NextEra Copilot: digital due diligence for handovers

NextEra Copilot now has its own page. The digitalisation audit is aimed at everyone who sells a company, hands it over to the next generation, takes it over or buys it. It examines what classic due diligence usually misses: how the company actually works.

Degree of digitalisation 1 to 5

Each core process receives a level; together they result in the overall score:

• 1 In someone’s head: processes live in heads, nothing is written down.
• 2 Documented: written down, but manual.
• 3 Standardised: binding standards with key figures.
• 4 Automated: stable steps run automatically; partial AI counts here.
• 5 AI-autonomous: an AI runs core processes on its own, people set goals and guardrails.

The departure plan

Each process is rated by criticality, frequency of use, and documentation and digitalisation. Whatever is highly critical, frequently used and poorly documented comes first, because that is where the operational risk of a handover sits. This results in the departure plan: document highly critical processes, digitalise frequently used ones, automate where it makes sense. At the end there is a justified score per process, measures with owner and deadline, a skills matrix and role-based succession.

The key point: Anyone handing over or buying a company should know before signing which knowledge depends on which people. More on the NextEra Copilot and Succession and handover pages.