An independent read of the core technology before you invest, from a physicist with no build contract to win and nothing to sell the company afterwards.
Most technical opinions in a deal come from parties with an interest in it: the founders, their advisors, or a studio that would like to build the product next. I have no engineering contract to win from the company and no stake in the round. The memo is paid for by you, written for you, and says what the evidence says.
Everything in it is traceable. Each red flag names the claim, the evidence it was checked against and what would close the gap, and the reproducibility appendix lets your own technical advisor rerun the checks.
Where the technology stands, the three things that matter most, and whether the technical risk is priced into the deal.
Each technical claim in the deck and data room, with the evidence for and against it and a confidence rating.
Technology readiness level, stated with the evidence that supports it rather than the level the deck asserts.
Severity, likelihood, and what it would take to close each one.
The questions I would ask, in order, and what a good answer looks like.
Scripts and inputs for every calculation in the memo.
We agree the scope and which claims matter most to the decision.
Day 0
A first written read of the deck and technical file: where the claims are weak and what I would check first. This can stand alone when the clock is short.
Days 1–3
Claims verified against physics, prior art and the data; calculations and code rerun where the company provides them.
Days 4–8
A one-hour technical session with the team, if you want one, with your questions and mine.
Day 9
The memo, the appendix and a 30-minute briefing for your partners.
Day 10
Innovation, grant and R&D tax-credit consultancies meet technical questions their own teams cannot settle: a client's claim to check before a proposal goes in, a technical file that has to survive an audit, an evaluator's objection to answer. I deliver the verification white-label, under your NDA and your name, with the same written verdict and reproducibility package. Overflow capacity when you need it, no retainer required.
Ask about per-file pricing for technical feasibility annexes and R&D tax-credit technical files.
Talk about white-label workNo-go Verdict delivered with the backtest code.
Does not clear target Redesign directions flagged for the next phase.
A Red-Flag Read takes three working days from data access and is often enough to decide whether to proceed. A full memo takes ten. If the clock is shorter than that, say so on the call and we agree what can be settled in the time available.
If you want me to. A one-hour technical session with the founding team, with your questions and mine, is included in the full memo. Some funds prefer the memo to be written from the data room alone; both work.
I say so on the first call and either decline or bring in a vetted specialist for the part I cannot verify, with your agreement, under the same NDA. I do not stretch.
Yes. Funds, syndicates and accelerators that see technical deals regularly can retain me on a per-deal or per-day basis; the arrangement is agreed on the call.
Send a short description of the technology and the decision it informs. I reply personally, usually within one working day, and a first call is twenty minutes with no commitment on either side.