Vernon

What Vernon does

Vernon (legal entity Vernon Ventures SL) is a Madrid-based product and technology consulting firm founded in 2017 by Teo Ruiz and Pedro Torrecillas, two operators with 20+ years of experience at scaled European tech companies including Busuu, Lyst, Jobandtalent, Social Point, and Fon. The firm operates with a two-person founder team and offers two core service lines: structured product and technology due diligence (2-3 week assessment projects commissioned primarily by Series A/B venture capital firms such as Kibo Ventures, Northzone, White Star Capital, and Portage) and fractional CTO/CPO engagements where the founders embed with startup or enterprise teams (Clarity.ai, Mercadona Tech, Chicfy, Cires21) for strategic and hands-on execution support. The firm also operates as Operating Partners at Kibo Ventures, embedding into deal-flow and portfolio support.

Vernon paused operations from late 2018 to early 2024 while the founders built Circular.io, a recruitment marketplace that grew to 45 employees and was acquired by Sngular in February 2024. The firm relaunched in April 2024 with an explicit focus on AI technologies (transformers, LLMs), and in October 2024 co-developed and launched MediaCopilot with Cires21 - a SaaS platform applying LLMs to video transcription, translation, subtitles, summarization, and contextual search, debuted at IBC Amsterdam. Geographic footprint spans 9+ countries across Europe (Spain, UK, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Finland, Switzerland) and North America (US, Canada), with the firm having served 40+ clients across its lifetime.

Revenue mechanics are professional services only: per-project diligence fees, fractional leadership retainers, and execution support engagements, with pricing not publicly disclosed and no external institutional funding. Go-to-market is founder-led direct engagement leveraging the Operating Partner role at Kibo Ventures, repeat VC relationships, referrals from prior engagements, and thought-leadership content via the Vernon blog and the founders' LinkedIn profiles. Vernon holds no patents, certifications, or regulatory licenses; its competitive position rests entirely on the operating pedigree and network of its two founders.

Name

Vernon

Legal name

Vernon Ventures SL

Website

https://vernonteam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vernon is a two-person Madrid-based product and technology consulting firm co-founded by ex-CTO/VP Eng operators from Busuu, Lyst, and Jobandtalent, providing due diligence for VCs and fractional CTO/CPO services to startups and enterprises across Europe and North America, with a 2024 relaunch focused on AI and the launch of the MediaCopilot AI video SaaS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting — Product and Technology Advisory

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Data, Analytics & AI Consulting (BPAHAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Innovation, Product & R&D Consulting (BPAHACAM), Emerging Tech (IoT, Blockchain, AR/VR, Edge) Consulting (BPAHAEAL)

Keywords

• Product due diligence
• Fractional CTO services
• Technology advisory
• Venture capital consulting
• AI integration consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Due Diligence: Product and tech due diligence services commissioned by VCs during funding rounds or by founders seeking internal audits. Structured 2-3 week assessment projects.
2. Fractional Leadership Services: Part-time or interim Product and Tech leadership services. Highly flexible approach engaging in strategic discussions and hands-on implementation.
3. Execution Support: Implementation support working alongside client teams to execute initiatives identified in due diligence or planning processes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Vernon provides two core product and technology consulting services: (1) Tech and Product Due Diligence — a 2-3 week structured assessment that surfaces 8-10 product and technology challenges for the next 12-18 months, typically commissioned by Series A/B VCs during funding rounds or by founders for internal audits; and (2) Fractional CTO/CPO services — part-time or interim product and technology leadership with hands-on implementation support, often focused on AI/LLM integration. The firm also develops proprietary AI products such as MediaCopilot (video enrichment SaaS co-developed with Cires21) and prior shared-talent platform The Hiring Circle.

Product overview

Vernon is a product and technology consulting firm offering two core service lines: Tech and Product Due Diligence for VCs and founders, and Fractional CTO/CPO services for hands-on execution support. The company has a minimalist, pragmatic approach focused on streamlined operations. Vernon has evolved over time, previously operating The Hiring Circle (a shared talent pool PoC that became Circular.io) and recently developed MediaCopilot for Cires21. The company is now relaunching with a focus on AI projects while maintaining its core consulting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tech and Product Due Diligence A structured 2-3 week assessment project that identifies key product and technology challenges for the next 12-18 months, typically commissioned by Series A/B VCs during funding rounds or by founders seeking internal audits. Includes kick-off sessions, custom questionnaires, on-site workshops, stakeholder interviews, and a final report outlining 8-10 challenges with recommended initiatives.
• Fractional CTO and CPO Part-time or interim Product and Tech leadership service in which Vernon joins the client's team with a flexible approach, engaging in strategic discussions and providing hands-on implementation when needed. Engagements have ranged from defining MVPs and rebuilding tech teams to launching new verticals and integrating AI products.
• MediaCopilot AI-powered SaaS platform for broadcasters, OTTs, and digital media companies that transforms raw video into enriched media with transcription, translation, subtitles, summaries, clipping, and contextual search capabilities. Co-developed by Vernon with Cires21 and launched at IBC Amsterdam 2024.
• The Hiring Circle Proof-of-concept shared candidate pool based on circular economy principles for the Spanish startup ecosystem, enabling companies to share and receive recommended tech and product candidates. Built with Django and Bootstrap 4 and later evolved into Circular.io.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced B2B onboarding costs by 40%
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Cires21flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2024Helped Cires21 transform an AI video service into a SaaS product (MediaCopilot). Defined market opportunity, value proposition, GTM strategy, developed MVP, and cultivated startup product and tech culture within 3 months for IBC Amsterdam event.
• Kibo VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2017Operating Partners at Kibo Ventures - helping with deal flow, due diligence reports, and product and tech issues of portfolio companies. Collaborating on product, engineering and general strategies for portfolio startups.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey Digital / QuantumBlack: McKinsey's digital and AI advisory arm (QuantumBlack) serves enterprise and PE/VC clients on technology and product strategy, competing for the same senior fractional and diligence mandates Vernon targets.
• AKQA: Global digital transformation and product strategy agency working with enterprises on AI integration, product innovation, and digital builds — broader scope but overlapping buyer profile and capability emphasis.
• Globant: Large global IT and digital consultancy with a strong AI Studio and product engineering offering, active in Europe and with VC/startup clients — overlaps Vernon's AI implementation and fractional product leadership work.
• Thoughtworks: Global technology consultancy with dedicated AI/ML and product strategy practices serving enterprises and VC-backed companies; competes for the same kind of tech due-diligence and product leadership engagements at much greater scale.
• BCG Platinion: Technology and digital strategy consulting arm of BCG focused on tech due diligence, IT architecture, and AI for private equity and large corporates — overlaps Vernon's VC due diligence and AI strategy work at the high end of the market.
• Bain & Company: Global strategy consultancy with an established commercial/product-tech due diligence practice serving private equity investors on M&A and growth-stage deals — direct overlap with Vernon's VC due diligence service.

Direct peers

• 10Clouds: European boutique software and AI consultancy serving startups and scale-ups with product strategy, fractional CTO support, and ML/LLM integration — highly comparable size, geography, and service mix to Vernon.
• Netguru: European (Poland-rooted) product and technology consultancy offering fractional product/tech leadership, due-diligence support for investors, and AI implementation — overlapping Vernon's core service lines but with a much larger delivery team.

Emerging players

• Silicon Valley Product Group: Marty Cagan-led product consulting and coaching firm serving tech companies on product strategy and operating models — strong overlap with Vernon's fractional CPO and product DD positioning, primarily US-based.
• Ustwo Studios: Independent digital product studio offering product strategy, fractional product leadership, and AI-enabled product builds for European clients — comparable boutique positioning and service mix to Vernon.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vernonteam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vernon-venture-growth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vernon