ISO 56001 for Startups: A Phase-Based Framework

The ISO 56000 family of standards seeks to support organizations in managing innovation in a systematic way with ISO 56001 providing a certifiable standard for innovation management systems. While these standards claim applicability to organizations of all types and sizes, early-stage startups often operate with fluid structures, minimal documentation and evolving metrics, which raises ques- tions about the practical relevance of a fully formalized innovation management system in this context. This study examines ISO 56001 from a startup perspec- tive and develops a startup-compatible framework for its implementation. The research is based on a qualitative document analysis of the draft ISO 56001 requirements, supported by close reading of related documents in the ISO 56000 series. Requirements in clauses 4-10 are coded for implicit assumptions about organizational maturity, structure, resources and existing management systems, and then interpreted against typical characteristics of early-stage startups. The analysis identifies four main clusters of maturity assumptions: governance and roles, documentation and process formalization, metrics and performance eval- uation, and integration with other management systems and resources. These clusters often presuppose a level of structural stability and resource availabil- ity that is uncommon in early-stage ventures. In response, the paper proposes a three-phase framework: (i) problem-solution exploration, (ii) product-market fit search and (iii) early scaling that offers stage-appropriate interpretations of ISO 56001 requirements and illustrates clause-level adaptations for startups.