Technical Due Diligence for Investors in Software Companies
I write and speak about technical due diligence, software governance, and what makes software companies investor-ready. This site brings together my background, writing, and areas of focus as I develop a more dedicated practice in this space.
- 25 years in software and infrastructure
- Engineering, cloud, security, and governance perspective
- Focused on software startups and investor-facing diligence
Who This Is For
For Investors
Technical due diligence for software investments covers architecture, security, engineering maturity, infrastructure, and delivery risk. I write and think about what investors need to understand before or during a transaction.
Investor due diligence →For Startups
The signals investors scrutinize — architecture, scalability, operations, team maturity — are worth addressing early. I write about what startup teams should understand before a diligence process begins.
Startup readiness →What Is Technical Due Diligence?
Technical due diligence is an independent review of a software company's technology, covering architecture, engineering practices, security, infrastructure, operating maturity, and delivery risk. It helps investors understand what they are buying, identify material risks, and make better-informed decisions before or during a transaction.
What Technical Diligence Covers
Architecture and scalability
Is the system designed to support growth? Covers structural decisions, technical debt, and the ability to scale under real production conditions.
Security and compliance readiness
Are risks understood and actively managed? Includes access controls, vulnerability exposure, data handling practices, and alignment with relevant requirements.
Infrastructure and operations
How is the system deployed and kept running? Reviews cloud setup, reliability practices, incident readiness, and day-to-day operational maturity.
Engineering team and execution maturity
Can the team consistently deliver? Reviews development practices, code quality, hiring maturity, and realistic delivery capacity.
Product roadmap feasibility
Is the plan grounded in reality? Covers technical dependencies, delivery effort, and whether current capability supports roadmap commitments.
Technology governance and delivery risk
How are technology decisions made and tracked? Covers documentation, ownership, architectural decision-making, and exposure to key-person or vendor dependencies.
What a Diligence Assessment Produces
Risk and findings report
A concise written summary of material findings, organised by business impact and risk level. Short enough to read quickly, specific enough to support decisions.
Prioritised recommendations
Each finding is paired with a practical recommendation and an indication of likely effort. This helps distinguish what needs attention now from what can be addressed later.
Support for investor or management discussion
A well-structured assessment supports direct discussion with investors, founders, or management teams, walking through the findings and the reasoning behind them.
Clear view of remediation effort
Where issues exist, the assessment distinguishes between quick fixes, structural improvements, and risks that are manageable but should be understood upfront.
My Perspective
My background is in building and operating software systems across high-growth environments. I approach technical diligence without a product to sell or vendor relationships to protect — which means the analysis stays focused on what actually matters.
- — Independent perspective
- — Operator background in software and infrastructure
- — Practical, decision-oriented analysis
I am also increasingly interested in what happens after diligence: how investors maintain visibility into the technical posture of portfolio companies over time. In parallel with my writing and conversations in this space, I am exploring tooling concepts that could help investors track key signals across a portfolio in a more structured and usable way.
Interested in a professional exchange?
For thoughtful conversations on technical diligence, software governance, or future collaboration, feel free to reach out.
Get in Touch