Insights

A curated collection of articles on Tech & IT M&A, value creation, and execution trade-offs across carve-outs, integrations, and transformation.

Browse recent insights, playbooks, and frameworks for building resilient technology outcomes in deals.

Tech M&A Roadmap

How the posts are structured

Each section is an accordion with the topics in reading order.

Section A

Pre-Deal and Tech Due Diligence
  1. The Role of Technology in Value Creation (and Destruction) in M&A
  2. How Tech Due Diligence Really Drives Investment Outcomes
  3. Buy-Side vs Sell-Side Tech Due Diligence: Different Objectives, Different Truths
  4. What "Good" Looks Like in IT Due Diligence
  5. Tech DD in PE Deals vs Corporate Deals
  6. Speed vs Depth: Trade-offs in Fast-Cycle Due Diligence
  7. Red Flags That Kill Deals (or Should)

Functional Deep Dives in Tech Due Diligence

  1. Assessing the IT Organization: Skills, Structure, and Key-Person Risk
  2. Application Landscape Due Diligence: Complexity, Technical Debt, and Fit
  3. Infrastructure and Cloud Due Diligence: Scalability, Cost, and Risk
  4. Cybersecurity Due Diligence: What Matters Before It is Too Late
  5. Data, Analytics, and Reporting Due Diligence
  6. ERP Due Diligence: When the Core System Is the Deal
  7. IT Contracts, Licenses, and Vendor Lock-In Risks
  8. IT Cost Structure and Budget Due Diligence
  9. Identifying Separation and Integration Complexity During DD

AI in Due Diligence

  1. How AI Is Changing Tech Due Diligence
  2. Using AI to Accelerate Application and Codebase Analysis
  3. AI for Cyber, Data, and Risk Detection in Deals
  4. Limits and Risks of AI-Driven Due Diligence

Section B

Deal Structuring and Pre-Close Planning
  1. Translating Tech DD Findings into the Investment Thesis
  2. From Findings to Actions: Building the Tech Workplan Pre-Close
  3. TSA Strategy: Why Most Deals Get It Wrong
  4. Estimating True One-Time vs Run-Rate IT Costs
  5. Separation vs Integration: Making the Right Call Early
  6. Tech Implications of Carve-Out vs Full Acquisition Deals

Section C

Day-1 Readiness and Transition Services
  1. What Day-1 Really Means for IT
  2. Day-1 Readiness: Systems, People, and Data
  3. Designing and Negotiating TSAs That Actually Work
  4. Managing TSA Dependencies and Exit Risks
  5. Governance and Decision Rights During TSA Periods
  6. Common Day-1 Failures and How to Avoid Them

Section D

Post-Deal Integration and Separation Execution
  1. IT Program Management in Carve-Outs and PMIs
  2. Operating Model Choices for Post-Deal IT
  3. Application Separation vs Replacement Strategies
  4. Data Migration: Risks, Trade-offs, and Best Practices
  5. Identity, Access, and Security in Separations
  6. Infrastructure Stand-Up and Cutover Planning

Section E

ERP and Core Systems Transformation
  1. ERP as a Value Lever in M&A
  2. One ERP or Multiple? Post-Deal ERP Strategy Choices
  3. SAP in M&A: Common Scenarios and Pitfalls
  4. Microsoft Dynamics 365 in Carve-Outs and PMIs
  5. ERP for Manufacturing-Heavy Businesses
  6. Payroll and HR Systems in Global Separations
  7. Procurement and Supply Chain System Integration
  8. Timing ERP Transformations: Day-1, Day-100, or Later?

Section F

IT Transformation and Value Creation
  1. IT Cost Reduction After the Deal: What Actually Works
  2. FTE Rationalization Without Breaking the Business
  3. Capturing IT Synergies: Myths vs Reality
  4. Application Rationalization as a Value Lever
  5. Cloud Migration in Post-Deal Environments
  6. Modern Architecture as a Competitive Advantage
  7. Tech-Enabled EBITDA Expansion

Section G

Advanced Topics and Long-Term Value
  1. AI as a Post-Deal Value Creation Lever
  2. Data Platforms and Analytics Post-Acquisition
  3. Cybersecurity as a Board-Level Issue After Close
  4. Building a Scalable IT Function for PE Hold Periods
  5. When to Invest vs When to Stabilize
  6. Measuring IT Value Creation Over the Hold Period
  7. Lessons Learned from Failed (and Successful) Tech M&A Integrations

All articles

Showing 9 of 9

Section A

Pre-Deal and Tech Due Diligence

1. The role of technology in value creation (and destruction) in M&A

A practical way to translate the deal thesis into technology decisions, gates, and a sequenced workplan that protects Day-1 and accelerates synergy.

Read more →

2. How tech due diligence really drives investment outcomes

Turn diligence into price, timing, and Day-1 decisions—before the model hardens and options disappear.

Read more →

3. Buy-side vs sell-side tech due diligence: different objectives, different truths

A deal team guide to using sell-side diligence to speed the process—without confusing “a clean story” with an executable plan.

Read more →

4. What good looks like in IT due diligence

A scorecard and evidence pack that turns tech diligence into price, timing, and a Day-1 plan you can actually execute.

Read more →

5. Tech DD in PE deals vs corporate deals

How to adjust diligence scope, outputs, and decision triggers so you underwrite the right risks, timing, and cash for the buyer type.

Read more →

6. Speed vs depth: trade-offs in fast-cycle due diligence

A fast-cycle tech diligence playbook to pick the few questions that set the deal clock, cash needs, and downside protection.

Read more →
Coming soon

7. Red Flags That Kill Deals (or Should)

Functional Deep Dives in Tech Due Diligence

Coming soon

8. Assessing the IT Organization: Skills, Structure, and Key-Person Risk

Coming soon

9. Application Landscape Due Diligence: Complexity, Technical Debt, and Fit

Coming soon

10. Infrastructure and Cloud Due Diligence: Scalability, Cost, and Risk

Coming soon

11. Cybersecurity Due Diligence: What Matters Before It is Too Late

Coming soon

12. Data, Analytics, and Reporting Due Diligence

Coming soon

13. ERP Due Diligence: When the Core System Is the Deal

Coming soon

14. IT Contracts, Licenses, and Vendor Lock-In Risks

Coming soon

15. IT Cost Structure and Budget Due Diligence

Coming soon

16. Identifying Separation and Integration Complexity During DD

AI in Due Diligence

Coming soon

17. How AI Is Changing Tech Due Diligence

Coming soon

18. Using AI to Accelerate Application and Codebase Analysis

Coming soon

19. AI for Cyber, Data, and Risk Detection in Deals

Coming soon

20. Limits and Risks of AI-Driven Due Diligence

Section B

Deal Structuring and Pre-Close Planning

21. Translating tech due diligence findings into the investment thesis

A deal team method to turn diligence from a findings list into price, timing, and funding decisions before you sign.

Read more →
Coming soon

22. From Findings to Actions: Building the Tech Workplan Pre-Close

Coming soon

23. TSA Strategy: Why Most Deals Get It Wrong

Coming soon

24. Estimating True One-Time vs Run-Rate IT Costs

Coming soon

25. Separation vs Integration: Making the Right Call Early

Coming soon

26. Tech Implications of Carve-Out vs Full Acquisition Deals

Section C

Day-1 Readiness and Transition Services

27. What Day-1 really means for IT

Define Day-1 as a minimum viable operating state—with explicit pass/fail tests and fallbacks—so you don’t learn your dependencies at 9:00 a.m. after close.

Read more →
Coming soon

28. Day-1 Readiness: Systems, People, and Data

Coming soon

29. Designing and Negotiating TSAs That Actually Work

Coming soon

30. Managing TSA Dependencies and Exit Risks

Coming soon

31. Governance and Decision Rights During TSA Periods

Coming soon

32. Common Day-1 Failures and How to Avoid Them

Section D

Post-Deal Integration and Separation Execution

33. IT program management in carve-outs and PMIs

How to run the IT work as a deal program—clear owners, decision cadence, and value gates—so you exit TSAs on time and capture value without outages.

Read more →
Coming soon

34. Operating Model Choices for Post-Deal IT

Coming soon

35. Application Separation vs Replacement Strategies

Coming soon

36. Data Migration: Risks, Trade-offs, and Best Practices

Coming soon

37. Identity, Access, and Security in Separations

Coming soon

38. Infrastructure Stand-Up and Cutover Planning

Section E

ERP and Core Systems Transformation
Coming soon

39. ERP as a Value Lever in M&A

Coming soon

40. One ERP or Multiple? Post-Deal ERP Strategy Choices

Coming soon

41. SAP in M&A: Common Scenarios and Pitfalls

Coming soon

42. Microsoft Dynamics 365 in Carve-Outs and PMIs

Coming soon

43. ERP for Manufacturing-Heavy Businesses

Coming soon

44. Payroll and HR Systems in Global Separations

Coming soon

45. Procurement and Supply Chain System Integration

Coming soon

46. Timing ERP Transformations: Day-1, Day-100, or Later?

Section F

IT Transformation and Value Creation
Coming soon

47. IT Cost Reduction After the Deal: What Actually Works

Coming soon

48. FTE Rationalization Without Breaking the Business

Coming soon

49. Capturing IT Synergies: Myths vs Reality

Coming soon

50. Application Rationalization as a Value Lever

Coming soon

51. Cloud Migration in Post-Deal Environments

Coming soon

52. Modern Architecture as a Competitive Advantage

Coming soon

53. Tech-Enabled EBITDA Expansion

Section G

Advanced Topics and Long-Term Value
Coming soon

54. AI as a Post-Deal Value Creation Lever

Coming soon

55. Data Platforms and Analytics Post-Acquisition

Coming soon

56. Cybersecurity as a Board-Level Issue After Close

Coming soon

57. Building a Scalable IT Function for PE Hold Periods

Coming soon

58. When to Invest vs When to Stabilize

Coming soon

59. Measuring IT Value Creation Over the Hold Period

Coming soon

60. Lessons Learned from Failed (and Successful) Tech M&A Integrations