SOC 2 compliance, established by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), is crucial for SaaS startups aiming to demonstrate robust data protection and gain a competitive advantage, especially when targeting large enterprises. It involves meeting five Trust Services Criteria: security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy, verified through an independent audit. Companies can pursue either Type I certification, assessing security systems at a specific time, or the more rigorous Type II, which evaluates ongoing compliance over six months. Frigade's experience highlights the benefits of early SOC 2 adoption, such as better infrastructure decisions and reduced future adjustments, achieved by building their system in tandem with compliance requirements. Starting early with a small team and fresh infrastructure facilitates a smoother transition, while working with Compliance as a Service providers like Vanta or Drata can expedite the process through automation and integration with platforms like AWS and Google Drive.