Pre-Deal Intelligence

Know before
you commit

Confidential intelligence and risk analysis on people, companies, and situations. Before you stake your money, reputation, or equity, we help you understand what you're actually walking into.

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The Problem

Most due diligence looks backward. We look at what people don't want you to see.

Traditional due diligence reviews documents, financials, and legal filings. That's necessary. But it misses the things that actually kill deals: hidden conflicts, fabricated credentials, behavioral patterns, and reputational risks that only surface after you've committed.

AI tools can flag data anomalies. They can't tell you if someone is trustworthy. The enterprise firms can, but they charge $50K and take months. Founders and investors making decisions right now don't have that luxury.

The Pre-Deal Risk Audit

A complete intelligence picture, delivered in 48 to 72 hours.

01

Background Synthesis

Career history, business relationships, financial patterns, and public records analyzed and cross-referenced for inconsistencies.

02

Reputation & Behavioral Analysis

Source inquiries, pattern identification, and behavioral signals that reveal character beyond what any database can show.

03

Risk Brief & Recommendation

A clear, narrative intelligence brief with identified red flags and a direct recommendation: proceed, proceed with caution, or walk away.

Built different

Editorial intelligence, not data dumps

Founded by an investigative journalist trained at Columbia and TIME Magazine. We synthesize messy information into clear, decision-ready narratives.

48-72 hours, not weeks

Deals move fast. Our process is built for the speed of startup fundraising and partnership negotiations, not corporate M&A timelines.

Human judgment, not algorithms

AI can flag anomalies. It takes a trained investigator to read between the lines, conduct discreet inquiries, and spot what someone is trying to hide.

Priced for founders, not Fortune 500

Enterprise intelligence firms start at $50K. Clearstake delivers the same depth of analysis at a price point that makes sense for early-stage decisions.

Who This Is For
  • Founders raising capitalWho is this investor, really? What's their track record with previous portfolio companies?
  • Founders entering partnershipsBefore you share equity or IP, understand the person across the table.
  • Angel investors & fund managersValidate the founder's story before writing the check.
  • Executives making strategic decisionsWhen the cost of being wrong is measured in millions, certainty is worth paying for.
Before you commit money, reputation, or equity, understand what you're actually walking into.

Clearstake

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