Only 21% of CEOs Include Technology Due Diligence in Their Deal Process. The Rest Hope for the Best.

Steve DeWaters
Jul 8, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Aug 7, 2025

Forza 51 protects investors by providing technology due diligence in the deal process.

There’s a haunting little stat in recent M&A data that should alarm anyone with even a modest understanding of post-acquisition pain: Only 21% of CEOs say technology due diligence is part of the deal process.

That means 79% of buyers are betting millions—sometimes billions—on software platforms, data stacks, and R&D pipelines they haven’t actually inspected. They’re investing in growth stories painted in PowerPoint and fueled by pitch decks. Not code. Not architecture. Not an executable strategy. Just slides.

At Forza 51, we were built to close this gap—the one between the pitch and the platform.

What's Behind the Curtain of Technology Diligence?

Let’s assume the best-case version of this: A platform with a slick UI, a visionary CTO, and a product demo that hums. Now, remove the surface layer, and what often sits beneath?

Legacy codebases that no current team member fully understands.
Un-scalable architecture duct-taped together to “just get to MVP.”
Cloud spend spiraling, undocumented.
Security protocols were left to a junior engineer who also manages Slack.

The R&D Roadmap Magic During Diligence

That thing you loved during the management presentation? It was scribbled on a whiteboard and erased two hours after you signed.

The Gamble 79% of CEOs are Making with Technology

Maybe It’ll Work Out. Maybe the IP really is proprietary. Maybe the platform will scale once you throw more cash at it. Maybe the team you’re banking on will actually stay post-close.

Or maybe—you’re about to spend two years and eight figures re-platforming something you thought was plug-and-play.

The High Cost of Not Looking at Technology

When tech diligence is skipped or rushed, here’s what happens next:

You inherit technical debt disguised as a “platform.”
You discover talent churn you weren’t told about.
You delay go-to-market because nothing is built for scale.
You watch burn rates spike while velocity plummets.

But sure, let’s talk about synergies. Let’s model a 3-year revenue ramp. Let’s throw in “AI” and “data lake” to boost the valuation. Meanwhile, the core product is sweating under the weight of false promises and future tense verbs.

Due diligence isn’t about checking a box. It’s about verifying whether the story you’re buying is built on code, customers, and continuity, or just charisma.

Because in today’s deal environment, anyone can pitch innovation. But only a few can prove they’ve actually built it. This Isn’t a Warning. It’s a Reality Check.

You don’t need more optimism. You need someone willing to pop the hood.

Forza 51 Closes the Gap

At Forza 51, we were built to close this gap—the one between the pitch and the

platform. We don’t care how confident the founder sounds, how big the TAM is, or how

many buzzwords get thrown at your board. We care about what’s actually there.

What’s the real state of the technology ecosystem?
Is the product scalable, secure, and defensible?
Is R&D a value driver—or a capital sinkhole?
Will the team stay—or are they already gone emotionally?

We do the hard diligence, so you don’t wake up three quarters later asking: “What exactly did we buy?”

We’re not for the 79%.

We’re not here to slow you down.

We’re here to prevent you from crashing.

We're here to make you the smartest investor in the room.

If you’re part of the 21% who insists on clarity before capital, we’re already aligned.

Which area has been your biggest blind spot?

Technology
Operations
Commercialization / Market
R&D

You can vote for more than one answer.

Would you like to speak with an expert?

Source: Accenture

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