Fixed fee · One-page RAG memo · Invoice on delivery
Technology Red-Flag Review
A technology red-flag review is a short, fixed-scope assessment of an acquisition target's technology before you commit capital. It rates the five areas most likely to move a deal, resize a price or resurface as unbudgeted cost after completion, and gives a plain verdict on whether full technology due diligence is warranted, and at what scope.
Intology's red-flag review costs £3,500 plus VAT per target. Complex or accelerated deals are quoted by arrangement up to £5,000. An NDA can be in place within 24 hours, and the invoice is issued on delivery.
Fixed fee, per review
£3,500 plus VAT
Complex or accelerated deals by arrangement, up to £5,000
Engagements are contracted and invoiced by Intology Ltd, VAT GB182712018.
Why a red-flag review comes first
On most lower mid-market deals the technology question arrives late. Full technology due diligence costs considerably more and takes weeks, and by the time it is authorised the board has often committed significant capital.
That leaves two uncomfortable positions: technology risk is not assessed before signing and surfaces later as unplanned capex or a missed exit multiple, or full diligence is commissioned without a basis for scoping it. The red-flag review resolves both. It gives the deal team a defensible technology risk position before capital is committed, and a scoped basis from which to commission full diligence, or not.
Five areas, one page
Each area is RAG-rated with a short narrative and the evidence behind it.
Architecture and scalability
Will the platform support the investment thesis, or cap it at the first growth milestone? Technical ceiling and rebuild risk assessed.
Cyber posture
Crown-jewel data, access controls, known incidents, insurance and regulatory exposure. What transfers to the new owner on day one.
Key-person and founder dependency
Which technical capabilities leave if the founder or a single engineer does, and whether the business can operate on day one without them.
Technical debt and platform age
The run-rate cost of carrying existing debt and the real capex required to reach the roadmap, rather than the vendor estimate.
ERP and data estate
Finance system credibility, integration quality, and whether the business can produce the management information a private equity owner needs.
What you receive
- A one-page RAG memo (PDF) across the five areas
- The top three risks in plain English for the investment committee, with £ exposure where evidence exists
- A clear verdict on whether full technology due diligence is warranted, and at what scope
- Independent analysis from an operator, not an analyst working a template
How it works
Step 1
Request
Complete the short form with the deal context. Intology responds within one UK working day.
Step 2
Scope and sign-off
A 20-minute call to confirm the target, the information available, the NDA and timing. The engagement letter is issued the same day.
Step 3
Structured assessment
The five areas are assessed using the materials available: CIM, management accounts, IT landscape, any existing diligence output or management access.
Step 4
Memo delivered
A single PDF with the RAG ratings, the top three risks and the verdict. The invoice is issued on delivery.
Who it is for
Private equity deal and operating partners
An evidence-based technology risk position before investment committee, without commissioning full diligence on every target in the pipeline.
Corporate development and M&A teams
Consistent technology risk triage across pipeline targets: one structure, one RAG standard, one output format.
CEOs and CFOs of acquiring businesses
Independent sight of the technology risks that will appear in the SPA warranties, or after completion as unbudgeted capex, before you commit.
Who carries out the review
Red-flag reviews are carried out by Richard Keenlyside, Intology's founder, using the same five-area framework applied on full technology due diligence engagements. Intology sells no technology, integration or remediation work, so the verdict on whether more diligence is needed is not a sales decision.
Frequently asked questions
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Certainty before you commit capital
Send the deal context and Intology will respond within one UK working day. No obligation until the engagement letter is signed.