The short version
You have technology decisions being made by people whose job is not technology. That is not a criticism. It is a natural stage of growth. The CEO picks the CRM. The head of finance chooses the accounting software. The ops lead sets up the project management tool. Each decision makes sense in isolation. But nobody is connecting them to each other, to your compliance requirements, or to a long-term plan.
IT strategy means having a senior person who ties your technology decisions to your business goals, your budget, and your risk exposure. Compliance means having the controls and the evidence to prove they work. Most companies have some of the controls but none of the evidence. When an auditor asks, they have nothing to show.
Volobyte provides both. We work with you 1-2 days a month, attending board meetings, evaluating vendors, building roadmaps, and making sure your compliance controls are implemented and documented. Strategy and evidence, same team.
This is for you if
You have raised a round and investors want technology governance before they close
An enterprise customer sent a security questionnaire and nobody knows where to start
Your board is asking about AI strategy and nobody has an answer
A customer asks for SOC 2 or Cyber Essentials evidence and you have nothing to show
Three different teams are paying for three different project management tools because nobody evaluated them centrally
You are about to make a major technology decision and want a second opinion from someone who does not sell the product
You need ISO 27001 or SOC 2 but have no idea where to start or how long it takes
Where most companies are
You do not need to start at stage four. Most of our clients start at two. The right approach depends on how many people you have, how complex your stack is, and whether compliance or investors are on your radar yet.
Reactive decisions
The CEO picks the tools. Each decision makes sense in isolation but nobody connects them to each other, to compliance requirements, or to a long-term plan. This works until it does not.
First strategic review
Someone maps the stack, consolidates duplicates, and builds a basic roadmap. Vendor contracts get reviewed. Compliance gaps get identified. You stop making decisions by gut feel.
Ongoing advisory
A fractional CIO attends board meetings, evaluates vendors, oversees compliance, and provides AI strategy. Technology decisions compound in the right direction because someone is accountable for the plan.
Strategic governance
Technology governance is embedded in the business. Board reporting, M&A due diligence, compliance oversight, and vendor management all run through a structured framework. Every technology decision ties to a business outcome.
What it actually costs you
A full-time CIO costs £150,000-200,000 in salary alone, before NI, benefits, and equity. A fractional CIO engagement typically runs 1-2 days per month. You get executive-level strategic guidance at a fraction of the cost.
The cost of non-compliance dwarfs the cost of getting ready. The average UK ICO fine for GDPR failures was £4.4 million in 2024. Cyber Essentials becomes mandatory for all UK government supply chain contracts from April 2026, with auto-fail criteria for missing MFA and slow patching. Companies that achieve ISO 27001 consistently report winning deals they would have lost without it.
Every board meeting now includes the question "what is our AI strategy?" Without strategic oversight, you either do nothing or buy a tool because the sales pitch sounded impressive, with no plan for how it fits or who maintains it. Volobyte builds AI strategy into the roadmap so adoption is practical, governed, and tied to measurable outcomes.
What we cover
Technology roadmaps
Stack evaluation, architecture decisions, build-vs-buy analysis, prioritised by business impact and budget. Specific recommendations for your company.
Compliance readiness
SOC 2, ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, GDPR. Gap analysis, control implementation planning, and audit preparation. We build the controls and the evidence.
AI strategy
Where AI adds genuine value to your operations, which tools to adopt, how to embed AI into workflows, and governance frameworks. Practical adoption, not hype.
Board and investor reporting
Technology due diligence for fundraising, plain English board updates, risk reporting that non-technical directors actually understand.
Frameworks we have worked with
Cyber Essentials & CE+
Boundary firewalls, secure configuration, access control, malware protection, patch management. Updated April 2026 criteria including MFA auto-fail and 14-day patching rule.
SOC 2 Type II
Access control, logical security, availability, change management. Continuous monitoring evidence over 3-12 month observation period.
ISO 27001
Information security management system. Risk assessment, statement of applicability, control implementation, internal audit preparation.
GDPR technical measures
Data processing records, consent management, breach notification procedures, data retention policies, subject access request processes.
HITRUST CSF
Risk-based control framework covering healthcare, financial services, and any organisation that handles sensitive data. Control mapping, readiness assessment, and evidence preparation.
Controls are controls. If your customer, investor, or regulator asks for a framework not listed here, the work is the same: interpret the requirements, implement the controls, build the evidence.
How a compliance project actually works
Week 1-2
Gap analysis
We assess your current state against your target framework. You get a clear report showing what you have, what is missing, and what order to tackle it.
Week 2-6
Control implementation
We deploy the technical controls: access policies, device encryption, audit logging, endpoint security, patching schedules. Done through our IAM, device management, and managed IT services.
Week 6-10
Evidence and documentation
Policy documents, architecture diagrams, admin registers, access review templates, and operational runbooks. Everything an auditor will ask for, written and ready.
Week 10-12
Audit preparation
We walk through the evidence pack with you, simulate auditor questions, and close any remaining gaps. You go into the audit confident.
We provide controls and evidence. Your auditor provides certification.
Volobyte implements the technical security controls and builds the documentation that supports your audit. We do not certify you. Your certification body does that. What we do is make sure that when they ask for evidence, you have it.
Which framework first?
Cyber Essentials is the fastest win. It is mandatory for UK government supply chain contracts and can be achieved in 8 weeks. ISO 27001 carries more weight internationally and takes 3-6 months. SOC 2 matters if you sell to US customers. We help you decide based on your customer requirements, not on what sounds impressive.
If you are unsure, start with Cyber Essentials. It is quick, it proves a baseline, and it opens doors to government contracts. ISO 27001 can follow once you have the foundational controls in place, and much of the work carries over between frameworks.
What changes
Technology decisions are tied to a roadmap, a budget, and a timeline
Vendor evaluations are done by someone who does not sell the product
Board reporting is plain English, not 60-page slide decks
Compliance gaps are identified and closed through our technical services, not outsourced to a different consultancy
For the technical detail on how we deliver this, see our CIO service page.
When companies usually call us
The triggers are usually specific. You have raised a round and investors want technology governance. An enterprise customer has sent a security questionnaire and you do not know where to start. Your board is asking about AI and nobody has an answer. A contract requires ISO 27001 and your IT setup was built for speed, not auditability.
Sometimes it is less dramatic. The CEO just knows that technology decisions are being made without a plan, and wants someone senior to bring structure before it gets expensive. Either way, the first step is the same: a 20-minute call where we tell you what we see and whether we can help.
Not sure where you stand?
Our free IT audit identifies your biggest gaps in under 10 minutes.
Take the audit →Why Volobyte
Consistent, dedicated engineers
You work with the people who build your roadmap, attend your board meetings, and implement the recommendations. No handoffs to strangers.
Implementation included
We do not just advise. If we recommend a technology change, we help you execute it through our other services. Same team, same accountability.
Flexible terms
Month-to-month retainers, fixed-scope projects, and longer-term engagements are all available. You choose the model that fits. If it is not working, terms are straightforward.
Plain English reporting
Board decks and technology updates that non-technical directors can actually read. No jargon, no padding, no 60-page slide decks.
CIO & Compliance FAQ
What exactly is a fractional CIO?
Which compliance framework should we go for first?
Do you handle the full certification process?
Can you help us build an AI strategy?
How is this different from hiring a consultant?
How long does it take to get audit-ready?
What if we are not sure what we need?
Ready to get started?
Book a free 20-minute call. We will tell you where you stand and what it takes to get where you need to be.