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Early Stage

Board / Fractional Advisor

Security credibility and governance for pre-Series A and Seed-stage startups that need to answer investor and enterprise customer security questions — before a full security program is warranted.

$3,000/month · ~4 hours/month · Ongoing

What's Included

  • Monthly advisory session (2 hours) with preparation informed by your current priorities
  • Monthly update to your security posture summary for board or investor use
  • Prioritized action list and roadmap updates for future compliance needs
  • Email guidance and review of selected questionnaire responses within the ~4 total monthly hours
Deliverables
Monthly security posture summary for board or investor use, plus a prioritized action list with recommended next steps. Meetings, preparation, written updates, and between-session guidance share the ~4-hour monthly allocation.
Best For
Pre-Series A or Seed-stage companies where investors are asking about security posture, or where enterprise customers require vendor security answers before signing.
Discuss This Engagement

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a fractional board security advisor?

A fractional board security advisor provides board-level security governance and credibility for early-stage startups. They help answer investor and enterprise customer security questions, develop a security roadmap, and establish your security posture before a full security program is warranted — at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CISO.

How is the board advisor engagement different from the fractional CISO retainer?

The board advisor engagement (~4 hours/month at $3,000) is designed for pre-Series A and Seed-stage companies that need security credibility and questionnaire support but do not yet have a full security program to manage. The fractional CISO retainer (~20 hours/month at $8,500) is for Series A/B companies that need a full security program: risk register, policy suite, compliance framework monitoring, and board reporting.

What does the monthly fee cover beyond our advisory meeting?

The $3,000 monthly fee covers an ongoing advisory relationship with approximately 4 total hours of work: a 2-hour advisory session plus preparation, written updates, and email or questionnaire guidance within the remaining time. Each month you receive an updated security posture summary for board or investor use and a prioritized action list. Email questions are handled during scheduled working time; response expectations are agreed at kickoff. Larger questionnaires, additional meetings, and work beyond the monthly allocation are scoped and agreed separately.

Can a board security advisor help with investor security due diligence?

Yes. The monthly security posture summary and prioritized action list help you prepare for investor review. Selected investor or customer questionnaire responses can be reviewed within the monthly allocation. Full questionnaire completion or a larger due diligence project is scoped separately.

What happens when my company outgrows the board advisor engagement?

As companies grow past Seed stage and face SOC 2 deadlines, enterprise customer requirements, or investor expectations for a full security program, the fractional CISO retainer provides the comprehensive security program leadership that Series A/B companies require.

As your company grows past Seed stage, the Fractional CISO Retainer provides the full security program leadership that Series A/B companies require.