M&A Technology Due Diligence
When you’re acquiring a franchise business or multi-site operation, technology risk is often underestimated. Hidden technical debt, integration complexity, and cybersecurity gaps can turn a promising acquisition into an expensive problem.
We provide independent technology due diligence for PE firms, franchise acquirers, and businesses preparing for sale — with deep franchise-sector experience that generic IT consultancies can’t match.
⚠ Why Technology Due Diligence Matters
In franchise and multi-site acquisitions, technology is rarely a deal-breaker on its own — but it can significantly affect the value, integration timeline, and post-acquisition cost base. Key risks include:
- ▶ Technical debt — Legacy systems, unsupported platforms, and accumulated workarounds that will require significant investment to resolve
- ▶ Integration complexity — Incompatible systems between the acquirer and target that will delay integration and increase costs
- ▶ Cybersecurity exposure — Unpatched systems, inadequate access controls, and missing incident response plans that create regulatory and operational risk
- ▶ Scalability constraints — Technology that works for the target’s current size but won’t support the acquirer’s growth plans
- ▶ Vendor and contract risk — Unfavourable licensing terms, single-vendor dependencies, or contracts that don’t transfer cleanly
🔍 Our Due Diligence Scope
Our technology due diligence covers:
Infrastructure & Architecture Assessment
Current technology stack, hosting environment, network architecture, disaster recovery capability, and scalability. We assess whether the target’s infrastructure can support the acquirer’s growth thesis.
Application & Platform Review
Core business applications, franchise management systems, POS platforms, e-commerce capability, and bespoke software. We evaluate technical debt, maintainability, and integration readiness.
Cybersecurity & Compliance Review
Security posture, data protection compliance (GDPR), incident response readiness, access management, and third-party risk. We identify vulnerabilities that could create post-acquisition exposure.
Team & Capability Assessment
IT team structure, key-person dependencies, skill gaps, and retained knowledge. We assess whether the technology team can deliver the post-acquisition integration plan.
Integration Planning
A practical assessment of what it will take to integrate the target’s technology with the acquirer’s — including cost estimates, timeline, and risk factors.
📦 What You Receive
Technology Risk Register
Identified risks with severity ratings, financial impact estimates, and mitigation recommendations
Integration Cost Model
Bottom-up estimate of technology integration costs, typically covering the first 12–24 months post-acquisition
100-Day Plan
Prioritised actions for the immediate post-acquisition period, covering quick wins, critical fixes, and integration milestones
Board-Ready Summary
A concise executive summary suitable for investment committee review
🏆 Our Experience
Our principal consultant served as Group CIO at Franchise Brands plc, where he oversaw the technology integration of six acquisitions — including a £200m transaction. This wasn’t theoretical advisory work; it was hands-on integration leadership, dealing with the practical realities of merging technology platforms, teams, and processes across franchise networks.
This experience means we understand both sides: what PE firms and acquirers need to see in a due diligence report, and what actually matters when you’re integrating on the ground.
Ready to talk?
If you have an acquisition in progress — or want to prepare your technology for a future sale — get in touch. Deal timelines are often compressed, and we can mobilise quickly.