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Technical Due Diligence
Technical Due Diligence
Comprehensive evaluation of product architecture, engineering organization, and development processes for M&A, private equity, and investment decisions. Know exactly what you're getting — and what it will cost to fix — before you commit capital.
Overview
Our technical due diligence process starts with your investment objectives. We scope the review around the target's technology, organization, delivery practices, and material risks. Focused management sessions and evidence review can be conducted remotely or onsite, depending on the transaction and agreed scope.
Our technical due diligence process focuses on the following areas:
Technology
- Can the technology scale to expected growth levels?
- Is the system designed to be highly available?
- Is the technology design and implementation cost efficient?
AI / ML
- Is the solution novel or differentiated in its use of AI/ML?
- Can the models scale effectively with data and user growth?
- Are the models and pipelines designed to evolve as the business grows?
- Is there appropriate monitoring and retraining infrastructure in place?
- Are responsible AI practices and data governance being followed?
Organization
- Are the individuals involved knowledgeable about industry best practices?
- Are the teams organized properly for fast time-to-market?
- Are the teams incentivized properly?
- How are the teams measured?
Process
- Are industry best practices being followed?
- How are features and stories prioritized?
- Are appropriate metrics in place?
Security
- Are code scans and penetration tests being conducted?
- Is security training occurring on a regular basis?
- Are there adequate security policies in place?
- Are industry best practices around access control in place?
Scope & Pricing
We offer tiered pricing based on the size, complexity, and stage of the target company.
Document-Only Technical Due Diligence
$10,000 – $25,000
A review of the documents the company provides, without management sessions. Covers the same areas — architecture, scalability, product and engineering practices, operations, security, and team — with written follow-up questions in place of interviews. Suited to smaller investments, early-stage targets, or a first look before full diligence. Add a code scan for read-only analysis of the code repositories. Need it faster? Rapid Technical Due Diligence delivers the report within 48 hours (business days) of receiving the documents and read-only code access, and its fee can be applied toward full technical due diligence on the same target.
Standard Technical Due Diligence
$25,000 – $40,000
Designed for single-product startups or small-to-mid-sized companies (typically Seed to Series C). Covers core technology, architecture, scalability, security, and team capabilities. Management sessions and evidence review are scoped to the company's complexity and the transaction schedule.
Expanded Technical Due Diligence
$40,000 – $75,000
For larger companies or those with multiple products (Series C+ or mid-market). Includes detailed security assessments, multiple team evaluations, and deeper process analysis. May involve multiple onsite visits, interviews across key functional areas, and code analysis review.
Enterprise & Custom Diligence
$50,000+ (custom pricing)
Designed for large acquisitions. Comprehensive multi-product, multi-region evaluations. May include multi-week engagements, deeper risk analysis, and scalability forecasting.
Want a number for your deal? Answer a few questions about the company and the scope you need, and get an estimated fee range in a couple of minutes.
No matter the size of the company or the size of the investment, we can help. We've performed technical diligence for seed rounds, Series A and beyond, carve-outs, strategic investments, and taking public companies private — from $5 million invested to over $1 billion.
Preparing for buyer diligence?
Companies also hire AKF to run technical due diligence on themselves before an acquirer or investor does — buy-side readiness. You see what their diligence will find, with the same areas and the same rigor, while there is still time to fix issues, prepare evidence, and get your team ready for the questions. Rapid diligence works as a quick check; for a full exit or fundraising preparation program, see sell-side diligence and exit readiness.
What's Included
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Architecture & scalability risk
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Engineering team & process review
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Tech debt quantification
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Security posture & risk assessment
How We Work
01
Discover & Assess
We begin every engagement with a thorough discovery — understanding your goals, constraints, team, and current state. No assumptions, no cookie-cutter frameworks.
02
Design & Prioritize
We develop a clear roadmap with prioritized recommendations. You get practical guidance, not a 200-page report that collects dust.
03
Execute & Transfer
We stay through execution — leading, coaching, and delivering alongside your team — then transfer knowledge so you own the outcome long after we're gone.