I Got My Series A, Do I Need a CISO?

The champagne has been popped, the press release is out, and the new capital is in the bank. Your Series A is closed. Now, the real pressure starts: scale. Your world is suddenly filled with enterprise sales RFPs, investor demands for governance, and a growing mountain of customer data. And with that, a new question starts to haunt your leadership meetings, usually brought up by a new board member or a massive potential customer: "Who is your CISO?"

For a founder, this question feels like a trap. You know you can't just hand another security questionnaire to your over-stretched VP of Engineering. But can you really afford to spend $350,000+ in salary and equity on a full-time Chief Information Security Officer?

You need the expertise, but the full-time role feels like overkill. So, what’s the right move?

The Series A Triggers That Demand Security Leadership

First, let's be clear. The need for security leadership isn't optional. It's triggered by specific, high-stakes business events that define the Series A/B stage.

If you recognize any of these, you have a CISO-shaped gap in your leadership team:

• The Enterprise Sales Wall: You’re in the final stages of a six-figure deal, and they send you a 250-item security questionnaire. Your enterprise prospect will not sign until a credible security leader gives them assurance.

• The Compliance Deadline: You're targeting healthcare, finance, or just want to sell to any large company, which means you need a SOC 2 report or ISO 27001 certification. Someone needs to own and manage this entire audit process.

• The Due Diligence Spotlight: As you prepare for your Series B, investors are performing deeper technical and security due diligence. They want to see a mature security program, not a "move fast and break things" approach to customer data.

• The "Sensitive Data" Liability: Your SaaS platform is now handling significant volumes of PII (Personally Identifiable Information), PHI (Protected Health Information), or other sensitive data. A breach is no longer a small bug; it's an existential, company-ending threat.

You've hit the triggers. The answer to "Do I need a CISO?" is yes—but the real question is what kind of CISO.

The Dilemma: Pros and Cons of a Full-Time CISO

Your first instinct might be to hire a full-time executive. Here’s the full picture.

Pros:

• 100% Dedicated: You have a single, full-time owner for all things security and risk.

• Deeply Embedded: Over time, they will become a fully integrated part of your company culture.

• Full Accountability: There is one "throat to choke" when a security issue arises.

Cons:

• Massive Cost & Burn Rate: A qualified CISO is a top-tier executive. You're looking at a $300,000 - $450,000+ total compensation package. This is a massive drain on your Series A capital that could fund two or three senior engineers.

• A 6-9 Month Distraction: Finding a CISO who understands the startup/SaaS mindset (and isn't just a "big bank" CISO) is a long, distracting executive search that pulls you and your team away from product and growth.

• The "Boredom & Bloat" Problem: A startup does not need 40 hours a week of CISO-level management. It needs 10-15 hours of high-level strategy, policy, and guidance. A full-time CISO will either get bored or, worse, build a complex security "empire" you don't need and can't afford.

For most Series A companies, the "Cons" list is a non-starter. You’re paying for 100% of an executive's time when you only need 25% of their strategic expertise.

The Smarter Path: The Fractional CISO Model

This is where the Fractional CISO (fCISO) for startups model becomes the logical choice.

An fCISO is an experienced, C-level security executive who joins your company on a part-time basis. They provide the exact expertise you need, when you need it, for a fraction of the cost.

But a true fCISO isn't just a consultant. They are a partner who integrates directly into your leadership team.

Why a Fractional CISO is a Better Fit:

1. It Builds a Strong, Scalable Foundation A great fCISO doesn't just patch holes. They work with your engineering team to build a strong security foundation that scales as you grow. They focus on the 20% of work that solves 80% of the risk, like building a secure development lifecycle (SDLC), implementing an ISO/SOC 2-ready program, and creating a risk management framework.

2. It Integrates Into Your Leadership Team This is not an external auditor. A Kedge Security fCISO acts as a part of your team. They join your weekly leadership meetings, report to the CEO or CTO, and collaborate directly with your heads of Product, Engineering, and Sales. They learn your business and provide security-minded input on product strategy, not just "no" from the sidelines.

3. It Increases Your Product & Sales Velocity This is the most critical, counter-intuitive benefit. A good fCISO accelerates your business.

• Unblocks Sales: Your fCISO takes ownership of security questionnaires. They join high-stakes sales calls with enterprise prospects, projecting confidence and maturity that gets deals across the line.

• Increases Product Velocity: By building security into the design phase ("shifting left"), your fCISO helps engineering avoid costly re-architecture and last-minute security patches. This prevents security-related tech debt, allowing your team to ship features faster and more safely.

4. You Can "Try Before You Buy" The fractional model is the ultimate low-risk entry into security leadership. You get immediate value from a proven executive without the 9-month search or the massive long-term financial commitment. It allows you to build a mature program and, if you grow to the point where a full-time CISO is needed (usually Series C/D), you can often convert your fCISO to a full-time role or have them lead the search for their replacement.

Don't Let Security Be Your Blocker

After your Series A, your biggest risks are no longer just product-market fit. They are the operational, compliance, and security risks that come with rapid scaling.

Hiring a full-time CISO is a costly, slow, and often value-mismatched solution.

A Fractional CISO provides the exact C-level strategic guidance you need to close enterprise deals, pass audits, and secure your next funding round—all while protecting your burn rate and helping your team move faster.

Ready to build a security program that accelerates your growth?

Schedule a consultation with Kedge Security today. We specialize in providing embedded, vCISO for SaaS services that speak the language of startups. Let's build a security program that enables your business, not slows it down.