Sell Your Childcare Centre or Preschool in Singapore
Edugrow sells childcare centres and preschools confidentially to vetted operators and investors. A typical sale takes 4 to 9 months from mandate to completion, and ECDA sets the critical path: a transfer of licence is applied for at least 3 months ahead, with at least 7 months left on the licence. Across 24 profitable childcare centres Edugrow has sold, the average multiple was 3.86x EBITDA.
A childcare centre is worth what a buyer believes will continue after you leave: full classes, a principal and teachers who stay, a licence and lease with time left, and parents who trust the centre. We help you show that clearly, price it on the profit a buyer will accept, and time the sale around ECDA's notice periods so parents and staff hear about it from you, at the right moment.
What buyers look for
- Enrolment close to licensed capacity, ideally with a waitlist
- A principal (not the owner) and a stable, qualified teaching team who will stay
- Licence tenure that leaves room for ECDA's process: a 12-month licence with at least 7 months left when a transfer is applied for
- A lease with time left, and premises (especially HDB sites) that can pass to the buyer
- Clean accounts, fee records, and a register of deposits and prepaid fees
- A clean compliance record with ECDA, and Partner or Anchor Operator terms documented where they apply
Start a Confidential Conversation
Your first conversation is free and 100% confidential. Success fee on the sale, no retainer.
How we sell your childcare centre
- 1
Confidential first conversation
We learn how the centre runs, why you are thinking of selling and what matters to you beyond the price, including your timing and your team. Free, and nothing is shared without your consent.
- 2
Written valuation
We rebuild your profit the way a buyer will, including the cost of a principal if you run the centre yourself, look at enrolment against capacity, the licence and the lease, and set an asking price buyers will support.
- 3
Preparation and structure
An anonymous teaser and an information pack, a licence and lease timeline, and a view on whether a share sale or a business sale suits you and your buyers better.
- 4
Confidential buyer outreach
We approach operators, groups and investors we know are looking, under an anonymous code. Identifying details are released only after a buyer signs an NDA.
- 5
Offers and negotiation
We compare offers like for like, including structure, deferred payments and how deposits and prepaid fees are settled, and negotiate the letter of intent.
- 6
ECDA, landlord and completion
We manage due diligence, the Sale and Purchase Agreement, the ECDA transfer of licence or key appointment holder notice, landlord or HDB steps, and the plan for telling staff and parents.
Guides for childcare centre owners
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to sell a childcare centre?
Edugrow's childcare sales typically take 4 to 9 months from mandate to completion. ECDA's rules set much of the timetable: a transfer of licence must be applied for at least 3 months before the transfer date, with at least 7 months left on a 12-month or longer licence (ECDA Code of Practice s3.3.1 and s3.3.4), while a share sale needs at least 1 month's written notice of new key appointment holders (s3.5).
Will my parents and staff find out I am selling?
Not until you are ready. Your centre is marketed under an anonymous code, and buyers must sign an NDA before they receive anything identifying. ECDA does require written notice to parents at least 3 months before a transfer of licence, or at least 1 month before a change of key appointment holders in a share sale, so we plan the timing with you and tell key staff first.
What is my childcare centre worth?
Profitable centres are usually priced as a multiple of normalised EBITDA, the profit a new owner can expect after paying a principal. Across 24 profitable childcare centres Edugrow has sold, the average multiple was 3.86x EBITDA. Enrolment, the licence and lease, the team and the profit trend decide where your centre sits. The valuation calculator on our site gives you an indicative range in two minutes, at no cost.
Should I sell the company or the business?
In a share sale the buyer takes over your company, so the licence stays in place and ECDA is notified of the new key appointment holders. In a business sale the centre moves into the buyer's company, which needs ECDA's approval of a transfer of licence and, for HDB premises, a tenancy in the buyer's name. Each has different tax, staff and liability effects, and we help you weigh them early.
How do your fees work?
Edugrow charges a success fee on the sale, with no retainer. A written valuation is a fixed fee, credited in full against the success fee if you sign with us within 6 months. The first conversation and a written recommendation are free.