When tech talent is scarce and speed to market is a priority, outsourcing is a logical way to handle software development. In order to deliver functionality faster, software partners will often use pre-built components known as ‘software accelerators’. While there’s nothing wrong with these accelerators per se – there are risks – especially when they’re buried deep inside your custom-coded systems.
Fast development can mask ownership issues
Software accelerators can be a tempting shortcut for any business under time pressure. As BonCode COO, Harm Garvelink explains, “Many projects have a time-constraint. When your software partner uses accelerators, you get your features sooner.”
The problem is rarely the software accelerator itself, but the lack of clarity around who owns it. These components are typically proprietary to the development partner, but their use is often not transparent in the contract or agreements in place. This means many organizations assume they own the full codebase, only to discover during a critical moment – like an exit, refinancing round, or provider switch – that key pieces of functionality are not theirs at all.
“You think you own everything, but then you discover you don’t,” says Harm. “This can be an issue.”
The consequences of undocumented components
When software ownership is unclear, the consequences can be significant. “No-one likes nasty surprises. Either you have to replace these components by developing something new, which takes time, or you simply buy the component from your software partner,” says Harm.
In some of BonCode’s recent assessments, organizations have discovered that removing or replacing an accelerator results in unexpected costs, delays, and additional technical complexity. Those kinds of surprises halt deals. In one due diligence engagement, BonCode discovered a critical external component embedded deep in the software estate that no-one knew was there.
In this example, the business itself had no idea it was there. “The whole deal was paused until management cleared the issue with their providers,” Harm recalls. For potential investors or buyers, uncertainty around IP ownership immediately impacts valuation: if they don’t know exactly what they’re buying, its value drops.
Unseen risks in black-box functionality
A lack of transparency also brings technical and operational risks. Undisclosed accelerators create vendor lock-in, limit negotiation power, and restrict future flexibility. As Harm puts it, “If your software partner controls the development process and the tooling that’s used, then they control your business.”
There’s also a strategic cost to innovation. Accelerators might account for the majority of required functionality, but fitting the business around a pre-built component can stifle growth. Accelerators speed up production, but they often slow down innovation.
On top of that, because these components tend to be ‘black-boxed’ leaders have no visibility into their behavior, security risks, or long-term maintainability. That lack of insight compounds risk as the company scales.
How independent assessment brings clarity
BonCode’s role is to give leadership the visibility they rarely have. Through code analysis, interviews, and targeted technical questionnaires, our team uncovers undocumented components and maps out what they mean for ownership, cost, and future flexibility.
If technical details are not transparent or predictable, unknown risks can snowball and impact the business. “When we notice these components, it’s never too late to put things right,” Harm explains.
The message to management teams is simple: transparency should never be optional. BonCode gives you the visibility you need across an entire software portfolio. Find out more
