Data protection for start-ups and SMEs
Big ambitions deserve a privacy approach that grows with you.
Privacy is not a luxury for businesses. It is the quiet engine behind trust, growth, and contracts that actually get signed. Whether you have ten or two hundred people: the GDPR does not look at your headcount.
We make it workable for your SME or start-up.
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Why does privacy matter so much for start-ups and SMEs?
Growth rarely happens alone. Investors, governments, and larger partners increasingly expect you to have done your privacy homework before any contract is signed. A solid privacy foundation is not a paper exercise: it is what builds trust, opens doors, and makes collaboration possible. The GDPR does not look at your headcount. It looks at what you do with other people’s data.
What does flying blind actually cost you?
Start-ups and SMEs often assume they are below the radar. The reality is different.
Lost deals and due diligence.
Investors, governments, and large clients are sending out vendor questionnaires more and more often. You are better off being prepared.
Contractual liability.
If you engage a sub-processor that does not comply, you bear full responsibility for that. Without proper due diligence on your own suppliers and a solid Data Processing Agreement (DPA), you have no ground to stand on.
Unnecessary inefficiency.
Companies that ask for consent as a precaution for everything sometimes make their own processes more complex than necessary. Mapping your processing activities properly often reveals that consent is not needed at all.
Panic when a data breach hits.
A breach without clear processes leads to chaos. The DPO, if there even is one, does not pick up. Nobody knows exactly what was in which system, and the 72-hour reporting deadline has already passed.
Work that piles up.
Closing DPAs with twenty-five suppliers at once is considerably harder than adding them one by one alongside each main agreement.
Get subsidy for your SME
Cyber attacks are becoming more targeted, legislation stricter, and the impact greater. Yet for many organisations, cybersecurity remains a difficult investment to justify.
Through a VLAIO Cybersecurity Improvement Programme, you can start building a sustainable and affordable cybersecurity policy today, with up to 50% subsidy.
In partnership with Cingulum, we support organisations in Flanders with their cybersecurity, compliance, and governance.
Our solutions for start-ups and SMEs.
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Privacy Scan
A thorough analysis of your current privacy practices. You receive a clear overview of your compliance level, an explanation for every action point (legally required or strongly recommended?), and a prioritised roadmap. You see your most pressing issues and your quick wins at a glance.
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DPO Office
For businesses that occasionally have an urgent question or need a back-up, but do not require weekly, consistent support. The DPO Office is there when you need it, takes no leave, and is never off sick. We guarantee a response time of five working days, and in the event of a data breach, first-line support is available within 24 hours via the hotline.
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Digital Law Discovery
Designed specifically for start-ups with an innovative business idea that touches on the digital legal framework: from the AI Act to e-privacy rules and platform legislation. We take a close look at your product and investigate which digital regulations apply to you. We help you refine your idea into a concept that actually works.
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CRANIUM Campus
Want someone in-house who can spot the red flags themselves? The DPO Fundamentals training prepares an internal Privacy SPOC to sit in the driver's seat, with CRANIUM as the co-pilot ready to step in where needed.
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DPO as a Service (DPOaaS)
Want someone in-house who can spot the red flags themselves? The DPO Fundamentals training prepares an internal Privacy SPOC to sit in the driver's seat, with CRANIUM as the co-pilot ready to step in where needed.
Attention
If you work as an SME or start-up with data from a public authority, you are often acting as a processor and are legally required to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO).
Why choose CRANIUM?
One point of contact. Broad expertise.
One dedicated contact person, with access to a team of 80 specialist consultants. Legal and tech under one roof.
No off-the-shelf solutions.
We work from a standardised methodology, but we know that every group structure is different. We adapt to your reality, not the other way around.
Pragmatic, not academic.
We translate complex, international legislation into what it actually means for your organisation. Concrete, actionable, and aligned with your sector.
A passion for people and data.
Privacy is all about trust. We combine technical know-how with a human-centred approach, both internally and with your teams.
International experience. Local roots.
Our consultants work across multiple languages and have hands-on experience from North America to the Middle East and Asia. We know the challenges of international organisations from the inside.
Proven quality and consistency.
Whether it's one entity or twenty, our approach delivers the same quality throughout the entire group.
What clients say about us
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a DPO as a start-up or SME?
Not every SME is required to appoint a DPO. The obligation does not depend on the size of your business, but on what you do with personal data. Do you process sensitive data on a large scale, or are you a processor for a public authority? Then a DPO is legally required. In other cases, it is not an obligation, but it is a smart choice. A DPO helps you avoid mistakes that end up costing far more down the line.
Is there a minimum commitment required?
Are there subsidies available for SMEs and start-ups?
What is the difference between DPO Office and DPO as a Service?
How long does a Privacy Scan take?
What if there is a data breach and I do not have a DPO?
Do you work with companies outside Belgium?
I have just launched. Is it not too early to think about privacy?
Ready to get started?
Contact us for a free health scan of your organisation. Our specialist will discuss your biggest challenges with you, and together we will look at what we can do.
