The Right-Sized Roadmap for Startup Compliance
Stop guessing at what you need to do when. This timeline filters out the noise and shows you exactly which compliance actions correspond to your stage of growth, from formation to scale.
Don't Watch the Calendar; Watch the Gate
Most founders over-engineer compliance too early and are unable to pivot when necessary. This roadmap is event-bound, not time-bound. Do not advance to the next stage until you hit the specific business trigger (e.g., First Paid Pilot, Public Launch).
Startup Compliance Timeline
What this is: A simple roadmap of only the compliance actions a startup needs as it grows.
How to use it: Move forward when you hit the business gate (e.g., first paid pilot), not a calendar date.
Quick Jargon Decoder (Click to View)
Privacy Notice: A public page that says what data you collect, why, and people’s choices.
DPA: Contract with a vendor who handles your customer data.
DSAR: A way for people to ask for, correct, or delete their data.
Cookie Consent: The pop‑up/controls for tracking on your site.
SOC 2: A security audit framework many bigger customers expect.
SCCs/UK IDTA: Standard forms allowing data transfer to other countries (like the US).
0. Formation
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Do now:
- Put intellectual property and confidentiality in writing between founders/contractors.
- Pick your main data home (cloud region) and avoid collecting sensitive data unless truly needed.
- Start a simple Data Map: what you’ll collect, why, where it lives, who you share it with.
- Open a folder called “Compliance Evidence” to save docs/screenshots.
- Make a basic vendor list (hosting, analytics, email); confirm they offer DPAs and have basic security.
Advance when: Company is formed, intellectual property assigned, and a one‑page Data Map exists.
1. Pre-MVP
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Do now:
- Decide your no‑go data (e.g., kids’ data, health data) until you’re ready for it.
- List your key vendors and make sure they’ll sign DPAs; note where they store data.
- Set retention defaults (e.g., delete trial data after 90 days; logs after 12 months).
- Draft the Privacy Notice and Terms (simple, honest language is fine).
- Sketch your consent plan for email/SMS (collect opt‑ins; make unsubscribe easy).
Advance when: “No‑go” data rules are set, vendors identified, retention chosen, and policy drafts exist.
2. MVP Build
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Do now:
- Turn on basics buyers expect: encrypted traffic, role‑based access, two-factor authentication for staff, backups, and logs.
- Build consent & preferences into the product/website; keep timestamped records.
- Make a quick cookie list and plan a banner if you’ll have EU/UK users.
- Write a one‑page incident plan: who does what if something goes wrong.
Advance when: Security basics work, policies are ready to publish, and you know how consent/cookies will work.
3. Private Alpha/Beta
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Do now:
- Sign DPAs with your vendors; keep a list of their sub‑processors.
- Turn on a DSAR inbox (email or form) and reply within ~30 days.
- Run a 30‑minute tabletop drill for incidents.
- If targeting EU/UK, do a quick risk check (DPIA threshold) and note the result.
- Limit data in tests; confirm you can delete test accounts cleanly.
Advance when: DPAs are signed, DSAR intake works, incident drill is done, and (if relevant) EU/UK risk check is recorded.
4. Public Launch
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Do now:
- Publish your Privacy Notice, Terms, and Cookie Policy.
- Switch on cookie consent where required (EU/UK) and make choices easy to change.
- Capture consent and unsubscribe/STOP events and keep the logs.
- Check marketing claims and include any required disclosures.
- Put a DSAR page and privacy contact on your site.
- Security hygiene: centralize logs, test backups, and use multi-factor authentication/SSO for administrative access.
Advance when: Policies are live, consent/cookies work by region, and you can produce DSAR/consent logs on request.
5. Early Traction
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Do now:
- Build a Trust Pack: data map, sub‑processors, security summary, incident plan, DSAR metrics.
- Do basic vendor due diligence.
- Start SOC 2 readiness: pick scope, list controls, and make a 90‑day plan.
- Finalize a simple retention schedule.
- Do short privacy & security training for staff and log completions.
Advance when: Trust Pack is ready to send, SOC 2 plan exists with owners/dates, and retention/training are running.
6. Enterprise Ready
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Do now:
- Run a penetration test or vulnerability scan and track fixes.
- Finalize customer DPAs and any security/privacy addenda.
- If data crosses borders, put in place SCCs/UK IDTA and a short TIA (risk note).
- Prepare standard questionnaire responses (RFP, SIG, CAIQ).
- Add specialty addenda if needed (e.g., BAA for HIPAA).
Advance when: First enterprise security review passes and cross‑border paperwork is in place.
7. Scale & Expand
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Do now:
- Keep records of processing up to date; review access rights quarterly.
- Run a quarterly risk & policy refresh; keep a training log.
- For EU/UK: appoint a local representative; check if you need a Data Protection Officer; localize notices.
- Move from SOC 2 Type 1 → Type 2; consider a light bug bounty.
- Formalize third‑party risk checks for new vendors.
Advance when: You have a steady governance rhythm and outside audits don’t require a scramble.
📂 Evidence to Keep
Save these ideally in one place:
- Policies (versioned)
- Data map & sub‑processors
- Consent/cookie logs
- DSAR tracker
- Incident/breach playbook
- Security controls summary
- Penetration test/vulnerability scan summary
- Transfer addenda (SCCs/IDTA/TIA)
- Training logs
⚡ "Advance When" Triggers
- Paid pilots starting: DPAs; DSAR inbox; incident plan tested.
- Public marketing: Notices live; consent/cookies on; claims reviewed.
- Enterprise inquiry: Trust Pack ready; SOC 2 plan started; penetration test scheduled.
- EU/UK users/vendors: SCCs/IDTA/TIA, localized banner, representative/DPO assessed.
How Aetos Helps
We provide support at every growth stage:
- ✓ Formation/Pre‑MVP: Data map, vendor/DPA checklist, “no‑go” rules.
- ✓ Launch Pack: Policies, consent/cookies, DSAR, incident plan.
- ✓ Trust Pack: Questionnaires, SOC 2 roadmap, penetration test coordination.
- ✓ EU/UK Entry: Counsel intros; transfer tooling (SCCs/IDTA) and localization.
- ✓ Liquidity: Readiness evaluations & support.
We Manage the Roadmap for You
Formation & Pre-MVP: We handle the Data Map and "No-Go" data rules so you build on a clean foundation.
Launch Pack: We draft your policies, implement cookie banners, and test incident plans before you go live.
Trust Pack & Enterprise Prep: We build your questionnaires, manage the SOC 2 roadmap, and coordinate pen-tests so you can close big deals.
International Scale: We handle EU/UK localization, counsel introductions, and transfer tooling.
Ready to advance to the next stage?
Don't let a missing policy stall your next milestone.