Private equity continues to expand at a rapid rate, especially following the COVID-19 outbreak. Investment management firms are faced with the challenge of managing the massive amount of data in relation to investments that could be made. A virtual data room (“VDR”) is one way to streamline and enhance the due diligence process. A VDR can assist PE companies conduct a deeper analysis and evaluation of their market position, growth prospects and cash flows and past performance of potential investment targets.
A VDR can assist investment management teams to close more profitable transactions in a less time frame. It can significantly impact the bottom line. However there are specific features that must be considered when selecting a VDR for private equity due diligence.
The VDR must offer a flexible and secure online platform that allows users to conduct due diligence on potential investments. It should provide users with the possibility of uploading, organizing and share files from any device with an Internet access. A comprehensive due diligence process must also be included. This should include tools for Q&A and granular control of files and folders, as well as drag-and-drop capability for uploading files.
In addition, a robust analytics suite should be in place to provide insight into process’s progress. This should include real-time reports on document downloads as well as user activity and Q&A interactions.