Technology Operating Partner for Private Equity
The CIO Your Portfolio
Companies Need.The Technology Partner
Your Fund Deserves.
PE firms bring me in when they need CIO-level technology judgment at every stage of the deal, from diligence through integration, portfolio oversight, and exit, without the cost and overhead of a full-time hire.
What We Hear
Three Problems PE Firms
Face Without a Technology Partner
Technology Risk Missed in Diligence
Issues surface after close, when remediation costs multiples of what they would have cost before the LOI.
Portfolio Companies Without IT Leadership
Acquired companies run on whoever is available. No strategic direction. No accountability. Technology debt compounds every quarter.
No Visibility Across the Portfolio
Between board meetings, the fund has no clear picture of technology risk, compliance exposure, or IT performance at the company level.
How We Work
Five Stages.
Full Lifecycle.
- 0101
Pre-LOI Signal
Before your team commits to a letter of intent, we surface technology risks that should affect price or walk conditions. Rapid assessment. Delivered within five business days. Covered by the retainer.
- 0202
Full Technology Due Diligence
Complete assessment of infrastructure, cybersecurity posture, compliance status, vendor contracts, IT team, applications, and remediation cost modeling. Delivered as a standalone report alongside your QoE and legal diligence. Fixed-fee project.
- 0303
Post-Close Integration
100-day IT integration plan and execution oversight. We manage the technology integration so your operating partners do not have to. Fixed-fee or monthly engagement.
- 0404
Portfolio Monitoring
Ongoing CIO-level oversight for every portfolio company. Monthly touchpoints, quarterly formal reviews, and immediate escalation when something requires attention. Per-company monthly fee.
- 0505
Exit Preparation
Technology narrative for the CIM. Preparation for buyer technology due diligence. We make sure technology is a strength in your exit story, not a liability. Covered by the retainer.
Our Clients
Built for Lower Middle
Market Private Equity
Slate Meridian works exclusively with PE firms investing in lower middle and mid-market companies, typically $10M to $200M enterprise value. We do not serve large-cap funds. We are not a generalist IT consultancy. Every part of how we work is designed for the timelines, deal sizes, and operational demands of the LMM PE market.
The operating partners and managing directors we work with are doing real operational work. They do not need another advisor who speaks in frameworks. They need someone who can get on a plane, open up a server room, read an IT contract, and tell them exactly what they are buying and what it will cost to fix.
- Deal size focus
- $10M – $200M Enterprise Value
- Sectors
- Manufacturing, Business Services, Healthcare Services, Industrial Services, Distribution
- Geography
- United States and Canada
- Retainer capacity
- 3 to 5 funds simultaneously
- Point of contact
- Operating Partner or Managing Director
Our Approach
Structured Engagements.
Defined Scope.
Every engagement is built on three components: a firm retainer covering the fund relationship, per-company fees for portfolio oversight, and fixed-fee project work for defined engagements like due diligence and integration. Scope, deliverables, and pricing are defined in writing before any work begins.
About
Jake Schaaf
Principal, Slate Meridian
I have been running technology inside businesses for over 20 years, most recently as founder of Atticus Rowan, a managed IT services provider. Not advising from the outside. Running it. Building teams, managing vendors, navigating compliance audits, and making decisions when systems go down at 2am.
That experience is what makes this work valuable to PE firms. I know what technology risk looks like from the inside of an acquisition target. I know which problems are real and which ones get inflated in a diligence report. And I know how to build a 100-day integration plan that people can actually execute.
Slate Meridian is built to serve three to five funds at a time. That is intentional. Every client gets direct access, not a team of analysts and a partner who shows up for the first call.
- 20+ years in IT leadership
- Compliance & Audit Experience
- MSP operator
- Atticus Rowan Founder
Ready to Talk?
If you are dealing with any of the problems described on this page, a 20-minute call is the right next step.
No pitch deck.
No proposal before we talk.
Just a conversation about what you are working on.
Call or text: 419.937.8405