Many small businesses assume compliance with ISO 27001 and SOC 2 is out of reach without large security teams or resources. Sweden-based 55 Degrees proves otherwise, successfully navigating both standards while maintaining product development priorities.
- ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance achievable for small teams
- SaaS compliance tools critical to simplifying complex requirements
- Company-wide engagement ensures lasting security culture
What happened
55 Degrees, a small Swedish technology company with fewer than 10 employees, faced pressure from enterprise customers to demonstrate compliance with international security frameworks such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2. Despite having no prior knowledge or dedicated security roles, the founders chose to pursue these certifications to build trust and secure business growth. They started with ISO 27001 in September 2022 and planned SOC 2 shortly after.
The company relied heavily on Vanta, a SaaS compliance platform, which guided them through the complex requirements, provided actionable roadmaps, and facilitated audit readiness. Leveraging the platform and additional customer success support, 55 Degrees managed to align their processes with rigorous standards while continuing to focus on product development.
Why it matters
Many small businesses perceive major security certifications as too costly or administratively burdensome, often requiring extensive teams and hundreds of hours. 55 Degrees’ experience disproves this notion by illustrating how technology and a cooperative compliance mindset can make global security standards accessible to startups and SMBs.
GDPR compliance was already a priority for the company, but obtaining ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II added an extra layer of assurance for their international clients, demonstrating a serious commitment to data protection and risk management. This enhanced trust can be a critical factor in winning and retaining enterprise customers.
What to watch next
Small and medium-sized tech companies should explore SaaS compliance solutions that provide structured guidance to fulfill their security certification needs efficiently. These platforms help companies focus on building secure systems collaboratively rather than being overwhelmed by documentation and manual processes.
As regulatory landscapes and customer expectations evolve, more startups might prioritize formal security certifications as a growth strategy. Monitoring how these tools and cultural shifts in compliance adoption impact market access and competition will be important for industry stakeholders and investors.