ARCHITECTING TOUGH TECH SUCCESS

Your data and communications security are essential for your business, no matter your industry. In the world of tough tech, advanced security protection is even more urgent as you develop proprietary technologies and communicate with strategic partners.

Your IT leaders should carefully secure the network at your primary place of business from outside attacks and internal errors. While you can find free or inexpensive security software for your startup, the wiser choice remains to rely on a trusted IT partner to provide the security infrastructure for your company. Particularly, a company that has a proven history with successful startup exits, like iuvo Technologies.

Reducing overhead in order to reserve funds for product development may include encouraging hybrid and remote work setups for your employees. Since you also want secure communications, you need to establish equipment and data transfer technology protocols. Your employees should use only approved computing equipment and data transfer methods, preferably managed by your IT team or partner.

Rule-based and role-based access to specific persons within the company guarantee a tighter frame of security when remote work is necessary. In many startups, for instance, some employees will wear several hats, which requires access to a variety of sensitive information. Rule-based refers to data restrictions from the IP address of a specific user, where role-based is dependent on the category or department that needs the appropriate access. 

Social media opens the door for tough tech startups to share their victories and answer questions about their work. With an intense focus on mission-based projects, these companies can leverage the reach of social media to communicate with their base and find new partners.

On the other hand, misinformation and deepfake content lead to general cynicism and distrust of technology. Whether humorous or malicious, misinformation can shape the public image of a brand in undesirable ways. A social media marketing expert on your team can ameliorate the potential problem of misinformation about your product or research. 

Tough tech already operates at the forward edge of breakthrough science; thus, the data systems and infrastructure models should be able to adapt to emerging technology quickly. An agile IT system ensures that your IT systems work well together and are flexible enough to modify without significant disruption to your research or business. For example, since an agile team is smaller in size, communication and cooperation are keys to success. Where there was once siloed efforts, there is now one team on one whole project, adapting as the need arises. This also creates easier communication between IT systems.

Agile teams allow for better communication and collaboration, cutting costs in both time and money. They’re also prepared for any risk of disaster or change that comes their way, for example, a pandemic that can flip a business upside down. 

Many businesses struggle to recover from dramatic shifts in the market due to supply chain issues, political changes, public health crises and damaging weather events. A stable IT infrastructure mitigates the problems these obstacles cause to productivity and operations, allowing for flexible adaptations to work schedules and data protocols.

More importantly, before a disaster ever strikes, a business should always start proactively, by setting a disaster and recovery plan in place before one ever takes place. Our team at iuvo provides the support and help businesses need to be prepared for anything on the horizon. 

Many employers report a gap in the skills of their in-house IT professionals, which leads to clear obstacles for startups trying to meet goals efficiently and effectively. Poor IT support can affect customer service, employee productivity and, most importantly, data security. Founders need to invest in experienced and qualified professionals, whether an in-house IT team or a manager from the company’s inception.