From our SaaS audits
What we find inside SaaS companies
Patterns from the technical due diligences we run for investors and boards.
Due diligence
The architecture diagram is dead
Infrastructure documentation goes stale because it is a second thing to maintain. Terraform plus cloud discovery plus a few query tools describes the system better than any diagram, and leaves humans to document only the why behind the odd decisions.
The learning debt: what happens when delivery always wins over development
Teams accrue learning debt when shipping always beats getting better. It stays invisible on every dashboard, compounds fastest under AI-speed change, and quietly caps the ceiling a buyer is willing to price.
What's in a technical due diligence report?
A good technical due diligence report is smaller than you expect, separates fact-checked observations from labelled judgement, and answers the specific questions your deal depends on. No score. The real test: does it change what you do on Monday morning?
Technical due diligence before acquiring a software company
What over 180 SaaS audits reveal about the technical risks that restructure software acquisition deals, and how to assess them before signing. Real data on documentation debt, testing gaps, key person risk, and the five findings that change deal terms.
The SaaS audit bingo card: insights after auditing 180+ SaaS companies
After auditing 180+ SaaS companies, the same patterns keep showing up: a CTO who does everything, documentation nobody updates, a backlog from 2019. Here's what the bingo card looks like, and what AI is changing about it.
AI didn't change the economics of software engineering
AI made writing code faster, but the real economics of software engineering were never about typing code in the first place.
The CTO's guide to AI adoption strategy
AI adoption fails when treated as a tool rollout. This guide covers the decision framework, team dynamics, economics, and mistakes from 150+ technical audits.
You can't delegate accountability: what the NIS2 directive means for boards
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: board members can’t delegate accountability. Not for budgets. Not for legal compliance. And no longer for cybersecurity.
These questions will be answered after technical due diligence
Investing without technical due diligence is like buying a used car without opening the bonnet. This article demystifies the audit process, shares what red flags we look for, and explains why investors should care deeply about code, processes and product.
Technical due diligence is broken: going beyond the checklist
Most technical due diligence audits focus on code quality and tooling, but the real risk lies in invisible processes, fragile teams, and product chaos, which is why madewithlove audits the full stack of your organisation, from code to culture.
Due diligence for AI startups: what actually matters
Founders and investors due diligence: how to dig beneath the “AI-powered” facade and verify that their systems won’t break in secret.
5 red flags for VCs when planning to invest in Seed or Series A companies
Discover the five most common technical-due-diligence red flags—from undersized or misaligned teams to “just-about-working” codebases—that VCs must spot before writing a cheque.
Should we really ship fast and break things?
Should startups test everything before shipping? We break down how to balance testing with product velocity—and why 100% coverage is often the wrong goal.
SaaS due diligence report: 12 learnings for founders that want to secure their next funding round
Auditing startups goes beyond the technical at madewithlove. Here are key lessons to help startups secure funding and scale effectively. From creating better communication and documentation to balancing technical debt and leadership, discover the insights that can shape your startup's future.
Do we even need a moat?
A technical moat is often seen as a product's defensive edge, but does every product really need one? For AI products, the choice between building proprietary tech or leveraging existing solutions like OpenAI is complex. True value lies in solving customer problems—not just in owning the technology.