Question 1

Why do startups need ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certification?

Accepted Answer

In today's digital economy, security certifications have evolved from "nice-to-have" to "must-have" credentials, especially if you're targeting mid-market and enterprise customers. Here's why:
Many enterprise clients won't even consider vendors without these certifications due to their internal compliance requirements
Certification accelerates your sales cycle by pre-answering security questions that would otherwise drag out for months
It provides a structured framework for implementing security controls that actually protect your business and customers
It demonstrates to investors that you're building a company with proper risk management

Think of certification as a trust accelerator. Without it, you'll spend countless hours filling out security questionnaires and explaining your security practices from scratch with each potential customer. With certification, you can essentially say, "Yes, we're secure. Here's our certificate to prove it." And then get back to discussing how your product solves their problems.

Question 2

What's the difference between ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certification?

Accepted Answer

Both are respected security frameworks, but they serve slightly different purposes:

ISO 27001:

International standard recognized globally
Process-focused approach to information security
Results in a certification valid for 3 years (with annual surveillance audits)
Particularly important for international business and European markets

SOC 2:

Developed by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)
More prescriptive about specific controls
Results in a report rather than a certification
Particularly important in the North American market
Comes in two types: Type 1 (point-in-time assessment) and Type 2 (assessment over a minimum period of 3 months)

Many startups eventually need both, but we typically recommend starting with whichever framework aligns with your most immediate business opportunities. If you're primarily selling to US enterprises, start with SOC 2. If you're targeting global markets, ISO 27001 might be the better first step. If you prioritize getting enterprise sales, then ISO 27001 is much faster to achieve due to the absence of an assessment period.

Question 3

How long does certification typically take with your automated approach?

Accepted Answer

Traditional certification can take 9-12 months of painful manual work. With our automated solutions:

ISO 27001:2022 certification: 3-4 months, depending on your company size
SOC 2 Type 1: 2-3 months, depending on your company size and ToS areas
SOC 2 Type 2: 4-6 months (the longer timeline is because Type 2 requires an observation period of at least 3 months)

These timelines assume reasonable cooperation from your team and no major security gaps that need remediation. The good news? Our preliminary assessment will help identify any potential roadblocks early in the process.

And remember: the sooner you start, the sooner you'll have certification. We've seen too many startups lose deals while waiting to get certified, which is why we've developed our accelerated approach.

Question 4

How much does certification cost, and are there any hidden fees?

Accepted Answer

Certification costs vary based on your company size, complexity, and scope, but here's what you should expect:

We will carefully listen to your needs and provide options to choose
We will come up with a detailed fixed prices quote and implementation timelines within a reasonable time, that "reasonable time" depends on your decisions.

We pride ourselves on transparency:

No hidden costs
No surprise fees
No upselling unwanted services

And unlike some consultants who make their money by dragging out the process, and choosing manual implementations, we're incentivized to get you certified efficiently. We focus on your success.

Question 5

How much of my team's time will the certification process require?

Accepted Answer

With traditional consulting approaches, certification can consume 15-20 hours per week from your technical team. Our automated approach dramatically reduces this burden. As part of the quote, we will estimate the time required from your team. This is based on your team structure, for example, if you do not have CISO, we will provide vCISO for you.

Most importantly, our platform handles the heavy documentation burden that typically consumes the most time in certification projects. This means your engineers can focus on implementing actual security improvements rather than documenting processes and generating evidence. We will guide you and your team through the process.

Question 6

What if we're not ready for certification? Do we need to meet certain prerequisites?

Accepted Answer

This is exactly why you need us! Most startups aren't "ready" for certification when they start the process.

We begin with understanding your needs. Then we provide a step-by-step roadmap to address those gaps, implementing automated solutions.

The only real prerequisites are:

Having a defined product or service
Having at least basic IT infrastructure in place
Leadership commitment

Even early-stage startups can achieve certification with the right guidance. And the earlier you implement proper security practices, the easier certification becomes.

Question 7

How does your automated approach differ from traditional certification consulting?

Accepted Answer

Traditional certification consulting feels like being thrown into a maze without a map. Our automated approach is more like having GPS navigation:

Traditional Approach:

Manual policy creation (often 300+ pages of documentation)
Manual evidence collection and organization
Inefficient spreadsheet tracking of hundreds of requirements
Limited visibility into progress
Heavy dependency on consultants for every step

Our Automated Approach:

Engagement letters for your customers, this is a door opener.
Pre-built policy templates customized to your business
Automated evidence collection where possible
Continuous compliance monitoring
Real-time dashboards showing certification progress
Self-service tools with expert guidance when needed

The result? Certification in about half the time or shorter, with far less drain on your internal resources, and at a significantly lower cost than traditional approaches.

Question 8

Can we maintain certification as we scale and our business changes?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! This is one of the key advantages of our approach.

Our platform is designed to scale with your business, automatically adjusting as you add new systems, team members, or business processes. The automated monitoring helps identify when changes might impact your compliance status, allowing for proactive remediation.

For startups experiencing rapid growth, this is crucial—traditional manual compliance approaches often break down during periods of expansion, putting certification at risk. Our clients maintain certification through funding rounds, team doubling, product expansions, and even acquisitions.

Question 9

What security frameworks do your automated solutions support?

Accepted Answer

Our solutions support multiple security frameworks and standards, allowing for efficient compliance with:

ISO 27001:2022 (Information Security Management)
SOC 2 (Trust Services Criteria)
ISO 42001 (Artificial Intelligence Management Systems)
GDPR (European Data Protection)
HIPAA (Healthcare Data Protection)
NIST CSF (Cybersecurity Framework)

The beauty of our approach is that we map controls across frameworks, so implementing controls for one certification often gets you 60-80% of the way toward another. This "comply once, apply many" approach saves significant time and resources when you need to meet multiple compliance requirements.

Question 10

Will certification guarantee we won't have a security breach?

Accepted Answer

No security measure—including certification—can guarantee you'll never experience a breach. Anyone claiming otherwise is selling snake oil.

What certification does provide is:

Open doors to Mid-market and Enterprise Clients
A structured approach to identifying and mitigating security risks
Defense-in-depth strategies that make breaches less likely and limit potential damage
Processes for detecting, responding to, and recovering from security incidents
Regular reviews and updates to your security controls

In the event of a security incident, being certified also demonstrates due diligence and a commitment to security best practices, which can significantly reduce potential legal and reputational damage.

Question 11

How do we choose between ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certification?

Accepted Answer

This decision should align with your business goals and customer requirements. Here's our general guidance:

Choose ISO 27001 if:

You operate internationally or plan to expand globally
Your customers specifically request it (common in Europe, Asia, and government contracts)
You need a certification that's recognized worldwide
You want a more flexible, risk-based approach to security

Choose SOC 2 if:

Most of your customers are US-based enterprises
You handle sensitive customer data
Your sales prospects specifically ask for it (common in US finance, healthcare, and technology sectors)
You want more prescriptive guidance on specific controls

Many of our clients eventually obtain both certifications, starting with whichever one unlocks immediate business opportunities and then adding the second as they expand. ISO 27001 covers 90% of SOC 2 certification.

Question 12

What role do we play in the certification process versus what EIM handles?

Accepted Answer

We believe in partnership rather than dependency. Here's how responsibilities typically break down:

EIM handles:

Understanding your needs and roadmap creation
Automation implementation
Control implementation guidance
Evidence collection automation and organization
Audit coordination and support
Ongoing compliance monitoring

Your team handles:

Providing information about your current people, systems, and processes
Reviewing and approving policies and risks, if you have CISO.
Acknowledging policies
Implementing technical controls (with our guidance or actual implementation depending on your needs)
Making decisions as we go through the certification process.

We aim to minimize the burden on your team while ensuring the resulting security program actually reflects your business operations—not a generic template that looks good on paper but doesn't align with how you work.

Question 13

What happens during the certification audit?

Accepted Answer

The audit is the final step in achieving certification, but it shouldn't be scary if you're properly prepared. Here's what to expect:

For ISO 27001:

Stage 1: The auditor reviews your documentation and management system design
Stage 2: The auditor verifies implementation through interviews and evidence review
You'll receive your certification

For SOC 2:

Type 1: The auditor assesses your controls at a point in time
Type 2: The auditor reviews evidence showing controls operated effectively over a period (at least 3 months)
You'll receive a detailed report that you can share with customers

We organize and manage communication with the auditor, and help address any findings that might arise during the audit.

Question 14

Do we need to implement every security control in the standards?

Accepted Answer

No, and this is a common misconception that leads many startups to believe certification is out of reach.

Both ISO 27001 and SOC 2 allow for tailoring the control set based on your specific risks and business model. We help you determine which controls apply to your environment and which can be excluded with proper justification.

For ISO 27001, you can formally exclude controls through the "Statement of Applicability" if they don't apply to your business. For SOC 2, you can define the scope of the assessment to focus on relevant systems and processes.

This risk-based approach ensures you're implementing security measures that actually matter for your business, not checking boxes for controls that provide no real value.

Question 15

How do we maintain certification after we achieve it?

Accepted Answer

Certification isn't a one-time achievement—it requires ongoing maintenance:

For ISO 27001:

Annual surveillance audits
Complete recertification every three years
Regular internal audits and management reviews

For SOC 2:

Annual renewal of your Type 2 report
Continuous monitoring of control effectiveness

Our platform makes maintenance significantly easier through:

Automated evidence collection for continuous compliance
Regular compliance status updates
Notification of potential issues before they impact certification
Streamlined preparation for surveillance audits and recertification

This ongoing support transforms certification from a painful periodic scramble into a sustainable business process.

Question 16

Can you help us if we've already started the certification process?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! We've helped many startups who started with traditional consultants but found the process taking too long or costing too much.

We can perform a rapid assessment of your current state and develop a plan to accelerate the remainder of your certification journey. Our platform can import existing policies and evidence, so your previous work isn't wasted.

In fact, companies that switch to our automated approach mid-process typically still achieve certification faster than if they had continued with their original method.

Question 17

How do automated solutions help with evidence collection?

Accepted Answer

Evidence collection is typically the most time-consuming part of certification. Our platform automates this through:

Direct integration with cloud services (AWS, Azure, etc.)
Automated screenshots and configuration validation
Scheduled evidence collection for periodic controls
Secure storage and organization of all evidence

This means your team isn't manually gathering screenshots, logs, and reports every month. The system collects evidence continuously, ensuring you always have what you need for audits without the administrative burden.

Question 18

What kind of ongoing support do you provide after certification?

Accepted Answer

Achieving certification is just the beginning of your compliance journey. Our ongoing support includes:

Continuous monitoring of your compliance status
Regular security posture updates
Guidance on maintaining compliance during business changes
Support during surveillance audits and recertification
Updates when standards change or new regulations emerge

We believe long-term security success comes from building sustainable compliance programs, not just achieving a point-in-time certification.

Question 19

How do you handle certification for companies with complex environments?

Accepted Answer

Whether you have a multi-cloud infrastructure, hybrid environments, or complex service delivery models, our approach can adapt:

Customized scope definition to focus on what matters
Tailored control implementation for your specific technology stack
Integration with diverse systems and services
Experience with complex compliance requirements

We've successfully certified companies across various industries and technical architectures

Question 20

What's the ROI on security certification?

Accepted Answer

While the primary driver for certification is often meeting customer requirements, most clients see additional benefits:

Shortened sales cycles
Higher win rates for competitive RFPs
Ability to access markets with strict compliance requirements
Reduced time spent on security questionnaires
Lower insurance premiums for cyber liability coverage
Improved operational efficiency from standardized processes

Many clients report that certification pays for itself through accelerated deal closings alone. One Founder told us, "Certification is a game changer!"

Question 21

How does certification impact our product development and engineering processes?

Accepted Answer

When implemented properly, certification enhances rather than hinders development:

Security becomes "built-in" rather than "bolted-on"
Clear guidelines for secure development practices
Standardized processes that reduce confusion and rework
Automated compliance checks that catch issues early

We work with your engineering team to implement controls that align with modern development practices. The goal is security that enables innovation rather than blocking it.

Question 22

What if we're a very early-stage startup with limited resources?

Accepted Answer

We fill the gaps where you need them. Based on our initial conversation we find the best course of action. Even if full certification isn't immediately feasible, we can help you build a security foundation that demonstrates commitment to best practices and prepares you for certification when the time is right.

Question 23

Do you work with specific auditors, or can we use our own?

Accepted Answer

We maintain relationships with multiple accredited auditors for both ISO 27001 and SOC 2, selected for their understanding of startup environments and reasonable pricing.

If you already have a relationship with an auditor, we're happy to work with them as well. In fact, the initial assessment includes an understanding of your auditing needs.

We can also help you select an auditor based on your specific needs, industry, budget, and timeline.

Question 24

How do we get started with EIM's cybersecurity certification services?

Accepted Answer

Getting started is straightforward:

Schedule a consultation call to discuss your needs and goals
Receive a tailored proposal including timeline, scope, and investment
Kickoff the project and start your certification journey

You'll have a clear roadmap to certification, including specific milestones and deliverables.

The sooner you start, the sooner you'll have certification in hand. And unlike many business investments with uncertain returns, security certification has a clear payoff: the ability to confidently tell prospects "Yes, we're certified" and move the conversation back to how your product delivers value.

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