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Why You Should Build Compliance Into Your Product from Day One
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In crypto and Web3, compliance is often seen as something you deal with after your product is ready, something you add on before launching. But as seasoned compliance experts shared during ComPilot’s workshop at Paris Blockchain Week, delaying compliance could mean derailing your business altogether.
Featuring:
- Cécile Henry, Head of Compliance & Legal at Meria and Deskoin, Co-Founder of Seqlense
- Delphine Forma, Head of Policy Europe at Solidus Labs
- André Dibé, CEO & Co-Founder at Kamea Labs
- Moderated by Vanessa Moreno, Head of Marketing at ComPilot
This conversation dives into when and how to think about compliance as part of your product roadmap, not just a legal requirement, but as a design principle for long-term growth.
When Should You Think About Compliance?
Vanessa asked the question directly:
“When should compliance be included in a project’s roadmap? Before or after there’s a minimum viable product?”
From the Very Beginning, But You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
Cécile explained:
“You have to take it into account from the beginning, as part of the company’s framework. But that doesn’t mean you need to do everything yourself. You can rely on partners.”
She highlighted that working with providers like ComPilot or infrastructure partners like Deskoin can help startups get started quickly, without reinventing the wheel:
“By testing and relying on partners, you can be compliant by design from the start, without having to do it all internally.”
Understanding the Rules Helps You Plan Better
André expanded on that idea:
“You don’t have to be regulated from the very beginning. But you do need to understand what is regulated.”
He explained that early understanding allows founders to:
- Create a product roadmap that scales toward regulation
- Launch unregulated services (if appropriate)
- Avoid building something you’ll have to rebuild later
“If you understand what’s under the scope of regulation, you can design something future-proof.”
Founders Should Pair Legal and Business Expertise
For Delphine, the ideal scenario is simple:
“One founder with business acumen. One founder with a legal background.”
She pointed out that regulatory strategy is a constant trade-off between what the product aims to do and how it can be shaped to avoid unnecessary licensing early on.
“You want to do something, I’ll tell you how, and at what cost. Maybe there’s another way. Compliance gives you the options. You choose.”
The Cost of Leaving Compliance for Later
All three panelists agreed: not including compliance from the start is a risky (and often expensive) mistake.
Cécile:
“I’ve seen so many people come to me after they’ve already built something… and I have to say: ‘This will be difficult. You’ll have to change it.’ It’s too late.”
Delphine shared a real-world example:
“Back in 2017, teams would build everything without telling me. Then they’d say: ‘We’re launching next week!’ And I’d say: ‘No, you’re not.’ That’s why compliance needs to be there at the beginning.”
Why Compliance Can Enable Innovation And Not Just Restrict It
For Vanessa, the key insight was this:
“It’s not just that the product should adapt to regulation, sometimes regulation reshapes the product in an innovative way.”
Delphine agreed, adding that compliance teams need to be proactive inside their organizations:
“As a compliance officer, you’re not just enforcing rules. You’re training, educating, and enabling business to happen responsibly.”
Final Takeaway: Compliance First, Not Last
What this workshop made clear is that early engagement with compliance isn’t just about avoiding problems. It’s about:
- Saving time and cost in the long run
- Building resilient and scalable products
- Empowering teams to innovate responsibly
- Launching faster with the right frameworks in place
At ComPilot, we help founders and compliance teams do exactly that, with flexible tooling that evolves alongside your roadmap. Want to learn more? Book a demo.
Watch the full workshop on Youtube for even more insights.
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