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Pre-Acquisition Technology Assessment Report

When acquiring a technology company or investing in one, the quality and sustainability of the technology is often the most critical — and most misunderstood — factor in the deal. Financial due diligence has well-established methodologies, but technology due diligence remains ad hoc at many firms, leading to costly surprises post-acquisition: hidden technical debt, scalability limitations, security vulnerabilities, key-person dependencies, and licensing issues that can cost millions to remediate. This pre-acquisition technology assessment report template provides a structured, professional format for documenting a comprehensive technology evaluation. The report template covers the full spectrum of technology due diligence dimensions: technology strategy alignment, architecture and infrastructure assessment, codebase quality and technical debt, security posture and vulnerability assessment, team capability and organizational structure, development processes and DevOps maturity, intellectual property and licensing review, scalability and performance analysis, data management and privacy compliance, and vendor and third-party dependency evaluation. Each section includes specific evaluation criteria, a standardized scoring rubric, space for detailed findings, and a risk classification system (Critical, High, Medium, Low, Informational) that helps decision-makers quickly understand the severity of identified issues. What distinguishes this template from a simple checklist is its focus on producing a professional deliverable. The report format includes an executive summary designed for non-technical stakeholders (board members, investors, M&A attorneys), a detailed findings section for technical review, a risk register summarizing all identified issues with estimated remediation costs, and a recommendation section that ties technical findings to deal-relevant business decisions. Whether you are a PE firm evaluating a potential portfolio company, a corporate acquirer assessing a target, or a startup preparing to present your technology in the best possible light during due diligence, this template ensures that the assessment is thorough, consistent, and professionally presented.

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Pre-Acquisition Technology Assessment Report

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What's Inside

Executive summary template formatted for non-technical board and investor audiences
Technology strategy assessment evaluating alignment between business objectives and technical decisions
Architecture and infrastructure deep-dive covering system design, cloud infrastructure, scalability, and disaster recovery
Codebase quality assessment framework with technical debt quantification and remediation cost estimation
Security posture evaluation covering vulnerability management, access controls, data protection, and compliance
Team and organizational assessment evaluating skills distribution, key-person risks, and hiring needs
Development process maturity evaluation covering Agile practices, CI/CD, testing, and release management
IP and licensing review framework for identifying open-source license risks and proprietary code ownership issues
Risk register template with severity scoring and estimated financial impact for each finding
Standardized scoring rubric ensuring consistent evaluation across multiple assessments

Who It's For

Private equity firms conducting technology due diligence on potential investments Corporate development teams assessing acquisition targets Technical advisors and consultants performing technology assessments for M&A transactions CTOs preparing their company's technology for investor or acquirer due diligence Venture capital firms evaluating the technical capabilities of later-stage portfolio companies

How It Works

1

Download free

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2

Fill in assessment

Work through each section using the built-in guidance and examples.

3

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a full technology due diligence assessment take?
A comprehensive tech DD assessment using this template typically takes 1-3 weeks depending on the complexity of the target company's technology stack and the level of access provided. The template helps you prioritize assessment areas so you can deliver meaningful findings even under tight deal timelines. A focused assessment covering the highest-risk areas can be completed in as little as 3-5 days.
Can I use this template for sell-side preparation?
Absolutely. Many CTOs use this template to conduct a self-assessment before their company enters a sale or fundraising process. By identifying and addressing issues proactively, you can present a stronger technology narrative during due diligence, potentially increasing valuation and reducing the risk of deal-breaking discoveries. Sell-side preparation using this template typically takes 2-4 weeks and is one of the highest-ROI activities a CTO can undertake before a transaction.
What level of technical access is needed to complete this report?
Ideally, the assessor should have read access to source code repositories, infrastructure configurations, CI/CD pipelines, and monitoring dashboards. However, many sections can be evaluated through management interviews, documentation review, and live demonstrations. The template notes which sections require direct technical access and which can be completed through indirect assessment methods.
Is this template suitable for early-stage startup assessments?
Yes, though some sections may not be applicable to very early-stage companies (pre-product or MVP stage). The template includes guidance on which sections to skip or simplify for earlier-stage assessments. For seed and Series A companies, the most critical sections are typically architecture decisions, team capabilities, security basics, and technical debt — the template helps you focus on what matters most at each stage.

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