Operator-led due diligence for venture capital firms, angel investors, and family offices. Operational, technical, and AI readiness assessment of target companies - delivered in 1-2 weeks with honest go/caution/no-go signals.
Process maturity, team structure, decision-making patterns, execution capability. Can this company actually run at the scale they're pitching?
Architecture review, tech debt assessment, scalability analysis, security posture. Will the tech survive the next stage of growth?
Can this company execute on its AI claims? Data foundation, team capability, AI strategy, governance, and roadmap reality check.
Founder decision patterns under pressure, team scalability, key-person risk, leadership gaps. Often the highest-value module.
Hidden fragility - knowledge silos, governance gaps, single points of failure. The risks that aren't in the deck.
If you invest, what should the value creation plan look like? Prioritized recommendations for the first 90 days post-investment.
Venture capital firms (seed to growth stage), angel investors, family offices, corporate venture arms, and accelerators. Especially useful for tech-forward funds investing in fintech, SaaS, AI, and early-stage operational companies.
Standard DD: 1-2 weeks. Light DD focused on a specific risk area: 3-5 days. Comprehensive (technical + operational + AI + team): 2-3 weeks. Express DD for time-sensitive deals possible at premium rate.
Confidential 15-25 page PDF: executive summary with clear go/caution/no-go signal, operational maturity score, technical architecture review, team scalability assessment, AI readiness rating, risk inventory, red flags requiring deal terms or post-close action, and prioritized post-investment value creation recommendations.
Three differences.
1. Faster. 1-2 weeks vs 6-8 weeks. Modern deal pace requires modern DD speed.
2. Operator-led. I've actually built and scaled the systems I'm assessing. Not analyzed them in case studies. The pattern recognition is from earned scars, not framework application.
3. Honest. VCs hire me because I'll tell them when something looks great in the deck but breaks under real scrutiny. Big consulting firms have incentive to keep findings ambiguous - I don't.
Yes - and VCs love this continuity. Common pattern: I do DD pre-investment, then continue with the portfolio company post-close as fractional PM/COO/coach. The same person who diagnosed the issues helps fix them. Cleaner handoff, faster value creation.
Yes. NDA is standard. Both with the VC firm and the target company. Findings are shared only with the engaging fund. Data accessed during DD is destroyed after report delivery unless ongoing engagement is contracted.
Three options:
1. Per-deal: Starting from $1,500 for light DD. $3,000-7,500 for standard DD. Comprehensive DD scoped per project.
2. Retainer: Monthly retainer for funds doing 3+ DDs/quarter. Better economics + faster turnaround.
3. Annual partnership: Discounted rates + first-priority scheduling for funds doing high deal volume.
Strongest fit: fintech, digital banking, SaaS, AI/ML companies, adtech, B2B operational tools, and any tech-forward operating company.
Less ideal: deep tech (hardware, biotech), pure consumer brands without tech component, deeply regulated industries I haven't worked in (med devices, defense).
Honest fit assessment is part of the intro call.
30-minute scoping call. Tell me the deal context, target company, what you're worried about, and timeline. I'll come back with a scoped proposal within 24 hours - or tell you honestly if I'm not the right fit.
Book a 30-minute scoping call. NDA-friendly. Fast turnaround. Honest signals.