Decision engine for private equity: screening deals faster
The essentials in 30 seconds
- A decision engine speeds up deal screening by giving every target the same score on 9 dimensions.
- A Decision at US$910 suits a first look, and a Strategic Diagnostic at US$4,586 suits a committee (EQOS Asia pricing grid, as of October 2026).
- Cross-border M&A models integration risks across ASEAN, North Asia, and India (EQOS Asia enterprise page, as of October 2026).
- An illustrative scenario compares 3 deal structures in 3 currencies (EQOS Asia enterprise page, as of October 2026).
- A 30-minute Comex briefing opens the first screening case.
Private equity teams read many targets under time pressure, and the first filter shapes the whole pipeline. A decision engine gives each target the same score, so the short list rests on one scale and takes shape faster. This page belongs to the series of profile guides for decision-makers in Asia, and it shows how EQOS Asia supports deal screening, due diligence, and portfolio valuation.
On this page
Compare the EQOS Asia offers and request a 30-minute pre-diagnostic.
Why does deal screening need a common decision score?
A fund compares targets from different countries, sectors, and currencies. When every file carries its own story, the first filter depends on who presents it. A decision engine rates each target on the same 9 structural dimensions, so a retailer in Vietnam and an industrial supplier in Thailand appear on one axis. Analysts then spend their first hours on the comparison itself, and each ranking carries the same method from the first file to the last.
The score is a filter, not a verdict on the investment. It ranks the targets that deserve deeper work and gives each one a list of fragility zones to examine. The screening flow below runs in four steps, from one score per target to a committee decision with the reasons attached.
What does a first decision engine screen of a target involve?
A first look needs a sharp question and the main documents. The pricing page lists whether an investment is viable among the examples of the Decision tier at US$910, which integrates internal and external documents (financial, contractual, HR, market) and builds the mathematical model of the choice before answering within 48-72 hours (EQOS Asia pricing grid, as of October 2026).
The team then reads the score, the 3 priority risks, and the map of fragility zones (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026). A score below 0.618 falls in the STOP zone, and a score above it falls in the OK zone. The team can set its own rule for the targets that move on to deeper work. Writing that rule before the first score keeps the screening consistent across the pipeline.
A companion guide on the deal screening scoring grid goes further into the design of that first look. It covers the grid columns, the gate at the viability line, consistent analyst ratings, and the escalation of finalists to a deeper score, so the cost of diligence stays proportional to the conviction of the team.
How does the engine read integration risk in cross-border M&A?
The enterprise page describes multidimensional augmented due diligence on acquisitions spanning ASEAN, North Asia, and India, with detection of cultural, legal, and operational integration risks (EQOS Asia enterprise page, as of October 2026). The business page adds joint ventures and acquisitions across ASEAN, Japan, Korea, and India.
The business page lists cultural compatibility, offer complementarity, integration risks, and 24-month post-deal modeling for these cases, with typical pricing from a Strategic Diagnostic at US$4,586 up to Sentinel on quote (EQOS Asia business page, as of October 2026). The fund sees the deal after closing, over 24 months, before it signs.
What does an acquisition scenario look like with a decision engine?
The enterprise page offers an illustrative scenario, modeled and not a client result: a listed industrial group headquartered in Singapore considers acquiring its closest competitor, with plants in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia (EQOS Asia enterprise page, as of October 2026).
The engine scores both organisations across 9 dimensions, models three deal structures in USD, THB, and VND, and highlights the exit-clause logic the board should negotiate. A deal team reads the same output in a screening: which structure holds, which currency adds exposure, and which clause deserves attention.
How does a private equity fund value a portfolio across Asia?
For PE and family-office portfolios, the enterprise page describes the valuation of portfolio assets across Southeast Asia, India, and North Asia, with the identification of 36-month value creation levers. Pricing is a Strategic Diagnostic at US$4,586 per asset, plus Sentinel for monitoring (EQOS Asia enterprise page, as of October 2026).
At fund level, the pricing page lists PE portfolio valuation among the examples of a full Mapping at US$22,976, which integrates 100% of the supplied data over 6 to 8 weeks. The enterprise page also lists an ESG audit with a mathematical impact score on asset portfolios across Asia-Pacific (EQOS Asia pricing grid and enterprise page, as of October 2026). Fund teams therefore reuse one method from the first look at a single target to the review of a full portfolio.
Which tier fits each stage of the screening?
The stages map to the grid. A Decision at US$910 serves the first look. A Diagnostic at US$2,288 serves a pre-sale audit in 2 weeks, with a 60-minute video debrief. A Strategic Diagnostic at US$4,586 serves a complex M&A audit and the investment committee, with a Comex presentation in person or by video call (EQOS Asia pricing grid, as of October 2026).
A Mapping at US$22,976 serves the portfolio of a PE fund. The enterprise offers suggest a sequence for enterprise accounts: a Strategic Diagnostic to test one topic, then Sentinel for continuous monitoring, then a Mission for an M&A mandate (EQOS Asia enterprise page, as of October 2026).
How does a private equity team start with the decision engine?
Choose one live deal or one portfolio company as the test case. The enterprise page offers a 30-minute Comex briefing, a confidential presentation scheduled around UTC+8 under a reinforced NDA, with Asia-Pacific sources prioritised (EQOS Asia enterprise page, as of October 2026). The briefing shows the screening flow on the chosen case and selects the tier that matches the stage.
Deal files stay protected: a systematic NDA is signed before any exchange, Mapping and Mission add an isolated encrypted environment, and data is hosted in Singapore (EQOS Asia pricing grid, as of October 2026). The team receives an interactive HTML deliverable and, from a fee of US$1,369, a presentation.
See also in this guide
Frequently asked questions
Does a decision engine tell a fund whether to invest?
A decision engine screens and structures. It returns a score, the priority risks, and scenarios, and the investment committee keeps the decision. The output serves as analysis for the committee’s own judgment, and the deliverable documents the reasons behind each ranking (EQOS Asia method page, as of October 2026).
How long does a deal-level analysis take?
A Decision at US$910 takes 48 to 72 hours, a Diagnostic at US$2,288 takes 2 weeks, and a Strategic Diagnostic at US$4,586 takes 2 to 3 weeks. A Mapping at US$22,976 takes 6 to 8 weeks (EQOS Asia pricing grid, as of October 2026).
Which regions does a private equity screening cover?
The enterprise page covers ASEAN, Greater China, Japan, Korea, India, and the Gulf, and it prioritises Asia-Pacific external sources. Portfolio valuation names Southeast Asia, India, and North Asia, and cross-border M&A names ASEAN, North Asia, and India (EQOS Asia enterprise page, as of October 2026).
How are deal documents protected?
A systematic NDA is signed before any exchange, and Mapping and Mission add a reinforced NDA with an isolated encrypted environment. The enterprise page adds a clean room on request, and data is hosted in Singapore (EQOS Asia enterprise page and pricing grid, as of October 2026).
Test your knowledge
1. What does a score below 0.618 indicate?
- The OK zone
- The STOP zone
- A perfect score
Show the answer
The STOP zone.
2. Which tier serves the first look at a target?
- Decision
- Mapping
- Mission
Show the answer
Decision.
3. How many deal structures does the illustrative acquisition scenario compare?
- 1
- 9
- 3
Show the answer
3.
4. How many months of post-deal modeling does the business page list for M&A cases?
- 12
- 24
- 36
Show the answer
24.
5. What is the price of a full Mapping?
- US$4,586
- US$22,976
- US$2,288
Show the answer
US$22,976.
About the author
Stéphane Jambu
President, EQOS Forecast Asia
Stéphane Jambu leads EQOS Forecast Asia and works as a consultant in e-commerce, search visibility, and AI. LinkedIn profile
Sources: EQOS Asia enterprise page (eqos-asia.com/enterprise.html), business page (eqos-asia.com/business.html), pricing page (eqos-asia.com/pricing.html), method page (eqos-asia.com/method.html) and contact page (eqos-asia.com/contact.html), consulted on 21 October 2026. Page updated on 21 October 2026.