ISO 27001 Compliance for Startups: The Complete Guide

The ISO 27001 Certification Process (Step-by-Step)

Achieving ISO 27001 compliance involves a series of stages. Let’s break down the total process your startup will go through, from initial preparation to receiving the certification and beyond. Here’s a step-by-step overview:

1. Perform a Gap Analysis (Initial Assessment): Begin by understanding what you already have in place versus what ISO 27001 requires. This often means using an ISO 27001 questionnaire or checklist to review each clause and Annex A control. Essentially, you’re answering: Where do we meet requirements, and where do we have gaps? If you use Delve or another platform, this step is typically guided by the software, which will highlight gaps for you (think of it as an automated ISO 27001 requirements checklist).
2. Build or Update Your ISMS Documentation: Based on the gaps identified, the next step is creation (or revision) of your ISMS. This involves writing all required policies and procedures and establishing needed processes. Key documents usually include:
   • The top-level Information Security Policy (a management-approved document stating your company’s commitment to security and the framework for your ISMS).
   • Risk Assessment methodology and report.
   • Risk Treatment Plan.
   • Statement of Applicability (which lists all Annex A controls and whether each is applied).
   • Various specific policies (access control, acceptable use, incident response, business continuity, encryption, supplier security, etc.) and procedures (like how you handle user provisioning, how you do data backups, how to report an incident, etc.).
   • An ISO 27001 internal audit checklist template or plan (outlining how you will conduct internal audits – more on that soon).
   • Roles and responsibilities document (who is the security officer or ISMS owner, etc.).
   At first glance, this seems like a mountain of paperwork. But you don’t have to reinvent the wheel – you can use templates and ISO compliance software to generate many of these quickly. For instance, Delve’s platform can auto-generate policy documents tailored to your company’s details, sparing you from writing them from scratch. The key is that by the end of this stage, you have a documented ISMS that meets the standard’s clauses. This set of documents will later be reviewed by auditors in the Stage 1 audit.

3. Implement Controls and Procedures: Documentation alone isn’t enough – you must put those policies into action. This means rolling out the needed security controls and processes throughout your startup. Some examples of implementations at this stage:
   • If your policies say all laptops must be encrypted and have antivirus, you ensure that’s actually done for every team member’s device (and keep evidence, like screenshots or system reports).
   • Conduct an ISO 27001 risk assessment if you haven’t already: identify your information assets, threats, and vulnerabilities, then decide on risk treatment for each significant risk. This should be documented and approved by management.
   • Deploy any technical measures that were gaps. For example, you might need to start doing regular backups, enable multi-factor authentication everywhere, formalize an onboarding/offboarding checklist for employees, start logging important system activities, or subscribe to a cloud security monitoring tool.
   • Deliver security training to employees as required by the standard (ensuring everyone is aware of security policies, knows how to report incidents, etc.).
   • If you didn’t have one, set up an incident response plan and maybe even run a simulation or at least ensure everyone knows what to do if an incident occurs.
   • Begin keeping records as evidence of control operation. For example, maintain access control lists, logs of software updates, inventory of assets, minutes from security meetings, etc. These records will be invaluable for audits.
   Essentially, at this stage you are closing the gaps identified earlier by actually doing the things ISO 27001 expects you to do. This may also involve using tools – for instance, some startups adopt an ISO compliance software platform here to automate control monitoring (e.g. automatically checking that all AWS S3 buckets are encrypted, or that new employees signed the Acceptable Use Policy). By the end of this implementation phase, you should be living and breathing your ISMS: following the policies and procedures in daily operations.
4. Internal Audit of the ISMS: ISO 27001 requires that you perform an internal audit of your ISMS before you go for the certification audit. The internal audit is like a dress rehearsal – you (or someone you appoint, ideally who is knowledgeable and independent of the processes being audited) will review your ISMS against the ISO 27001 requirements to see if you comply. Your Delve compliance expert will help conduct your internal audit once you achieve 100% compliant in the platform.
   • All required documentation is present and approved.
   • Controls are implemented as stated. This might involve spot-checking that procedures are followed.
   • Records and evidence are in order (logs, meeting notes, training records, etc.).
   • Any non-conformities (instances where you aren’t doing what the standard or your own policies say) are identified.

5. Select a Certification Body and Undergo Stage 1 Audit: ISO 27001 certification is conducted by independent certifying bodies (also known as registrars). These are companies accredited to audit and certify organizations against ISO standards. You’ll need to choose one (common examples include BSI, NQA, TÜV, Schellman, and many others worldwide – the key is they should be accredited in your region). Once you’ve engaged a certifier, the process has two main audit stages:
   • Stage 1 Audit (Documentation Review): This is usually a lighter audit, often remote. The auditor will review your ISMS documentation to ensure you have all the required pieces in place. They’ll check if your documentation is complete and coherent – e.g., do you have an information security policy, risk assessment, SoA, etc., and do they align with ISO 27001’s requirements. They might also interview you briefly and check that the organization seems ready for Stage 2. Think of Stage 1 as a sanity check: are you ready for the full audit? If something major is missing (say, no risk assessment was done, or half the required policies are absent), you might get a “hold” or need to fix those before proceeding. Assuming you pass Stage 1, the auditor will schedule the Stage 2.
6. Stage 2 Audit (Certification Audit): This is the in-depth, formal audit where the auditor checks that your ISMS is not only documented but also effectively implemented and maintained. The auditor (or audit team) will:
   • Examine evidence of controls in operation. For example, they may sample a few incidents to see if you handled them per your process, or they might look at access control settings in a system to ensure they match your policy.
   • Interview stakeholders and tt the ISMS owner. The goal is to verify people are aware of and following the ISMS. Don’t worry, auditors aren’t trying to trick anyone – they just want to see that the security culture and knowledge is present.
   • Review logs and records to confirm you are doing what you say. For instance, if your policy says you do quarterly access reviews, they might ask to see the last couple of review records. If you claim to do daily backups, they might want to see backup logs or reports.
   • Essentially, Stage 2 is a thorough vetting of your ISMS against the ISO 27001 standard. It typically takes 2-5 days of auditor time for a small company (often spread across a couple of weeks).
   If the auditor finds minor non-conformities during Stage 2, you usually have a chance to correct them or provide a plan to address them. Assuming no major failures, you will pass the audit and the auditor will recommend your organization for certification.

7. Certification Issuance: After a successful Stage 2 audit, the certification body will issue your official ISO 27001 certificate. This certificate is typically valid for three years from the date of issue (with the condition that you maintain compliance in that period). Congratulations – at this point, you can publicly announce that you are ISO 27001 certified! You’ll likely get both a physical certificate and a digital one, and many providers also give you a logo or seal graphic you can put on your website or marketing materials. The certificate will detail the scope of your ISMS (e.g., “Acme Inc’s ISMS supporting their SaaS platform and corporate IT operations”) and the standard (ISO/IEC 27001:2013 or 2022, as applicable).
8. Continuing Compliance and Surveillance Audits: Certification is not a one-and-done deal. ISO 27001 emphasizes continual improvement, and to ensure organizations keep up their ISMS, there are surveillance audits.
   Typically, in years 2 and 3 of your certification cycle, the certification body will conduct a smaller audit (often 1 day, sometimes remote) to verify you are still on track. They might sample different controls or follow up on past issues. These annual check-ins keep you accountable.
   After three years, there will be a more comprehensive re-certification audit (similar to a Stage 2 again) to renew your certificate for the next cycle. Throughout all this, your job is to maintain the ISMS: continue doing risk assessments annually, internal audits yearly, keep training new employees, update policies as the business changes, and generally not let the system lapse.

(And as a side note, many readers often ask about the paperwork and evidence to prepare – using an “ISO 27001 certification process” template or tool that outlines all needed documents can be extremely helpful. Also, maintaining an ISO 27001 internal audit checklist template for your annual check-ups will keep you organized year after year.)

Who Audits and Certifies ISO 27001 Compliance?

An important point to clarify is that ISO itself does not audit or certify companies. ISO develops the standards, but certification is handled by authorized third parties. So, who actually gives you the ISO 27001 certificate? It comes from an accredited certification body (also called a registrar or conformity assessment body).

Certification bodies are typically firms that specialize in auditing organizations against standards. They themselves are accredited by national accreditation organizations (for example, UKAS in the UK, ANAB in the USA, etc.). When you choose a certifier, you’ll want to ensure they are accredited for ISO 27001 certification – this guarantees that your certificate will be recognized globally as valid. ISO maintains a list of approved national accreditation bodies, and those in turn list certified auditors. As the ISO website suggests, you should verify your chosen provider is properly accredited.

In practice, well-known ISO 27001 certification bodies include international names like TÜV, Gradient, Prescient Assurance, DNV, Bureau Veritas, Schellman, Insight Assurance, Coalfire, and many others. There are dozens worldwide. For a startup, you might simply ask for quotes and availability from a few and pick one that suits your budget and schedule. The auditors from these bodies are professionals usually called ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditors – they have training and experience in auditing information security.

Delve specializes in helping support you through end-to-end audit management, where we provide a pre-vetted auditor perfect for your stage and handle the entire engagement end-to-end on behalf of you.

After successful audits, the certification body issues your certificate. They also usually register it (some have online directories where someone can look up and verify that your company is certified).

In summary, ISO 27001 audits are conducted by external certifiers, not by ISO itself. You have the freedom to choose a certifier that fits your needs (region, price, reputation). The certification bodies ensure consistency by following ISO’s audit guidelines (ISO 17021 and ISO 27006 standards govern how they operate audits). So as long as you pick an accredited firm, your ISO 27001 certificate will be recognized as legitimate everywhere.

Who Should Pursue ISO 27001 Certification?

Is ISO 27001 right for every startup? Not necessarily every single startup, but many companies find it highly beneficial or even necessary. Here are some scenarios and types of organizations that should strongly consider pursuing ISO 27001 compliance:

• Startups Targeting Enterprise or Global Customers: If your startup sells B2B software or services, especially to large enterprises or companies overseas, you will likely find ISO 27001 becomes almost mandatory. Outside of the US (and even within, for international firms), ISO 27001 is often the baseline security certification that procurement or security teams look for. For example, a US startup looking to sign clients in Europe or Asia will see ISO 27001 come up in questionnaires and contract requirements – having it can open doors to those markets. It proves credibility to a global market by speaking a “common language” of security.
• Non-US Companies or Those in Regions Where ISO 27001 Is the Norm: In Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, ISO 27001 tends to be more widely recognized and demanded than SOC 2. If you are a startup based outside the US, ISO 27001 might be the top certification your prospective customers expect. It’s often part of government or enterprise vendor requirements internationally.
• Fast-Growing Companies Scaling Up Security Programs: Maybe your startup is moving up-market (selling to bigger customers) or handling more sensitive data as you grow. Achieving ISO 27001 can be a strong way to complement a SOC 2 report or other certifications you have. It fills certain gaps – for instance, ISO 27001 is more prescriptive about having a holistic risk management process, internal audits, and management oversight, which can deepen your overall security maturity. Additionally, if you already did SOC 2 (common for US startups), getting ISO 27001 is easier because many controls overlap.
• Companies in Highly Regulated or High-Risk Industries: If your startup deals with particularly sensitive data (e.g., health tech, fintech dealing with financial info, etc.), or operates in a regulated space, ISO 27001 provides a structured approach to compliance. Sometimes regulators or industry standards themselves favor ISO 27001. Moreover, it pairs well with other requirements; for instance, ISO 27001 can serve as a foundation for GDPR compliance (European data protection law) by demonstrating you have appropriate security measures.

On the other hand, who might not need ISO 27001 (at least not immediately)? If you’re a very early-stage startup (pre-product-market fit) with no customer data and you’re not yet encountering security questionnaires or requests for certs, it might be premature. Also, if you exclusively target small businesses or consumers and never anticipate needing to meet enterprise security requirements, SOC 2 or ISO might not be asked for (though security is still important!).

So, who should pursue it? In short: startups that want to be competitive on security in the global arena. If you see ISO 27001 on your customers’ checklist or you want to future-proof your compliance, it’s worth doing. Specifically, U.S. startups aiming for international enterprise clients, non-U.S. startups aiming to prove world-class security, and any fast-growing company wanting to bolster their security credibility (often alongside SOC 2) should strongly consider ISO 27001 certification. It’s an investment in trust that can pay off in customer deals and risk reduction.

ISO 27001 vs. SOC 2 – What’s the Difference and Which Should You Choose?

ISO 27001 and SOC 2 are two of the most popular security compliance frameworks, and startups often wonder how they compare. Do we need one or the other, or both? Let’s break down the differences in clear terms:

Scope and Approach: ISO 27001 is broad and systematic. It covers a wide range of security domains via its Annex A controls, but crucially it mandates a whole management system: risk management processes, internal audit, continuous improvement, etc. SOC 2, on the other hand, is more flexible in scope – it is based on Trust Services Criteria (Security, plus optional Privacy, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity), and you choose which criteria apply. SOC 2 is often more narrowly focused on internal controls related to customer data in your product or service.

One way to put it: ISO 27001 tells you what processes you need to have, while SOC 2 focuses on what controls you have in place. There’s overlap, but ISO 27001 is considered more of a management framework, and SOC 2 is a control and reporting framework.

Certification vs Attestation: With ISO 27001, an accredited body gives you a certificate valid for 3 years (with oversight audits annually). With SOC 2, a licensed CPA firm conducts an audit and provides a SOC 2 report (Type I or II). SOC 2 Type I is a snapshot as of a point in time (say, “design of controls as of Dec 1, 2025”), while SOC 2 Type II reports on operating effectiveness over a period (e.g., “controls were effective over Jan–Mar 2025”). SOC 2 reports typically have to be renewed annually to stay current. ISO certification also needs annual check-ins, but the certificate is continuously valid as long as you maintain it.

Recognition and Use Cases: ISO 27001 is internationally recognized. It’s often required by non-US entities and is a common denominator worldwide. SOC 2 is primarily a North American (especially USA) market requirement, largely driven by the tech industry and cloud service providers.

If you’re selling to U.S. companies, particularly in tech or finance, they might say “We need a SOC 2 report” as part of due diligence.

If you’re selling in Europe or Asia, they might say “Are you ISO 27001 certified?” Some companies will ask for both or accept either.

A general rule: choose the one your key customers care more about. If unsure, U.S.-focused SaaS startups often do SOC 2 first, whereas those with a global client base lean ISO 27001, or they pursue both eventually.

Differences in Content: There is a lot of overlap in actual controls (for example, both ISO and SOC 2 expect you to have access controls, incident response, vendor management, etc.). However, ISO 27001 has some elements that SOC 2 doesn’t explicitly require – like maintaining an asset inventory, or doing internal audits, or documenting every risk. SOC 2 has some flexibility where you can choose what controls make sense as long as you meet the trust criteria. One notable difference: SOC 2 often involves writing your own control descriptions and then the auditor verifies those, whereas ISO 27001 provides a ready list of controls (Annex A) and you decide if you implement each. In SOC 2, if something isn’t relevant, you just might not include it in your scope, whereas in ISO you include it as “not applicable” in the SoA. Also, SOC 2’s report often includes details like tested samples and auditor’s opinion, while ISO’s output is just a certificate (the audit findings are not public).

Which should you choose? Ideally, if resources permit, having both ISO 27001 and SOC 2 covers all bases – you’ll be prepared for security reviews in any market. However, for early-stage companies that need to prioritize:

• Choose ISO 27001 if you need a globally recognized certification or if you plan to do business in regions where ISO is commonly expected. Also, if you want a structured program that will dovetail into other things (ISO 27001 can make it easier to pursue other ISO standards or even SOC 2 later because you’ll have a strong foundation).
• Choose SOC 2 if your immediate customer pipeline heavily asks for a SOC 2 report (common in US enterprise deals or with clients who themselves underwent SOC 2 and want their vendors to have it). SOC 2 can sometimes be achieved slightly faster if you already have good practices, because you can limit scope more easily – but it really depends.

In many cases, fast-growing startups end up pursuing both (one after the other, typically within a year or so) to maximize marketability. There’s also a growing trend of combined audits, where certain auditors can conduct ISO 27001 and SOC 2 audits in parallel to save effort, issuing both a certificate and a SOC 2 report.

How to Get Started with ISO 27001 (The Delve Approach)

Getting started on the ISO 27001 journey may seem overwhelming, but breaking it into manageable steps (and leveraging the right tools) makes it much easier. Here’s how you can approach it, and how Delve – our AI compliance platform – can help simplify the process from day one:

1. Educate Your Team and Secure Buy-In: First, ensure that your leadership and key team members understand what ISO 27001 is and why you’re doing it. This isn’t a one-person project; it often requires cooperation across engineering, IT, HR, etc. Communicate the benefits (customer trust, competitive edge, better security hygiene) to get everyone on board.

2. Define the Scope Early: Decide what parts of your business the certification will cover. For most startups, it’s easiest to include the whole organization (since you’re small) or at least the main product/service you offer. Define it clearly – e.g., “The ISMS covers all product development, IT systems, and corporate operations of [Your Company] in delivering the [Product Name] service to customers.” Delve’s platform, for instance, will prompt you to define your scope as one of the first steps, helping you clarify boundaries. A well-defined scope means you know exactly what assets and processes need to be under the ISMS.

3. Leverage Templates and Tools for Gap Analysis: As mentioned in the process section, a gap analysis is the typical starting point. If doing this manually, you might download an ISO 27001 checklist and go line by line. With Delve, we streamline this by asking you a series of smart questions (an automated ISO 27001 questionnaire) about your current practices. For example, “Do you have a written information security policy? Y/N”, “Do you encrypt laptops? Y/N”. Based on your answers, the platform identifies gaps and generates a tailored action plan. This saves you from guessing or interpreting the standard’s jargon – the software translates it into plain tasks.

4. Use AI-Powered Policy Generation: One of the hardest and most time-consuming parts of ISO 27001 for startups is creating documentation. This is where Delve really shines. Our platform can generate ISO 27001 policies and procedures customized to your company. You input some basics (company name, any specifics about your tech stack or org structure), and it produces ready-to-use policy documents that meet the standard. Instead of writing dozens of pages from scratch or tweaking generic templates for days, you get polished drafts in minutes.

5. Implement Controls with Guided Steps: Once policies are in place, you need to implement any missing controls. Delve’s platform acts as a project manager here – it will list tasks like “Enable MFA on GitHub”, “Set up daily database backups”, “Perform background checks for new hires (HR)”, etc., based on your initial gap assessment. Each task comes with guidance on how to do it and why it matters. We also integrate with many common tools (Google Workspace, AWS, Azure, GitHub, Okta, etc.).

6. Conduct a Pre-Audit or Mock Audit: Before the real audit, it’s wise to do a trial run. Delve provides an internal audit module that walks you through each ISO clause and control, asking you to mark it off when you have evidence ready. It’s like a rehearsal where you ensure every requirement has been met and you have proof. If something isn’t ready, you’ll know to address it before scheduling auditors. Additionally, we provide an in-house expert to do a sanity-check review of your ISMS – giving you confidence that you’ll pass. Our team will also look ever everything you’ve done, and help you conduct your internal audit.

8. Use Delve During Audits: On the day of the audit, all your evidence and documents are organized in Delve’s dashboard. Delve handles everything from this point forward. We’ll complete the back-and-forth and act as your representative in front of the auditor to save you time.

9. Post-Certification Continuous Compliance: After you get certified, the journey isn’t over – and Delve continues to add value here. Our platform will keep monitoring your controls and send reminders for recurring tasks. For example, if your policy says “review firewall rules every 6 months,” we’ll remind you and even provide a checklist for documenting that review. We help you stay audit-ready at all times.

In summary, getting started with ISO 27001 is best done by using a structured, automated approach. Instead of manually reading the standard and guessing at how to apply it, you can use Delve to guide you through each step with clear language and intelligent automation. We designed the platform for startups, meaning it’s built to minimize the time you have to spend (remember, many achieve compliance with only ~10-15 hours of their effort using Delve, versus 60+ hours otherwise). It’s like having a dedicated compliance co-pilot that never sleeps – taking care of the heavy admin work, so you can focus on core business and only give attention to security compliance when and where it’s truly needed.

How to begin right now: You can reach out to us for a demo or free trial of the Delve platform. We’ll show you how our solution can jump-start your ISO 27001 program. From there, it’s a smooth ride: input some info, get your tailored ISMS framework, follow the task list we generate, and watch as you progress towards certification at a fraction of the usual effort and time.

(We invite you to book a demo with Delve to see firsthand how quickly you can go from zero to ISO 27001 compliant. Our team is ready to assist in making your startup ISO 27001 certified with minimal headaches.)

Review

ISO 27001 may seem complex, but it’s entirely achievable for startups with the right approach. In today’s security-conscious market, obtaining this certification can be a game-changer – instilling trust in customers and differentiating you from competitors. We’ve covered a lot in this guide: from the definition and history of ISO 27001, to how it’s structured, to the detailed steps and timeline for getting certified, as well as comparisons with SOC 2 and tips for getting started smoothly.

To recap a few key points:

• ISO 27001 is about establishing a proactive, managed security program (ISMS) – it’s not just an IT checklist, but a company-wide culture of security. It requires involvement from management and continuous risk management, which ultimately strengthens your organization.
• The journey to certification involves planning, documentation, implementation, and audits. It can typically take a few months, but using automation and expert guidance can compress the timeline and effort significantly. We highlighted how traditional methods might take dozens of hours, whereas Delve’s platform can reduce that dramatically.
• Certification is done by third-party auditors, and once you’re certified, you need to maintain vigilance. But the maintenance becomes second nature when you integrate security into regular operations (and especially if you have software like Delve keeping track of tasks).
• Who benefits most from ISO 27001? Startups aiming for enterprise-level credibility, especially on a global stage. If you want to sell to big companies or in markets where security is paramount, ISO 27001 is often either required or will give you a significant advantage. And if you’re contemplating SOC 2 vs ISO 27001, think about your audience – many end up doing both, but prioritize based on customer demand.
• Don’t let the paperwork scare you. There are plenty of resources (checklists, templates, and platforms) that make this approachable. It’s a solvable problem, and you don’t need a security PhD to get it done. This guide itself is a starting resource – but the next step is turning knowledge into action, which is where tools can help.

By achieving ISO 27001, your startup not only earns a respected certification but likely improves its internal security practices along the way. It’s a valuable investment in protecting your business’s future. The process will force you to think deeply about risks and how to handle them – which means fewer surprises down the road. And your team will gain clarity on security roles and processes, making everyone more security-minded.

If you’re ready to embark on this journey, we at Delve are here to support you every step of the way. How to get ISO 27001 certified doesn’t have to be a mystery or a slog – with the right guide (and perhaps the best ISO 27001 platform at your side), you’ll be able to navigate the process with confidence and ease. Here’s to elevating your startup’s security to international standards and unlocking those big opportunities that lie ahead!