Yes.
Due Diligence Checklist Tool
Free
Here is a free due diligence checklist template for startups closing their round. It tells you what you probably need to have to hand before investors ask so you can close your round faster.
- Excel list
- Fundraising
- Lawyer quality list
- Free
7804
happy users
What
What Is a Due Diligence Checklist Template?
Tl;dr: this is an Excel sheet with a list of information you need to have on hand to raise money from investors.
The VC’s job is to give you money, but they have bosses too. They’re called limited partners. These LPs expect VCs not to do silly things, like invest in vaporware. To ensure they aren’t investing in a company with crappy tech, has a tonne of debt and liabilities, or the founders are dodgy crooks, they need to do something called ‘due diligence.’
Due diligence means checking you have dotted all your ‘i’s’ and crossed all your ‘t’s.’ For larger investments, the VCs may hire lawyers, accountants, and special advisors to check up on their respective areas. For an angel stage company, there really isn’t much to check as you haven’t had the time (hopefully) to make too much of a mess. But even then, there are things they need to know have happened, such as paying up your share capital (This happened in a fundraising I advised on) before they chuck you a couple of hundred K.
The goal of DD is, therefore, to ensure the company you have created is investible from a hygiene point of view. It is also used to back up each and every statement you made in your pitch such as your revenue and number of customers.
Your goal is to not get caught with your pants down.
who
Who Needs a Due Diligence Checklist Template?
Everyone in startup-related land needs to know about this topic. So whether you are a founder, investor or advisor, why not have a little play with this!
Details
What Does the Tool Look Like?
Here are a few images to have a little gander at for your viewing pleasure.
Need
Why Do You Need a Due Diligence Checklist Template?
-
1
Investors Will Ask For Information Before They Fund You
- If you are raising a small amount of money (angel stage) you might not need to do this
- If you want real money, then investors won’t just hand it over. They want to check you aren’t suspect
-
2
You Need to Know What to Prepare
- Once you start raising, you will be busy
- The best time to prepare is before you start raising
- You need to know what information to collect first though!
-
3
Save Legal Fees
- You don’t have to listen to me. You can ask a lawyer instead
- They bill by the hour
features
What Can the Model Do?
These are some of the features in the model.
Tell You What to Track
It’s an Excel file
- 13 sections
- 64 points
Help You Be Prepared
Be prepared
- Collect information now
- Not wait till you have 24 hours to provide
Need
Why Is My Tool Worth Getting
-
1
I Make Cool Things (and am capable)
- There is a lot of blah around by people who aren’t terribly good at Excel/PowerPoint etc
- You’ll see the attention to detail and actual thought put into what I gift you (so you aren’t wasting your time)
-
2
My Free Tools Are Better Than What Some Charge For
- I only made tools because I couldn’t find anything I would use myself
- Even if you don’t ‘actually need the tool’, the point is to teach you concepts you can apply
-
3
I Don’t Have a Hardcore Marketing Funnel
- I make tools to actually help founders
- You aren’t going to be hounded with emails to get you to buy things
- Whilst I do sell some stuff, seeing the quality I give for free is way better marketing than using fancy words to convince you
video time
Watch a Video On the Tool
There’s no video. I don’t really plan on making on at the moment as this is pretty simple. But who knows!
read more
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This is a pretty page I have made so downloading tools is cleaner and simpler for you. I’ve moved blog details to blog(s). If you would like to read more, click on!
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Get the Due Diligence Checklist Tool For Free
Fill in your details and it will be emailed to you.
I’m not sketchy, so here is everything you need to know just in case!
- It is automatically emailed to you!
- I’ll send you some emails about startup/investing after
- You can unsubscribe whenever you want
- Your data is never sold! I’m not organised to even do that lol
- You agree to all T&C legal stuff (to cover my ass)
FAQs
Check the FAQs if you are having issues. Don’t message me if “I can’t download the file”.
Is this free?
How do I download?
Fill in your name and email in the submission form and it will be emailed to you.
I didn't receive the email?
My (automated) system works. You’ve made a basic mistake.
- Check you input your email accurately
- Check your spam folder (Whitelist me if you found the email in spam)
Can I get consulting to use the file?
Yes. You can book a consulting call here:
I have feedback to improve
How do I open the file?
When you press download in an email from me, it normally saves to your Downloads folder.
So go there first to find the file.
I normally have to ZIP the file so it will work with SaaS automation systems.
So get WinZip, WinRAR, or use whatever Mac/PC offers these days. Unzip the file (Right click and press “uncompress” etc). If you don’t know how to do this, then use Google.
Once you uncompress, the ZIP file will remain, and you will see a new file (sort the download folder by date modified if confused).
I assure you that everything I provide works, so if you can’t access it, it’s a ‘you’ problem.
Can I sell / share your tools?
No.
You can share a link to this page, which would be much appreciated!
Can I share your tools on social media?
Please share the link to this page. It would be super-appreciated, but only if you like it!
If you don’t like it, then leave a comment or shoot me an email first so I can take your feedback on board first and see if I can improve!
