For startups and scale-ups
Close enterprise deals faster with security that fits your stage.
Big customers will ask how you protect their data long before you have a security team. We give founders a clear, right-sized path: what to do now, what can wait, and how to pass security reviews without slowing the roadmap.
What founders tell us
“Our security questionnaire took three weeks and still did not close the deal.”
It is the most common reason startups call us. The fix is not a bigger questionnaire answer; it is a small, credible security programme you can show on day one.
01Stage by stage
What to do now, and what can safely wait
Spending too early wastes runway; spending too late loses deals. This is the order we recommend to the founders we work with.
Stage 1 · Pre-seed and seed
Lay foundations
Do now
- Security owner named on the team
- Cloud and identity hardening (MFA everywhere)
- Core policies: access, data, incident response
- Secure coding basics for developers
Can wait
- Formal certification
- A full-time security hire
Stage 2 · Series A
Pass the first security reviews
Do now
- Penetration test and a shareable summary letter
- Reusable answers for security questionnaires
- SOC 2 Type 1 or ISO 27001 readiness
- Vendor and data-processing agreements
Can wait
- Red teaming
- Large security tooling budgets
Stage 3 · Series B and scale-up
Build a real security function
Do now
- Fractional vCISO owning the roadmap
- SOC 2 Type 2 or ISO 27001 certification
- DPDP and GDPR privacy programme
- DevSecOps and AI governance
Can wait
- A large in-house security team
- Custom-built security platforms
Stage 4 · Pre-IPO and enterprise
Prove resilience at scale
Do now
- Red team exercises and LLM red teaming
- Regulatory audits (RBI, SAMA, DORA)
- ISO 22301 business continuity
- Board-level risk reporting
Can wait
- Nothing. At this stage, assurance is expected.
02The first enterprise deal playbook
Five moves that unblock most enterprise security reviews
You can complete most of this in six to eight weeks, with a small team and a clear owner.
01
Publish a security page
A short, honest page that explains how you protect customer data. It answers half the questions before they are asked.
02
Write the five core policies
Access control, data protection, incident response, vendor management and acceptable use. Short, real and followed.
03
Run a penetration test
An independent test of your product, with a summary letter you can share under NDA.
04
Build an answer library
Reusable, evidence-backed answers to the questions every security questionnaire asks.
05
Commit to a certification date
Choose SOC 2 or ISO 27001 and set a date. Buyers accept “in progress” when the plan is credible.
Need it done for you?
We run the whole playbook with you
Fixed scope, a named consultant and weekly progress check-ins.
Book a call03SOC 2 or ISO 27001?
Which certification should you pursue first?
Both prove you take security seriously. The right first choice depends on where your customers are.
| SOC 2 | ISO 27001 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who usually asks for it | Buyers in the United States and global SaaS customers | Buyers in Europe, India, the Middle East and regulated industries |
| What you receive | An attestation report from a licensed CPA firm | A certificate from an accredited certification body |
| What it covers | Controls relevant to the Trust Services Criteria you choose | An information security management system across your chosen scope |
| Typical path | Type 1 first, then Type 2 over a 3 to 12 month observation period | Readiness, then a two-stage certification audit and yearly surveillance |
| Good first choice if | Most of your pipeline is US-based | Your pipeline is global or includes regulated buyers |
Many companies eventually hold both. Because the controls overlap heavily, we design one programme that satisfies both, so the second takes a fraction of the effort.
04Startup packages
Fixed scope, fixed timeline, no surprises
Every package is scoped on a call and priced up front. Packages can be combined, and each one builds on the last.
For seed-stage teams
Launch
- Security baseline review
- Core policy set
- Cloud and identity hardening
- Security page copy
For Series A teams selling to enterprises
Deal-ready
- Penetration test with summary letter
- Questionnaire answer library
- SOC 2 or ISO 27001 readiness plan
- Monthly advisory hours
For Series B and beyond
Scale
- Fractional vCISO
- Certification programme to audit
- Privacy programme (DPDP, GDPR)
- Quarterly board reporting
05Founder FAQs
Questions founders ask us first
How much should a startup spend on security?
Enough to remove the blockers in front of you: usually a penetration test, core policies and a credible certification plan. We size work to your stage and runway, and we will tell you when something can wait.
Can we get SOC 2 or ISO 27001 without a security team?
Yes. Most of our startup clients certify with a named internal owner and our team doing the specialist work. A vCISO can own the programme until you hire.
How quickly can we answer an urgent security questionnaire?
For most questionnaires we can help you respond within days, using evidence you already have. We then build an answer library so the next one is faster.
Do you work with startups outside India?
Yes. We work with teams across the GCC, the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Africa and Australia, and engagements run remotely by default.
Your next enterprise deal starts here.
Tell us which deal or questionnaire is in front of you. We will show you the shortest credible path to a yes.