Customer Success Story

Akitra Streamlines SOC 2 Compliance and Adds Credibility to Arka Energy

Arka Energy: Renewable Energy Power Generation

Arka Energy specializes in an all-in-one platform for solar installers, catering primarily to residential projects. Their software allows roof installers to design entire roofing structures and solar panel layouts.

Introduction

How Arka Energy benefitted from Akitra’s Compliance Automation Platform rapidly to achieve SOC 2 Type II Compliance.

Arka Energy, a leading provider of solar installation platforms, embarked on the journey of offering their software as a service (SaaS). The decision to go SaaS prompted the need for compliance certification, particularly SOC 2 Type II, to instill confidence in their finance partners and the solar industry. Arka Energy chose Akitra Compliance Automation Platform to navigate the complex landscape of SOC 2 compliance. The decision was driven by Akitra’s reputation for successfully guiding organizations through the certification process and the platform’s automation capabilities. Akitra proved instrumental in easing the compliance journey for Arka Energy.

The Challenge

Arka Energy, catering to security-conscious clients in the solar industry, prioritized obtaining SOC 2 Compliance Certification. Navigating the intricate path to SOC 2 Type II compliance posed a notable challenge for Arka Energy, given the inherent complexities and the resource limitations of operating as a compact, agile team.

Following were the challenges they faced on their path to SOC 2 attestation:

Lack of Experience: Arka Energy needed to gain prior experience in security and compliance roles, making the SOC 2 compliance process a unique challenge.

Customer Confidence: With customers expecting a high level of data security, Arka Energy recognized the need for compliance certification, specifically SOC 2 standard, to instill confidence in their customers regarding the safety and protection of their sensitive data.

Resource Constraints: Being an early stage company, Arka Energy faced resource constraints regarding dedicated personnel for compliance-related tasks, accentuating the need for an efficient and user-friendly compliance solution.

Sharmila Manikanta Dhas

Senior Director of Software & Program Management, Arka Energy

Akitra stood out with an impressive history of guiding numerous customers through successful certifications. We chose Akitra not only because they had the best track record but also because their solution demonstrated unparalleled sophistication in automating critical compliance processes – a feature we found uniquely valuable in our journey toward certification.”

Akitra's Solution

Arka Energy’s pursuit of compliance led them to Akitra, which provided a comprehensive solution, simplifying and automating various compliance tasks. This enabled Arka Energy to concentrate on its core business operations. The solutions offered by Akitra included:

Policy and Controls Definition: Akitra provided ready-made policy documents and templates, enabling Arka Energy to establish robust processes.

Continuous Monitoring: Akitra Andromeda facilitated ongoing monitoring, ensuring Arka Energy’s sustained compliance.

Endpoint Security Evidence Collection: The Shield software module assisted in collecting endpoint security evidence, meeting SOC 2 requirements.

Ease of Use and Integration: Akitra’s tool proved a perfect fit, offering ease of use, integration with existing tools, and a streamlined process that addressed Arka Energy’s specific compliance touchpoints.

The Result

Supported by Akitra, Arka Energy achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance, a pivotal milestone affirming their dedication to security and trust for their customers. Akitra’s platform not only accelerated the audit-ready phase but also streamlined the entire audit process. Additional benefits attained through SOC 2 attestation and collaboration with Akitra include:

Efficient Audit Readiness: Arka Energy successfully navigated the complex compliance landscape, achieving SOC 2 Type II attestation with Akitra’s support.

Continuous Compliance: Akitra’s platform is poised to become integral to Arka Energy’s ongoing compliance strategy, ensuring continuous compliance and reduced compliance costs.

Improved Security Measures:The collaborative effort between Akitra and Arka Energy resulted in enhanced security measures, providing a robust foundation for future certifications.

Operational Efficiency: Akitra’s advice simplified the certification process, allowing Secro to concentrate on its core activities while effectively satisfying compliance standards.

Ongoing Compliance: Arka Energy plans to maintain SOC 2 Type 2 compliance going forward with Akitra as a key partner in ensuring continuous compliance.

The support we received from Akitra’s team was more than what we expected and there were consistently dedicated Akitra team members assisting us at every step of the process.