Turning SOC 2 into Software
Christina Cacioppo, CEO of Vanta, on the value of SOC 2 compliance for startups
Standardizing SOC 2 turned a bespoke consulting project into software, which is the core move that made compliance automation a real category. Vanta saw that most audits ask the same basic questions, like whether employee accounts use MFA and whether cloud data is encrypted, so it could turn those repeatable checks into integrations, dashboards, and remediation workflows. That let startups get audit ready faster, and let auditors review live system data instead of piles of screenshots and notes.
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Before software, a startup often had to read long control lists, assemble evidence by hand, and sit with auditors who checked settings manually in person. Productizing a standard control set cut a process that could take many months and $50,000 to $100,000 into a much more prescriptive workflow.
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The same pattern shows up across rivals. Secureframe describes SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and PCI as overlapping lists of required controls, while Laika built shared controls that map one security practice across multiple frameworks. The winning product is not one audit report, but a reusable control system.
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This also changed the auditor relationship rather than removing it. Vanta and Laika both built software that auditors can use, because the high value step is not replacing the independent audit, it is making evidence collection, validation, and handoff consistent enough that auditors can finish more audits in less time.
The next phase is broader than SOC 2. Once a company has standardized controls, connected its cloud, code, HR, and device systems, and built continuous checks, that same base can support more frameworks, security reviews, and ongoing monitoring. The market keeps moving from one time certification help toward a daily security system of record.