Key Takeaways
- • Vlad Tislenko, a partner at SMRK VC, launched Startup Due Dil, an AI-powered web application that compresses venture capital due diligence from multiple hours or days into approximately 10 minutes by automating information collection, verification, and structuring.
- • The platform was built as an internal tool at minimal cost (less than €1,000) to address the time-intensive grunt work of due diligence—specifically finding, verifying, and structuring startup information from pitch decks and other sources.
- • Tislenko designed the tool to augment rather than replace investor judgment, positioning it as a mechanism to surface a more complete evidence base and reduce the risk of overlooking critical signals during investment assessment.
- • SMRK VC, which focuses on Ukrainian technology startups, includes portfolio companies such as Esper Bionics, Deus Robotics, Osavul, Ability.ai, and Principle; Tislenko's prior exit from Concepter in 2021 informed his approach to operational efficiency.
- • The tool addresses a market need: industry research indicates VC due diligence conventionally requires 20+ hours per investment opportunity, with AI-powered solutions reducing process time by up to 60% while improving risk detection across financial, legal, and market analysis.
Summary
Vlad Tislenko, a partner at SMRK VC, has announced the launch of Startup Due Dil, an artificial intelligence tool designed to dramatically accelerate the venture capital due diligence process. The platform automates the collection, verification, and structuring of information during startup investment evaluation, condensing what typically requires several hours to several days into an initial structured report generated in approximately 10 minutes. Built at a cost of less than €1,000, the tool originated as an internal system Tislenko developed to streamline his own investment assessment work at SMRK VC, a fund focused on Ukrainian technology startups.
The impetus for Startup Due Dil reflects both practical and strategic motivations. Tislenko identified that the most time-consuming elements of startup evaluation involve finding, verifying, and structuring information from founder pitch decks and supporting materials—work that, while routine, carries material consequences. Unverified claims or missed risk signals can result in both financial losses and reputational damage for investors. Tislenko stated his goal explicitly: "The goal is not to replace the investor, but to provide a more complete evidence base for decision-making and reduce the risk of overlooking an important signal." He also cited a secondary motivation—maintaining familiarity with AI progress to make better investment decisions in the AI space and provide sharper guidance to SMRK VC's portfolio companies, which include Esper Bionics, Deus Robotics, Osavul, Ability.ai, and Principle.
Tislenko's background supports the tool's design philosophy. Before joining SMRK VC as a technology entrepreneur, he led Concepter until its exit in 2021, giving him direct experience with the operational efficiencies that automation can unlock. The broader market context validates the opportunity: venture capital due diligence conventionally demands 20 or more hours per potential investment, and emerging AI-powered due diligence platforms are reducing process time by up to 60% while improving risk detection across financial documents, legal structures, and market trend analysis. Startup Due Dil positions itself within this landscape as a tool that compresses the systematic analysis phase without delegating final investment judgment to automation—a distinction critical for institutional investors managing fiduciary responsibility.
The impetus for Startup Due Dil reflects both practical and strategic motivations. Tislenko identified that the most time-consuming elements of startup evaluation involve finding, verifying, and structuring information from founder pitch decks and supporting materials—work that, while routine, carries material consequences. Unverified claims or missed risk signals can result in both financial losses and reputational damage for investors. Tislenko stated his goal explicitly: "The goal is not to replace the investor, but to provide a more complete evidence base for decision-making and reduce the risk of overlooking an important signal." He also cited a secondary motivation—maintaining familiarity with AI progress to make better investment decisions in the AI space and provide sharper guidance to SMRK VC's portfolio companies, which include Esper Bionics, Deus Robotics, Osavul, Ability.ai, and Principle.
Tislenko's background supports the tool's design philosophy. Before joining SMRK VC as a technology entrepreneur, he led Concepter until its exit in 2021, giving him direct experience with the operational efficiencies that automation can unlock. The broader market context validates the opportunity: venture capital due diligence conventionally demands 20 or more hours per potential investment, and emerging AI-powered due diligence platforms are reducing process time by up to 60% while improving risk detection across financial documents, legal structures, and market trend analysis. Startup Due Dil positions itself within this landscape as a tool that compresses the systematic analysis phase without delegating final investment judgment to automation—a distinction critical for institutional investors managing fiduciary responsibility.
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