Build Or Buy: How Startups Should Decide Which Internal Tools To Code
A practical test for when your engineers should write an internal tool themselves, when to pay for software, and the costs founders routinely leave off the spreadsheet.
The Tech Desk
Editorial Staff
The Tech Desk covers technology from the operator's chair: AI deployment, SaaS economics, cybersecurity for small teams and selling to the enterprise. Reporting under this byline is produced by the editorial staff of Founder Insider.
Articles by The Tech Desk
What Technical Due Diligence Really Checks Before An Acquisition Or Round
Buyers and later-stage investors look past the demo to your code ownership, licenses, security record and cloud bill. Here is what they examine and how to prepare.
Before You Sign That AI Contract, Read These Data Clauses Line By Line
AI vendors handle your prompts, files and customer data under terms that vary widely. These are the clauses that decide what happens to your company's information.
Using AI To Screen Job Candidates? Your Company Still Owns The Legal Risk
Resume screeners, video-interview scoring and recruiting chatbots can create discrimination exposure for employers. Here is how the risk works and what to check before you deploy.
Your AI Feature's Bill Can Outgrow Its Revenue. Here's How To Stop It
Usage-based model pricing can quietly erode software margins. These are the engineering and pricing controls that keep inference costs in line as adoption grows.
The SaaS Metrics Investors Check First, And How They Spot Inflated Numbers
Recurring revenue, retention and payback periods drive how SaaS companies are valued. Here is how each is defined, where founders bend them and how diligence catches it.
How To Raise Prices On Existing SaaS Customers Without A Churn Wave
A price increase is often the fastest revenue lever a software company has, and done carelessly it accelerates churn. Here is how to plan, announce and measure one.
The Fake Invoice Scam That Drains Small Companies, And How To Stop It
Business email compromise relies on a convincing message and a rushed payment. These are the controls that stop it, and what to do if money has already left.
Your Company Just Got Breached. What To Do In The First 48 Hours
The earliest decisions after a security incident shape the legal, financial and customer fallout. Here is the order of operations for a small company without a security team.
SOC 2 For Startups: What The Report Proves And When You Actually Need One
Enterprise buyers increasingly ask for a SOC 2 report before they sign. Here is what it covers, how Type I and Type II differ, and how to time the work.
How To Get Through Enterprise Security Reviews Without Stalling The Deal
Security questionnaires and procurement reviews can add months to an enterprise sale. These are the steps that shorten them, from answer libraries to contract positions.