m&a OPERATING MODEL & CYBER Due Diligence OF AN AI SAAS TARGET
“Amerinda’s strategic advice provided clarity on how the organisation can address customer data sovereignty and the security needs required for international expansion. Amerinda also delivered short-term, pragmatic measures to de-risk the organisation from the financial and reputational damages caused by cybersecurity breaches.”
EVAN JONES
SENIOR INVESTMENTS MANAGER
CONTEXT
The investment arm of a reputable Australian corporation desired to invest in an AI-based technology platform (SaaS) company, to grow and diversify its revenues. Use of the technology platform would increase the customer demand and satisfaction of the client’s core business. The investment would create new and diverse revenue sources for the client.
Amerinda Advisory was asked to evaluate the target’s operating model and cybersecurity capabilities for international expansion. Amerinda was chosen, based on its focus on disruptive technologies and its experience doing similar work.
ACTION
To expand internationally, the target needed to solve for data sovereignty. This had various implications on the target’s operating model. Amerinda provided various operating model options from which to proceed, balanced against the factors of time, cost and risk.
Understanding an organisation’s cybersecurity capabilities is not only critical for defence, but also for growth. Prospective customers need to be convinced that third parties are not putting them in harm’s way. Amerinda used its SaaS Cyber Assessment framework to assess the target’s cybersecurity capabilities across its organisational protocols, coding practices and cloud / infrastructure. Additionally, using open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques, Amerinda assessed the strength of the target’s perimeter security.
RESULT
Amerinda recommended a short-term and long-term international operating model, to enable the client’s growth plans. Amerinda also delivered a six-month cybersecurity capability roadmap, to acquire customers at-speed, whilst protecting the client and the target from financial hardship and reputational damage.