A technical due-diligence checklist for investors evaluating software startups — the engineering questions to ask and signals to verify before a term sheet. Free to copy.
Technical diligence for early-stage deals isn't about code review — it's about verifying that the team can build, the architecture is sound, and the engineering velocity is real. This template captures the questions that matter without requiring you to read code.
Run this in a 60–90 minute call with the CTO or lead engineer. The engineering-velocity field is where GitDealFlow's signal snapshot goes — it gives you an objective baseline to compare against the team's self-reported progress.
No. The questions are structured so a non-technical investor can ask them and evaluate the answers. The GitDealFlow signal field adds an objective baseline.
Yes.
Shallow but sharp. At seed/series A you're verifying capability and velocity, not auditing code. 60–90 minutes is usually enough.
About this page: Published 2026-07-18. Authored by The Data Nerd (ORCID 0009-0002-2222-4112), the pseudonymous maintainer of GitDealFlow. The methodology is published as SSRN preprint 6606558 and archived on Zenodo. Third-party statistics are sourced from the Ahrefs AEO methodology. Report an error.