Is your startup truly ready for acquisition? Use this comprehensive 50-point checklist to prepare for due diligence and maximize your exit value.
0 of 50 items completed
0 of 10 complete
Clean, organized financial statements with no gaps
Clear tracking of MRR growth over 24+ months
Low customer churn demonstrates product-market fit
Clear understanding of gross and net margins
Know how much it costs to acquire each customer
Understand customer lifetime value
Healthy unit economics for sustainable growth
No single customer represents >20% of revenue
Clear ownership structure, no disputes
All taxes filed and paid, no outstanding liabilities
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Legal entity structure is clean and compliant
No founder or contractor owns key IP
Using template agreements, not custom deals
Legally compliant and recently reviewed
No lawsuits, disputes, or legal threats
All employees have signed contracts
Clear vesting schedules prevent disputes
Privacy regulations compliance documented
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Code is readable, commented, and maintainable
No legacy systems that are hard to maintain
CI/CD in place for reliable releases
Automated tests reduce technical risk
Third-party security review in last 12 months
Reliable infrastructure with monitoring
Can handle 10x growth without major changes
Architecture diagrams, setup guides, runbooks
System doesn't require founder to operate
Complete Git history, no missing code
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Roles and responsibilities clearly defined
SOPs for critical business processes
Clear support workflow and SLAs
Repeatable sales methodology
Business can operate without any single person
Low turnover indicates good culture
Clear reporting structure
Plan for founder handoff to new owner
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Strong customer demand and retention
Know your competitive positioning
Clear understanding of target customers
Know which channels drive growth
Logo files, brand guidelines, assets ready
Social proof from happy customers
Clear plan for scaling the business
Market size opportunity quantified
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Virtual data room with all key documents
1-2 page business overview for buyers
Investment-style deck explaining the business
3-5 year projections with assumptions
Anonymized customer data ready to share
All vendor and customer contracts in one place