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Matthias Knab, Opalesque for New Managers: When Opalesque's sister blog Fundmanager.tools' released its latest Productivity Hack #8 for Investment Managers, the response from the audience was immediate and intense. Managers and allocators alike zeroed in on one idea: you can accelerate fundraising by arriving pre-verified - so that diligence starts closer to the finish line. Read the original post here. The approach: a growing number of managers are running Castle Hall's DDX Benchmark Report and obtain a DDX Verification Report before they launch a raise, or early in the process. It is a mock operational due diligence, structured exactly like an allocator's process, paired with a standardized, allocator-ready verification summary. What managers get (and why allocators care): 1. DDX Benchmark Report (confidential, internal) - Objective view of operational strengths and red-flag areas
- Peer context (comparison) so you see how you compare to institutional standards
2. DDX Verification Report (allocator-ready) - A standardized diligence summary to share with investors during fundraising
- Easy to include in a pitch deck, data room, or meeting materials
- Signals institutional readiness from the first conversation
Allocators like it because it is standardized, third-party verified, and free for them. Managers like it because it removes friction - instead of starting at page one of a DDQ, you set the frame for a higher quality discussion and can move faster through the due diligence process. You can access a sample Verification Report here. The signal you send by leading with DDX: - You have already invested in institutional readiness
- You take operational risk seriously
- You are proactive rather than reactive about diligence
Translated into allocator shorthand: "This manager gets it. We can skip to the parts that matter." Why momentum is building: At SuperReturn Berlin this year, several large allocators picked up Castle Hall sample reports to hand directly to managers, reflecting a push to standardize diligence requests and reduce inefficiencies across the market. Practical next steps - Run the Benchmark to surface and fix gaps before your next raise
- Lead first meetings with the Verification summary to frame diligence
- Embed the Verification in your deck, portal, and follow-up cadence
Preferred pricing via Fundmanager.tools: In response to demand, Fundmanager.tools has secured preferred terms for managers completing Castle Hall's Benchmark + Verification process in 2025. Request a sample or learn more Contact Ben Cunliffe, Director - GP/Manager Solutions at bcunliffe@castlehalldiligence.com or book a short call with Ben here. Mention you saw this via Opalesque or Fundmanager.tools to access preferred terms.
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