Fluid was engaged to help KCP to identify immediate technology and operational risks within CellTech and to build a pragmatic technology roadmap that would support future growth including advice on which systems they should adopt. The technology roadmap needed to be aligned to value creation and highlight opportunities where digital investment could deliver measurable ROI.

Fluid carried out a focused technology review and ran through its Digital Maturity Assessment with CellTech, the first business to pilot Fluid’s new approach designed to align technology diligence directly with business strategy and growth objectives.

Rather than reviewing these systems in isolation, Fluid’s Digital Maturity Assessment examined how technology supported, or constrained, CellTech’s commercial performance, where manual processes created operational risk or inefficiencies, and which digital investments would deliver the highest return for the business post-acquisition.

Fluid’s approach ensured that KCP received insights not only into cyber and technology risks, but also into how technology could accelerate CellTech’s growth in the future.

Fluid identified that CellTech’s reliance on spreadsheets and basic accounting software posed risks around scalability, governance and management insight. The absence of integrated systems limited visibility across finance, operations and staff utilisation, making it harder to forecast and manage performance or support rapid expansion.

Fluid produced a clear, prioritised technology roadmap focussed on scalability and operational control. Fluid recommended implementing a professional services automation (PSA) platform to improve financial management, project tracking and staff utilisation.

The team also saw the opportunities of developing bespoke quality management software using tools such as Microsoft Power Platform to increase efficiency, traceability and compliance, as well as the need to evaluate CRM solutions to replace the current fragmented manual processes and appointing a senior executive with responsibility for IT governance and digital strategy.

Fluid’s recommendations balanced ‘quick wins’ with long term strategy, aligning to KCP’s value creation plan. The team also placed a strong emphasis on engaging senior stakeholders to ensure recommendations were clearly understood and supported.

Matt Tice, director at Key Capital Partners, said: “Fluid’s new Digital Maturity Assessment is a groundbreaking product. It has not only helped us as investors to clearly understand CellTech’s digital maturity level but gave us unprecedented commercial insight by clearly aligning proposed technology investments to value creation drivers.

“The pragmatic nature of Fluid’s recommendations, and the good relationships fostered with the management team, meant they bought into the technology plan from the outset and, coupled with the clear commercial alignment, allowed us to proceed with confidence in implementing the proposed technology roadmap.”

Fluid’s CEO, Gareth Murphy, demonstrated PSA and CRM solutions directly to CellTech’s Directors. This hands-on engagement helped bring the recommendations to life and showed how modern systems could deliver tangible operational and financial benefits.

The response from CellTech’s leadership team was highly positive, with strong recognition of the value these platforms could bring to the business.

By combining technology diligence with commercial insight, Fluid helped Key Capital Partners look beyond immediate risks and understand how targeted digital investment could unlock long-term value at CellTech.

Fluid continues to support private equity firms with technology-led due diligence that goes beyond risk mitigation, providing clarity, confidence and a roadmap for growth. Get in touch to find out more.