Why DORA Compliance Is a Competitive Advantage for Software Vendors in 2025

Introduction

As the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) takes effect across the EU in January 2025, most software vendors see it as a regulatory hurdle. But forward-looking companies are discovering that DORA is more than just compliance — it’s a strategic differentiator.

In this article, we explore why becoming DORA-compliant doesn’t just protect your company from risk. It also positions you as a trusted partner for regulated clients, boosts your credibility in RFPs, and helps win and retain long-term financial-sector deals.

Why Procurement Teams Care About DORA

As of 2025, EU-based financial institutions are legally required to evaluate the DORA-readiness of their technology vendors. This has immediate implications for procurement, vendor onboarding, and contract renewals.

"We’ve seen procurement checklists expand to include detailed questions about ICT risk controls, resilience testing, and third-party dependency mapping."

If you can’t answer those questions with clear, auditable documentation, you may be dropped from the shortlist — regardless of price or features.

DORA Is Now a Procurement Filter

• Due diligence forms include ICT compliance sections
• Non-compliant vendors are considered high risk
• Clients need documentation for their own audits

Being DORA-compliant helps you stay in the game.

Win More RFPs with a Proven Compliance Story

Financial clients need tech partners they can trust. When you present a clear compliance posture, you:

• Earn stakeholder confidence faster
• Reduce friction in legal and infosec review
• Shorten procurement cycles

RFP Questions You’ll Be Ready For

• Do you have a risk register and governance framework?
• Can you map your dependencies and escalation paths?
• Do you run incident simulations or red teaming?
• How fast can you respond to a cyberattack or outage?

Instead of scrambling, you’ll be able to say: “Yes, here is our DORA compliance documentation.”

Strengthen Your Brand in the Financial Sector

Trust is currency in financial software. DORA compliance signals:

• Maturity in your internal processes
• Scalability of your service delivery
• Readiness to support enterprise accounts

In a sector where risk-aversion is the norm, this positioning can open doors.

According to a 2023 Deloitte survey, 68% of financial services executives say that a vendor's ability to demonstrate operational resilience is a key factor in selection decisions.

(*Source: Deloitte, "Global Risk Management Survey, 13th edition")

Improve Customer Retention and Upsell Potential

Contract renewals increasingly require fresh due diligence.

By having DORA compliance built-in:

• You make renewals seamless
• You build stronger customer relationships
• You create upsell potential for sensitive workloads

Example

A client expanding into MiCA-regulated crypto services may ask:

"Can your solution prove digital resilience for critical assets?"

If you already have the artifacts, the answer is easy — and profitable.

Enable Partner Ecosystems and Co-Selling

Want to integrate with a major core banking platform or cloud marketplace?

Many partners now require proof of compliance to enable joint GTM or ecosystem exposure.

DORA compliance:

• Accelerates partner onboarding
• Supports joint go-to-market campaigns
• Eliminates risk objections from partner security teams

It’s not just about risk reduction — it’s about growth.

How SH Helps Vendors Turn Compliance into Opportunity

We support SaaS vendors, API platforms, and dev teams in building not just documentation — but a full narrative that enhances sales.

We Provide:

• DORA kits tailored to tech vendors
• Mapping tools and risk frameworks
• Presentation templates for procurement
• TLPT and red team planning support
• Advisory on audit simulation and vendor onboarding

Case Study: Siemens Financial Services

We worked with Siemens Financial Services to build an internal sales tool used across four European markets. The tool featured:

• Audit-ready architecture
• Secure access and continuity measures
• Policy and escalation plans aligned with DORA

"Startup House is our trusted software development partner, with whom we have worked for many years." — Piotr Stępień, Senior Project Manager, Siemens Financial Services

This partnership helped Siemens meet internal audit standards and prepare for the new regulatory environment.

Final Thoughts

DORA isn’t just a box to check — it’s a lever for growth.

Tech vendors who embrace compliance early will:

• Win more RFPs
• Reduce onboarding friction
• Build lasting financial-sector relationships
• Future-proof their enterprise readiness