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ESSAY ·Due Diligence for the AI Buildout

Seller-side prep: the DD workbook you should have ready

the workstreams inverted for the target. Not a data-room checklist — a seller-side self-diligence and buyer-simulation system. Run the buyer's questions on yourself before the buyer asks. Includes the CIM Claim Register, five-part remediation taxonomy, and DD-ready test.

23 August 2026 · 20 min read
ESSAY ·Due Diligence for the AI Buildout

The Question Banks

The interrogation layer of the DD framework. Not a checklist. 250 candidate questions organised by workstream and AI Power Chain layer, designed to branch as findings emerge. WS01 activates the right subset. Includes the Killer 42.

23 August 2026 · 25 min read
FRAMEWORK ·Case Studies

Crusoe / Stargate Abilene: RESTRUCTURE, with the concentration risk that later materialised

The Investment Layer scorecard flagged single-tenant concentration risk on the Oracle-OpenAI structure pre-close. In March 2026 that exact risk materialised. Oracle and OpenAI dropped the expansion; Microsoft stepped in to lease the dropped capacity. RESTRUCTURE, with realized-prediction validation.

23 August 2026 · 6 min read
FRAMEWORK ·Case Studies

CoreWeave $2.6bn DDTL: the amber worked example on the uncontracted-principal veto

The wired-recourse mechanic in market-tested form. High uncontracted principal at maturity, but CoreWeave's parent guarantee absorbs at Ba2/BB+ corporate credit. AMBER on the framework's 2x2, not RED. The distinction most credit coverage misses.

23 August 2026 · 6 min read
FRAMEWORK ·Case Studies

Blackstone + CPP / AirTrunk: what UNDERWRITE looks like on the framework

Walking the September 2024 Blackstone + CPP acquisition of AirTrunk through both AI infrastructure scorecards. LOW physical + LOW thesis + GREEN veto = UNDERWRITE (Premier). The calibration anchor for what a clean deal scores on the framework.

23 August 2026 · 4 min read
ESSAY ·Due Diligence for the AI Buildout

Product architecture and technology DD

Three tests: current product against customer specs, roadmap credibility by evidence tier, differentiation audit against decision thresholds. Plus bench work priorities per layer.

23 August 2026 · 30 min read
ESSAY ·Due Diligence for the AI Buildout

Customer, pricing, and competitive DD

Where market DD tests the demand base, this workstream tests what the target captures from it. Concentration decomposition, pricing power diagnosis, twelve-month competitive move tracking.

22 August 2026 · 31 min read
ESSAY ·Due Diligence for the AI Buildout

Market and demand-side DD

The workstream that tests whether the demand the target sells into is what the CIM says it is. Bottom-up TAM, growth vintage decomposition, and cyclicality benchmarking.

21 August 2026 · 31 min read
ESSAY ·The DC-DC Transition

The Connector Wars: rack-to-rack interface engineering (DC-DC Supplement F, series close)

The sidecar-to-IT-rack interface is the connector-engineering choke point of the AI-density facility. 400+ ampere continuous current at 48V DC. Blindmate operation. Failure mode is fire. The vendors dominate (TE Connectivity, Molex, Amphenol).

20 August 2026 · 8 min read
ESSAY ·The DC-DC Transition

The Sidecar Power Rack and the OCP-spec ecosystem (DC-DC Supplement E)

The sidecar power rack is the rack-level architecture set by OCP Mt. Diablo (v0.7.0, March 2026) as the hyperscaler reference for AI-density deployments. Physical separation of power from IT compute, standardised connectors, hyperscaler vendor selection, Chinese entrant dynamics.

20 August 2026 · 8 min read
ESSAY ·The DC-DC Transition

The Solid-State Transformer: perimeter-conversion supplier dynamics (DC-DC Supplement D)

The solid-state transformer (SST) is consequential piece of equipment in the 800V DC architecture. Four Western vendors (Eaton, Schneider, ABB, Hitachi Energy) plus three credible Chinese entrants (CRRC, BYD, TBEA) constitute the entire universe. Silicon carbide device concentra

20 August 2026 · 8 min read
ESSAY ·The DC-DC Transition

The Voltage Ceiling: 1500V DC and the MVDC question (DC-DC Supplement C)

The perimeter-conversion stage faces a voltage-ceiling decision that will shape 2028-2032 facility architecture: hold at 800V DC, step to 1500V DC, or reach for MVDC at 5-15 kV. Each has different copper savings, standards readiness, vendor availability, and retrofit paths.

20 August 2026 · 9 min read
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Written by Adi Kumar · Privacy