Investor and Board Advisory

Technology due diligence

Independent technology due diligence for investors, acquirers and boards. We assess architecture, engineering capability, cyber security, AI and technology cost, and set out what it means for the deal.

Technology is increasingly where deal value is either created or lost. A platform that cannot scale, an engineering team with a single point of failure, an unmanaged cyber exposure or an ungoverned use of AI can all change the economics of a transaction after completion.

Our technical due diligence is led by senior practitioners who have run technology and security functions in regulated organisations, so findings are grounded in what can realistically be fixed, in what timeframe and at what cost.

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Scope

What technology due diligence covers

Scope is tailored to the thesis and the size of the target, but a full assignment typically examines each of the following areas and reports on them in terms of deal impact.

Product and architecture

How the platform is built, whether the architecture supports the growth case, and where scalability, availability or single points of failure would constrain the investment thesis.

Engineering capability

Team structure, key-person dependency, hiring plans, delivery throughput, release practices and the realism of the product roadmap against the resources available.

Cyber security and resilience

Security posture against ISO 27001, NIST CSF and Cyber Essentials expectations, incident history, third-party exposure and the cost of reaching an acceptable baseline.

Data protection and compliance

UK GDPR accountability, data flows, retention, subject rights handling and sector obligations such as FCA and PRA expectations for regulated targets.

AI use and governance

Where AI and machine learning are used in the product or operations, model and vendor dependency, data rights, evaluation and monitoring, and readiness for the EU AI Act and ISO 42001.

Technology cost base

Cloud and licensing spend, unit economics, contract commitments and the realistic run-rate after the deal, including remediation and modernisation costs.

Technical debt and remediation

What must be fixed, what can wait and what it will cost. Each finding is sized, prioritised and mapped to the value-creation plan rather than left as an open observation.

Third-party and licensing risk

Open-source licence exposure, critical supplier concentration, escrow arrangements, IP ownership and any dependency that would survive completion as a liability.

Engagement models

How we run a due diligence assignment

Fixed scope, fixed timescale and a named senior lead throughout. We work to the deal timetable rather than the other way round.

Red-flag review

Three to five days. A fast, focused screen to surface deal-breaking technology, cyber or AI issues early, before significant transaction costs are committed.

Full technology due diligence

Two to three weeks. Complete assessment across architecture, engineering, cyber, data, AI and cost, delivered as a decision-ready report with a costed remediation plan.

Vendor due diligence

Seller-side assessment that identifies and addresses issues before a buyer's advisers do, protecting valuation and reducing time spent in diligence.

Post-deal review

First 100 days. Validation of the diligence findings, an executable technology roadmap, and interim or fractional leadership to deliver it if the target lacks a CTO or CISO.

Outcomes

What you receive

Our output is written for investment committees and boards, not for a technical audience, and every finding is tied to a commercial consequence.

Decision-ready findings

A short, plain-English report written for an investment committee, with risks ranked by materiality to the thesis rather than by technical severity.

Costed remediation plan

Every material finding carries an indicative cost, timescale and owner, so remediation can be reflected in the price, the warranties or the value-creation plan.

Negotiation evidence

Defensible, evidence-backed analysis that supports price adjustment, escrow, warranty or completion-condition discussions.

A roadmap that survives completion

The diligence output becomes the post-deal technology plan, not a document that is filed and forgotten once the transaction closes.

Who it is for

Investors, acquirers and boards

We support private equity and venture investors, corporate acquirers, family offices and boards considering an acquisition, a divestment or a significant technology investment. Sectors include financial services and fintech, higher education, regulated professional services and SaaS.

Where a target has no permanent technology or security leadership, we can continue after completion as a fractional CTO, virtual CIO or virtual CISO to deliver the plan the diligence produced.

FAQs

Common questions

What is technology due diligence?

Technology due diligence is an independent assessment of a target company's technology, engineering capability, architecture, cyber security, data and AI posture, and technology cost base, carried out to inform an investment, acquisition or divestment decision.

How long does technology due diligence take?

A rapid red-flag review typically takes three to five working days. A full technology due diligence assignment usually takes two to three weeks, depending on the size of the target, the number of products and the availability of management and evidence.

What does a technology due diligence report cover?

A typical report covers product and architecture, scalability, engineering team and delivery capability, cyber security and data protection, AI use and governance, third-party and licensing risk, technical debt, technology cost base, and a costed remediation and value-creation plan.

Do you carry out vendor due diligence for sellers?

Yes. We carry out vendor-side technology due diligence so sellers can identify and address issues before a buyer's advisers do, protecting valuation and reducing deal friction.

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