Applied AI Work
Case study · Decision dashboard

AI-enriched M&A target screening

A confidential, single-page dashboard for screening M&A targets across a partner ecosystem. It structures evidence across a long list of candidates and helps a team compare priorities.

Problem

M&A teams often start with a long list from a corporate-finance partner, then spend weeks turning that list into a shortlist they can act on. The work is structure, evidence, and consistent screening across every name.

What we built

A single-page dashboard with four views — Overview, Master List, Company Detail, and Evidence & Audit — built around a two-stage screening method: structural priority first, then strategic recommendation. Self-contained and deployable behind access controls.

AI role

AI-enriched research per target: ownership verification, vendor partnerships, business description, ecosystem relevance, and diligence risk flags. The structured outputs feed every view and every KPI, with a person reviewing before anything informs a decision.

Current status

Live tool, used in a confidential engagement. Industry-agnostic — the screening framework is the reusable part.

Live tool Confidential engagement AI-enriched research Decision dashboard Static deploy
Wireframe · Screening dashboard · Synthetic data
Client name M&A target screening

Priority A & B target review

A confidential view across a partner-ecosystem long list, with AI-enriched research feeding each tier, risk flag, and recommendation.

Overview Master List 120 Company Detail Evidence & Audit
Reviewed
120
In universe
Priority A
14
Engage
Priority B
28
Qualify
Out of band
78
Excluded
Pipeline distribution · by priority tier
14
28
30
48
Priority A — Engage Priority B — Qualify Priority C — Watch Excluded
Master list · preview Filter · Priority Filter · Region Search
# Company Location Staff Priority Recommendation
01 Target 01 City · State 80–120 A · Engage Recommend · founder-owned · adjacent practice
02 Target 02 City · State 60–90 A · Engage Recommend · cybersecurity overlap
03 Target 03 City · State 40–60 B · Qualify Watch · multi-vendor · check ownership
04 Target 04 City · State 25–40 C · Watch Undersized for this band
On a complex M&A target-screening exercise, ontopraxis showed us how applied AI can support real commercial decisions — not as a black box, but as a disciplined, auditable part of the process.”
Independent M&A Advisor, for a UK technology company

Live tool shown with synthetic data. The screening framework is industry-agnostic and reusable.

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