Technical Due Diligence Checklist
The comprehensive checklist I use when evaluating technical products for investors and acquirers. Identify risks, validate claims, and assess technical debt in 50+ key areas.
- [+]50+ evaluation criteria across 8 domains
- [+]Red flags & warning signs guide
- [+]Interview questions for technical teams
- [+]Risk scoring framework
Download Free Checklist
Used by VCs, angels, and acquirers to evaluate technical risk
// DOMAINS
8 Critical Domains Covered
Every area you need to evaluate for comprehensive technical due diligence
Code Quality & Architecture
- [+]Code review process & standards
- [+]Technical debt assessment
- [+]Architecture scalability
- [+]Documentation quality
- [+]Test coverage & CI/CD
Infrastructure & DevOps
- [+]Cloud architecture & costs
- [+]Deployment processes
- [+]Monitoring & alerting
- [+]Disaster recovery plans
- [+]Scalability & performance
Security & Compliance
- [+]Security audit history
- [+]Data protection measures
- [+]Authentication & authorization
- [+]Compliance certifications
- [+]Vulnerability management
Team & Processes
- [+]Team structure & skills
- [+]Development workflow
- [+]Knowledge documentation
- [+]Key person dependencies
- [+]Hiring & retention
Product & Technology Fit
- [+]Tech stack appropriateness
- [+]Product roadmap viability
- [+]Technical differentiation
- [+]Integration capabilities
- [+]API design & versioning
Risk Assessment
- [+]Critical vulnerabilities
- [+]Licensing & IP issues
- [+]Third-party dependencies
- [+]Regulatory compliance gaps
- [+]Migration/upgrade risks
BONUS: Red Flags Guide
Includes a separate guide on the top 20 red flags that should immediately raise concerns, plus how to dig deeper when you spot them.
// AUDIENCE
Who Needs This Checklist?
Investors & VCs
Evaluate technical risk before writing checks. Understand what you're investing in beyond the pitch deck.
Acquirers & Corp Dev
Assess acquisition targets thoroughly. Identify integration challenges and hidden costs before the deal.
Founders & Boards
Self-assess your technical foundation. Identify gaps before investors or acquirers do.
// CASE_STUDY
How This Checklist Saved a £2M Investment
A VC firm used this checklist during due diligence on a promising Series A SaaS startup. The evaluation uncovered:
- [!]Single developer with 80% of system knowledge (key person risk)
- [!]No disaster recovery plan or backups tested in 18 months
- [!]Critical security vulnerabilities in authentication system
- [!]£45K/month in unnecessary cloud costs (poor architecture)
Result: The firm negotiated a £500K reduction in valuation and allocated £200K for technical remediation post-investment. The checklist paid for itself 100x over.
Running due diligence across a portfolio?
We offer pre-acquisition technical DD and post-acquisition eng org restructuring for PE firms. From £25k.
// SERVICES
Need Expert Technical Due Diligence?
This checklist gives you the framework. If you need an experienced CTO to conduct the actual due diligence review, we offer comprehensive technical audits starting at £5K.
Typical turnaround: 5-7 business days for full report