ROSI Explained: The Security Investment Every Startup Needs Before Going Global

What is ROSI (Return on Security Investment), and why is cybersecurity becoming a business necessity for startups looking to scale globally? In this episode of Identity First, host Kavita Kiran speaks with Pratik Shukla, CTO at Advanced Structures India, about why startups need to think about cybersecurity much earlier in their growth journey. Pratik explains how startups often prioritize product development, features and customer acquisition while treating security as a secondary concern. But when a company starts pursuing global customers, cybersecurity requirements can become an important part of the enterprise sales process. The conversation explores how missing security practices and compliance requirements can affect business opportunities, including expectations around SOC 2, GDPR, CCPA, VAPT, regular penetration testing and security leadership. Pratik also discusses the concept of ROSI — Return on Security Investment — and why investing in security can be connected not only to risk reduction but also to business growth, customer trust and the ability to meet enterprise requirements. In this conversation: 🔹 What is ROSI — Return on Security Investment? 🔹 Why cybersecurity matters for startups 🔹 Can poor security practices affect global sales? 🔹 Why startups shouldn't wait until their first enterprise customer 🔹 SOC 2, GDPR and CCPA requirements 🔹 Importance of VAPT and regular penetration testing 🔹 Cybersecurity awareness in the Indian startup ecosystem 🔹 Security considerations for SaaS and technology companies 🔹 Why founders need to think beyond product development 🔹 DPDP and the changing data-security landscape in India 🔹 Building security practices before scaling globally 🔹 The CTO's role in cybersecurity awareness As startups scale from local markets to international customers, cybersecurity increasingly becomes part of the conversation around trust, compliance and enterprise readiness. Watch the full conversation to understand why security investment can become a business enabler rather than simply an IT expense. Guest: Pratik Shukla CTO – Advanced Structures India Host: Kavita Kiran Identity First #Cybersecurity #ROSI #CyberSecurityInvestment #StartupSecurity #IdentityFirst #PratikShukla #VAPT #SOC2 #GDPR #DPDP