Technical Due Diligence

1 to 3 weeks. Buyer and investor-ready assessment.

You're about to commit capital to a technology asset. The pitch deck looks good. The demos are impressive. But what's actually under the hood? Is the architecture sound? Is the team capable? What will it cost to fix what's broken?

Technical due diligence gives you independent, expert assessment before you sign. Not a rubber stamp, but honest findings you can use to negotiate, plan post-acquisition investment, or walk away with confidence.

Who this is for

  • PE and VC firms evaluating technology investments
  • Corporate acquirers assessing M&A targets
  • Founders preparing to raise who want to pre-empt investor concerns
  • PE operations teams assessing portfolio company health
  • CEOs and boards considering strategic partnerships or acquisitions

I have particular depth in InsurTech, claims platforms, and B2B SaaS, but the assessment methodology applies across technology companies.

What you get

Diligence Rubric and Scoring

Structured assessment across risk categories: architecture, code quality, security, scalability, operability, team capability, and technical debt. Each area scored with clear rationale, not just a number.

Red Flags and Mitigation Options

Explicit identification of deal-breakers, significant concerns, and watch items. For each red flag, I provide mitigation options and their implications for deal structure or post-acquisition planning.

Remediation Cost Bands

High-level cost and time estimates for addressing identified issues. Not detailed project plans, but realistic bands (e.g., "3-6 months, 2-3 engineers") that inform your investment model. I don't invent false precision.

Architecture and Operability Assessment

How the system is built, how it runs in production, and how it fails. Scalability ceiling, single points of failure, operational maturity, and monitoring coverage.

Dependency Review

Assessment of cloud infrastructure, third-party vendors, open-source dependencies, and (where relevant) AI/LLM integrations. Concentration risk, lock-in exposure, and licensing concerns.

Board Summary and Q&A Pack

Executive summary suitable for investment committee. Plus anticipated questions and suggested responses for your deal team. You shouldn't need me in the room to defend the findings.

What's not included

  • Formal penetration testing or security certification
  • Legal review of IP or contracts
  • Financial audit or revenue verification
  • Detailed project plans for remediation
  • Post-acquisition implementation support (separate engagement)

How it works

1

Scope and Timeline

Brief call to understand the deal context, timeline constraints, and specific concerns. I'll confirm scope, access requirements, and deliverables. You'll have a clear proposal within 24 hours.

2

Data Room Review

Analysis of documentation, architecture diagrams, and any materials provided by the target. I'll identify gaps and request additional access as needed.

3

Technical Deep Dive

Codebase review, architecture assessment, and (where possible) conversations with the target's technical team. This is where red flags surface and claims get validated.

4

Report and Readout

Comprehensive findings report with executive summary. Live readout session with your deal team to discuss findings, answer questions, and explore implications.

5

Deal Support (Optional)

Available for follow-up questions, negotiation support, or presentation to investment committee. I can also help structure post-acquisition technical workstreams.

Common questions

How long does it take?

Typically 1-3 weeks depending on scope and complexity. A focused assessment of a single product can complete in a week. Multi-product portfolios or complex architectures may need 2-3 weeks. I can work to deal timelines when needed.

What if the target is uncooperative?

Limited cooperation is itself a finding. I can work with whatever access is provided and clearly document what couldn't be assessed. Reluctance to share often indicates areas worth investigating further in negotiations.

Do you provide a pass/fail recommendation?

No. I provide findings, risks, and remediation estimates. The investment decision is yours. My job is to ensure you have accurate technical intelligence to inform that decision, not to make it for you.

Can you assess AI/ML components?

Partially. I can assess how AI/ML is integrated into the platform: API dependencies, data pipelines, governance controls, vendor lock-in, and operational maturity. I don't evaluate model quality or training approaches. For deep ML expertise, I can bring in specialist consultants as part of the engagement.

What about team assessment?

Team capability is part of every assessment. I evaluate team structure, skill distribution, key-person dependencies, and engineering culture. Technology is only as good as the team maintaining it.

Related services

Platform Health Check →Fractional CTO →

Post-acquisition, many investors engage me for ongoing Fractional CTO support to oversee technical transformation.

Need due diligence on a technology asset?

Tell me about the deal timeline and target, and I'll confirm whether I can help and what it would involve.

References available on request. I typically respond to emails within 2 business days.