Our Standard
How the Readiness Layer works.
The Business Readiness Scorecard is a structured assessment and evidence review process. It creates a shared readiness signal for buyers, sellers, and brokers — without replacing due diligence or making quality endorsements.
Evidence-Confirmed is not due diligence.
Due diligence is a detailed investigation conducted by or on behalf of a prospective buyer. It covers legal, financial, operational, and commercial risk in depth. It is typically conducted after heads of terms are agreed and before completion.
Evidence-Confirmed is different. It means a business (or buyer) has completed a structured self-assessment, submitted supporting evidence, and that evidence has been independently reviewed against a defined readiness standard. The review team's corrected assessment score must be 80% or above.
It signals preparation — not quality, value, or suitability for any particular buyer. It does not replace professional advice.
Evidence-Confirmed means supporting evidence has been reviewed against a defined readiness standard and the review team's corrected assessment score is 80% or above. It is not due diligence, quality endorsement, or investment advice.
Four states. One direction of travel.
Every business and buyer on the platform sits in one of four readiness states. States move forward as assessments and evidence are completed.
The business or buyer has not completed a readiness assessment. No readiness signal is displayed.
The assessment has been completed. A readiness score has been generated, but no evidence has been submitted or reviewed.
Evidence has been submitted and is currently being reviewed by the independent review team.
Supporting evidence has been reviewed, the corrected assessment score is 80% or above, and a badge has been issued.
For Sellers
What we assess in a business
Product & Commercial
Revenue model, customer concentration, pricing structure, market positioning, and commercial documentation.
Process
Operational workflows, systems documentation, SOPs, supplier relationships, and operational resilience.
People
Key person dependency, team structure, employment documentation, succession planning, and retention risk.
Financials
Management accounts, tax compliance, financial reporting quality, debtor/creditor position, and audit readiness.
For Buyers
What we assess in a buyer
Mandate
Acquisition criteria clarity, sector focus, deal size range, geographic preferences, and strategic rationale.
Money
Proof of funds, financing structure, funding timeline, and ability to complete at the indicated deal size.
Capability
Operational experience, sector knowledge, integration planning, and team capacity to run an acquisition.
Deal Process
Advisor engagement, legal readiness, due diligence planning, and ability to move at commercial pace.
The evidence review process
Complete the assessment
Answer structured questions across the relevant readiness pillars. Receive an instant score and pillar-by-pillar breakdown.
Submit evidence
Upload supporting documents for each criterion. Guidance and templates are provided to help you submit the right materials.
Independent review
The review team assesses submitted evidence against the readiness standard. Each criterion is marked as Pass or Fail. Up to 3 attempts are permitted per purchase.
If criteria are marked as Fail, you may resubmit evidence for those specific criteria. Resubmissions review only previously failed items. A maximum of 3 attempts is permitted per badge purchase.
What the Readiness Layer does not do
We do not perform due diligence on any business or buyer.
We do not endorse the quality, value, or suitability of any listing.
We do not provide investment advice or financial recommendations.
We do not guarantee that a transaction will complete or succeed.
Ready to understand your readiness?
Take the scorecard. Understand where you stand. Move toward Evidence-Confirmed status.
Start your scorecardEvidence-Confirmed means supporting evidence has been reviewed against a defined readiness standard and the review team's corrected assessment score is 80% or above. It is not due diligence, quality endorsement, or investment advice.