Post-Acquisition Technical Integration

Structured assessment and optimization of the technology function in the first 90 days after closing a software acquisition.

Who This Is For

• PE firms and holding companies without deep technical bench strength on the operations side
• Acquisition entrepreneurs who just closed their first software deal
• Portfolio operations teams managing multiple software assets

90-Day Framework

Decisions made in the first 90 days set the trajectory for the hold period. This is a structured program, not advisory from the sidelines.

Days 1-30: Assessment & Quick Wins

• Infrastructure cost audit (cloud spend, licensing, SaaS)
• Team assessment: critical talent, skill gaps, key-person risk
• Technical debt inventory with business-impact scoring
• Security and compliance posture evaluation
• Immediate cost savings identification

Days 30-60: Optimization Plan

Findings become a sequenced plan. Two tracks, run simultaneously:

Track 1: Surgical cost strikes — margin points in 90 days. Infrastructure right-sizing, license rationalization, vendor consolidation, reactive work reduction.

Track 2: Value creation roadmap — module decoupling, delivery process improvements, team structure recommendations, technology timeline. Each decoupled component reduces cost per customer AND creates a surface for new features. When legacy modernization is on the table, the economics framework gets built here.

Days 60-90+: Execution

• Program leadership driving the optimization plan
• Cross-functional coordination between acquired team and holding company
• Change management with the existing team
• Transition to internal ownership or fractional CTO engagement

Engagement Format

3-6 months. Starts intensive (assessment and quick wins), transitions to program leadership, then lighter advisory as the internal team takes ownership.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to the technology team after an acquisition?

The first 90 days set the trajectory. A structured assessment identifies infrastructure costs, team risks, and technical debt, then builds a value creation roadmap before making changes that are hard to reverse.

How do you reduce infrastructure costs after acquiring a software company?

Start with a cloud spend and licensing audit in the first 30 days. Quick wins typically include reserved instance commitments, unused resource cleanup, and SaaS license consolidation. Larger savings come from infrastructure rationalization in months 2-3.

Do you work with the existing engineering team or replace them?

Work with them. The existing team has institutional knowledge that's critical to the business. The focus is on assessment, structure, and coaching, then transitioning to internal ownership.