De-risking Startup Investments: A case

A VC investor recently approached me with a clear and focused request:

“We don’t want a full Tech DD, but we’d like your high-level assessment of the technology, specifically its USP and defensibility.”

The challenge? The startup they were evaluating was positioned in a 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲, making differentiation and long-term competitive edge critical factors.

Here’s how I approached it:

🎤 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲: I designed a structured set of questions for the CSO/CTO to uncover key insights about their process, IP strategy, technology and innovation depth.

🧐 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 & 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: Using the responses, I mapped out the startup’s technological assets and potential risks. Identifying both strengths and areas that would need closer examination.

❗𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻: Finally, I distilled the findings into a 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, helping the client make a more informed decision without the need for a full-scale tech due diligence process.

And they invested! 👏👏

Sometimes, you don’t need to dig all the way, you just need to ask the right questions.

If you’re evaluating a startup and need an expert lens on its technology and defensibility, let’s talk!