This is the single compliance document every founder should treat like a product requirement.
Startups operating across AI, Web3 and cross-border customers face overlapping legal frameworks. A full-spectrum roadmap ties them together — not as abstract checklists, but as prioritized, funder-grade deliverables.
Table of Contents
- What a Roadmap Must Include
- Phase 0 — Discovery & Risk Triage (Week 0–1)
- Phase 1 — Baseline Controls (Week 1–6)
- Phase 2 — Jurisdictional Actions & Licensing (Week 6–12)
- Phase 3 — Investor Pack & Continuous Ops (Month 3+)
- Conclusion
What a Roadmap Must Include {#what-a-roadmap-must-include}
A usable roadmap contains:
- Risk matrix (product × regulation × impact)
- Priority backlog (MUST / SHOULD / NICE)
- Deliverables (RoPA, DPIA, Token Whitepaper, Incident Playbook, AML policy)
- Owner & timeline for each task
- Acceptance criteria and audit evidence
Investors do not want checkboxes — they want evidence and timelines.
Phase 0 — Discovery & Risk Triage (Week 0–1) {#phase-0}
Deliverables:
- Legal intake form (product, flows, jurisdictions)
- Quick RoPA snapshot (Article 30 starter)
- Risk scorecard: Data privacy, token model, financial contagion, third-party risk
This is a one-week triage that produces a prioritized sprint backlog.
Phase 1 — Baseline Controls (Week 1–6) {#phase-1}
High-impact, fast wins:
- Data mapping + RoPA
- Basic DPIA for AI features
- AML/KYC baseline (if payments/fiat involved)
- Core T&Cs + privacy policy tailored to EU/UAE/CIS
- Incident response playbook (72-hour readiness)
These are the items that avoid immediate freezes or bank rejections.
Phase 2 — Jurisdictional Actions & Licensing (Week 6–12) {#phase-2}
Targeted jurisdictional work:
- MiCA readiness for token issuers / CASPs
- DORA alignment for fintech endpoints
- Licensing prep (ADGM/DMCC/Malta/Estonia)
- Bank package & entity restructuring recommendations
This phase is where one-time legal costs produce durable operational freedom.
Phase 3 — Investor Pack & Continuous Ops (Month 3+) {#phase-3}
Create investor artifacts:
- Compliance executive summary (1-pager)
- Evidence bundle (RoPA, DPIA, policies, incident logs)
- Monitoring & testing plan (quarterly)
- Vendor oversight model (contracts + KPIs)
Continuous operations include change control: every feature must pass a compliance gate.
Conclusion {#conclusion}
A full-spectrum roadmap transforms compliance from fear into product discipline. Treat it like product: measurable, prioritized, and owned. Get the roadmap done first — the rest is execution.
