Technical due diligence for investment decisions
Understand the software risks behind an acquisition, investment or funding decision. Get an evidence-based assessment of the platform, its team and the work needed to support the business plan.
Engineering experience behind the assessment
- 1,000,000,000
- financial transactions in under an hourFastPost accounting platform · developed for LegerityFastPost case study
- Architecture
- integration architecture analysis and designGlobal beverage companyIntegration case study
- 80%
- lower infrastructure costHotel metasearch platform redevelopmentHotel search case study
- For
- Investors, acquirers and boards
- Timing
- Typically two to three weeks after access is ready
- Fee
- Fixed quote based on systems and review scope
- Output
- Decision summary, findings and remediation priorities
A report you can use in the decision
Decision summary
The material risks, strengths and open questions for the investment team, with their implications for the business plan.
Evidence and limitations
Findings linked to reviewed code, documentation, interviews or operational data. Gaps in access and areas outside the review are explicit.
Remediation priorities
A ranked list of changes with indicative effort and dependencies, supporting the next planning discussion.
Readout and questions
A walkthrough with the assessors and a written clarification round. The report remains yours, regardless of any later engagement.
Review the platform and the ability to deliver
Architecture and scalability
System boundaries, dependencies, failure modes and the capacity assumptions behind the roadmap.
Code and testing
Maintainability, test strategy, dependency health and the effort required to change the software safely.
Security and operations
Identity controls, secrets handling, vulnerability management, deployment practices and incident history.
Team and delivery
Ownership, key-person dependencies, release process and whether the team can execute the proposed plan.
Data and AI
Data availability and quality, existing AI controls and the feasibility of planned AI features.
Investment implications
How technical findings affect delivery, operating costs and near-term priorities, including uncertainty in the estimates.
Stratoflow was a great partner, challenging as well as supporting our customer projects for the best outcome. They have a great pool of talent within the business - all very capable technologists, as well as being business-savvy and suitable for consultancy engagements.
From agreed questions to a written assessment
Scope the review
Discuss the target, systems, investment questions and deadline. Agree the fee, access checklist and boundaries before work starts.
Review the evidence
Read code and documentation, inspect available operational data and discuss the platform with technical leaders under NDA.
Test the findings
Compare the evidence with management assumptions. Request clarification and distinguish confirmed issues from unresolved questions.
Deliver and explain
Share the report, priorities and limitations. Walk the investment team through the conclusions and answer follow-up questions.
The assessment stands on its own
The due diligence fee does not depend on follow-on implementation. Findings are based on the evidence available, and recommendations include alternatives where they materially change the decision.
Our deepest experience is in Java and JVM platforms. We agree the expertise needed for mixed technology stacks before quoting and identify any specialist review that falls outside our scope.
Before we start
How is the fee set?
We quote a fixed fee based on the number of systems, codebase size, requested depth and access available. Repeat assessments can be covered by a framework agreement.
What affects the timeline?
A typical review takes two to three weeks once access is ready. More systems, incomplete documentation, delayed access or specialist questions may require a different schedule, agreed with you.
What access do you need?
Usually read access to repositories, CI and deployment information, architecture documentation and relevant operating records, plus interviews with technical leaders. We agree a proportionate access plan under NDA.
Is this a penetration test or compliance certification?
No. We review security posture and available evidence within the agreed assessment. Penetration testing, formal certification and legal opinions require separate specialist scope.
Can you implement the recommendations?
Yes, where they fit our engineering expertise, under a separate agreement. You can also use the report to brief your own team or another supplier.
Is technical due diligence the same as software due diligence?
The terms overlap. Tech due diligence and technology due diligence usually cover the whole technology function, including infrastructure, security and the team; software due diligence focuses on the code and architecture. Our technical due diligence services cover both, because a sound codebase run by a team that cannot change it is still a risk to the business plan.
Do you work from a software due diligence checklist?
Yes, as a floor rather than a ceiling. A software due diligence checklist makes sure nothing standard is missed: licences, dependencies, security, tests, deployment and documentation. The findings that change a valuation usually come from outside it, from how the system behaves at the growth the plan assumes and who can change it.
Related services and guides
Discuss the target and your decision timeline
Tell us which systems are involved and what the investment team needs to understand. We will propose the review scope, access requirements and fee.