Rafael Torres does not give ready answers.
He demands yours, with data and rationale.

Managing Director at Meridian Capital. Every answer you give opens a harder question. You only advance when you demonstrate real command of the framework, not just when you get the number right by chance.

Challenges premises before accepting any number
Simulates real investment committee pressure
Corrects the framework, not just the calculation
Increases difficulty as you demonstrate command
Rafael Torres · MD — Meridian Capital

Frequently asked questions

Do I need prior M&A experience?

No experience required. The tutor adjusts pressure to your level. Beginners build frameworks from scratch. Experienced analysts test their reasoning under real committee pressure and find the blind spots that day-to-day work doesn't expose.

Is TechCo really free?

Yes. The entire TechCo case is free with no credit card required. The paid plan unlocks all 15 cases.

How does the 7-day guarantee work?

If you're not satisfied for any reason, contact us and we'll refund the full amount. No questions asked.

What makes this different from a course?

Courses teach theory. Deal Crafting makes you defend yours. Rafael Torres doesn't accept 'it depends' as an answer. He wants the number, the rationale, and the sensitivity. You leave knowing exactly where you went wrong and why.

Module 1 is free.

No card. No commitment.

You sign up, work with Rafael, and feel the pressure. If it's not worth continuing, nobody charges you. If it is, you will know after the first session.

Enter the deal room