Start before a prospect asks, because the timeline is the problem, not the cost. A SOC 2 Type 1 is a point in time snapshot you can get in weeks to unblock one urgent deal, but Type 2 needs an observation window of at least three months, so if you wait for the first enterprise buyer to demand it you have already lost a quarter. Underneath the certificate the controls are unglamorous and cheap: single sign on with enforced 2FA, protected branches and reviewed deploys, centralised logging, device management, and a list of your vendors. Selling in India adds the DPDP Act, so have a DPA that names you as processor, your subprocessor list, and your breach notification commitment ready. And do not expect the certificate to end questionnaires. It changes them, from basic control checks to specific questions about your data residency and subprocessors, so build a reusable answer library.
4 hand-picked resources, 1 India-specific, 4 link-checked. Pick how you want to dig in.
Why we picked it A founder who has been through it explains Type 1 versus Type 2, what it costs, how long it takes, and the honest test for whether you need it yet. Ten minutes that stops you either panicking or starting a year too late.
On Rob Walling (Startups For the Rest of Us) by Rob Walling 10 min
Why we picked it Answers the actual question a founder has, which is when rather than whether, and draws the Type 1 versus Type 2 line clearly: Type 1 is a bridge you can cross in weeks, Type 2 needs a 90 day observation window you have to start early.
From Workstreet by Travis Good 12 min read
Open workstreet.com →Why we picked it The most honest list of what to actually build: SSO with forced 2FA, protected branches, centralised logging, infrastructure as code, CloudTrail, device management and a vendor inventory. It also tells you which expensive things auditors do not need, which saves real money.
From Latacora 20 min read
Open latacora.com →Why we picked it If you sell into Indian enterprises, DPDP is now part of the security review alongside SOC 2. This lays out the obligations that show up in a buyer's DPA: consent, breach notification to the Data Protection Board, deletion rights and cross border transfer limits.
From Wattlecorp Cybersecurity Labs by Irshad Rafeekhudheen PK 16 min read
Open wattlecorp.com →How running a sales process and closing reads from a different seat.
The same ground, over in Money, pricing & model, our Starting Up track.
The same ground, over in Money, pricing & unit economics, our D2C track.
