Technical Due Diligence

Independent assessment of software systems, codebases, technical architecture, and development teams - the accurate technical picture you need before investing.

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Technical Due Diligence

We conduct technical due diligence for investors, acquirers, and boards across the UK and Isle of Man. Independent assessment of software systems, codebases, technical architecture, and development teams - giving you the accurate technical picture you need to make informed investment and acquisition decisions.

Technical due diligence is the process of verifying that a company's technology assets are what they appear to be - that the software works as described, that the architecture is sound, that the technical debt is understood and manageable, and that the team is capable of delivering on the technical commitments the business has made. Without it, investors and acquirers are taking technical risk they cannot quantify.

Every technical due diligence engagement is led and delivered personally by Owen Jones, OLXR's founder and lead engineer. We conduct due diligence with the depth of an experienced engineer rather than the surface-level review of a management consultant - reading the actual code, reviewing the actual architecture, and asking the questions that reveal the actual state of the technology.

Who This Is For

Investors considering investment in a technology business and needing independent verification of the technical claims made in the pitch
Acquirers conducting M&A due diligence on a software business and needing a technical assessment alongside the financial and legal review
Private equity and venture capital firms that need a reliable technical due diligence partner for technology-heavy portfolio companies
Boards and leadership teams assessing the technical capability of a team or system they have inherited or are considering acquiring
Businesses evaluating a technology vendor or software supplier and needing independent assessment of their technical capability and stability
Founders preparing for investment who want to understand their technical position before investors conduct their own due diligence

What We Deliver

Codebase Assessment

Evaluation of code quality, architecture, technical debt, test coverage, and maintainability.

Architecture Review

Assessment of system design against current and anticipated scale and requirements.

Security Assessment

Identification of significant security vulnerabilities and risks in the technology stack.

Scalability and Performance Analysis

Assessment of whether the system can support the growth projections in the business plan.

Technology Stack Evaluation

Assessment of technology choices for appropriateness, longevity, and talent availability.

Technical Team Assessment

Evaluation of team capability, processes, and the bus factor risk of key person dependency.

Technical Debt Quantification

Honest assessment of the cost and risk represented by the current technical debt.

Written Report

A clear, structured report suitable for investment committee and board presentation.

Our Approach

1
Read the Code

Technical due diligence conducted without reading the actual code is not due diligence - it is a conversation about technology. We review the actual codebase, the actual database schema, the actual deployment configuration, and the actual test coverage. This is the only way to form an accurate view of the technical quality and risk, and it is the approach that produces findings that hold up to scrutiny rather than impressions formed from demos and documentation.

2
Assess Against the Business Plan

Technical due diligence findings are only meaningful in the context of the business plan they are being assessed against. An architecture that is inadequate for the scale projections in the business plan is a significant risk. The same architecture, assessed against more modest projections, might be entirely appropriate. We assess the technical assets against the specific claims and projections in the business plan - not against an abstract standard of technical excellence.

3
Report Clearly and Honestly

Technical due diligence reports need to be understood by people who are not engineers. We write reports that communicate technical findings clearly in business terms, that distinguish between findings that represent genuine deal risk and those that represent manageable technical debt, and that give the reader an accurate picture of the technical situation rather than an expert opinion buried in jargon. We also present findings verbally and answer questions from the investment team.

Why Choose OLXR

A surface-level review that misses a fundamental architectural problem, a critical security vulnerability, or a key-person dependency can lead to an investment decision based on an inaccurate picture of the technical risk.

Real Depth

We review at the depth needed to form an accurate view

Truly Independent

No relationship with the target, no stake in the outcome

Honest Reporting

Findings written plainly - no hedging to keep anyone happy

Senior-Led

Conducted by the founder, not delegated to a junior reviewer

Our value is in giving you an accurate picture of the technical reality - which is only possible if the assessment is conducted without any stake in the outcome.

OJ
Owen Jones
Founder & Lead Engineer

Frequently Asked Questions

A standard technical due diligence engagement for a single software product with a small to medium codebase typically takes three to five days of assessment and one to two days of report writing. More complex assessments involving multiple products, large codebases, or detailed security review take longer. We scope the engagement based on the size and complexity of what is being assessed and give you a clear timeline before starting.

We need read access to the source code repository, the architecture documentation, the deployment configuration, and ideally the database schema. We also need access to the technical team for interviews - typically the CTO or lead engineer and any other engineers with significant knowledge of specific system areas. We do not need access to production systems or customer data.

Yes - early-stage technical due diligence is often more important than late-stage because there is less established track record to assess. We evaluate the technology against the stage-appropriate standard - a pre-revenue startup is assessed differently from a scaling business with significant production traffic - and give you a clear view of the technical foundation being built and the risks it carries.

Finding significant technical problems is a valid outcome of due diligence - it is the point of the exercise. We report what we find accurately and completely, assess the cost and risk that each finding represents, and give you the information you need to decide whether the investment remains attractive at the proposed terms, whether different terms are warranted, or whether specific technical remediation should be a condition of the deal. We do not soften findings to make a deal happen.

Related Services

Technical Consultation

Independent technical advice
Code and System Reviews

Independent code assessment
Architecture and Planning

System design consultancy

Ready to Commission Technical Due Diligence?

Tell us about the business or system you need assessed. We will give you a clear scope, timeline, and cost for the engagement.

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