ASIC‑SF: Student Founder Certification

The ASIC‑SF tier is a dedicated certification pathway for student‑founded AI companies building their first systems. It preserves the full authority of the Aston Thomas Integrity Commission while providing an accessible, structured evaluation process tailored to early‑stage founders.

ASIC‑SF enables student‑founded AI companies to establish the governance foundations required for lawful, traceable, and defensible AI. It offers a credible, independent evaluation that supports responsible development without lowering the Standard.

Official Certification Seal of the Aston Thomas Integrity Commission

Eligibility Criteria

Organizations qualify for ASIC‑SF if they meet the following conditions:

  • At least one founder is currently a student: (secondary school, undergraduate, or graduate).

  • The company is pre‑revenue or early‑revenue (less than $250k ARR).

  • The AI system is actively deployed or in development.

These criteria ensure the tier remains focused on genuinely early‑stage builders.

What Makes ASIC‑SF Distinct

Reduced Documentation Burden

Student founders may provide:

  • Verbal explanations

  • Lightweight documentation

  • Simple diagrams

  • Vendor links

  • Short written summaries

Enterprise‑grade governance documents are not required.

Two‑Call Evaluation Structure

The evaluation is conducted through two structured conversations:

  • Call 1: System overview and model lineage

  • Call 2: Data provenance, claims, and governance

Extended Clarification Window

Founders have up to two weeks to provide clarifications and refine their submissions.

Accessible Pricing

  • Certification Fee: $250

  • Annual Renewal: $150

  • Optional Re‑assessment: $100

Automatic Upgrade Path

When the organization matures—through revenue growth, funding, or expanded technical operations—it transitions to full ASIC requirements and pricing.

Evaluation Pillars

ASIC‑SF evaluates the same three pillars as ASIC:

Integrity

Assessment of whether public claims about the AI system are responsible, accurate, and non‑misleading.

Provenance

Review of the organization’s understanding of data sources, model origins, and synthetic data usage.

Vendor Independence

Evaluation of the organization’s awareness of upstream dependencies, vendor risks, and system exportability.

The Standard remains unchanged; the process is adapted for early‑stage teams.

Deliverables

Certified organizations receive:

  • A formal Certification Report summarizing scope, findings, and governance notes.

  • A Registry Listing under ASIC‑SF.

  • An official Certification Seal for use on websites and materials.

  • A Governance Foundations Packet covering provenance, lineage tracking, claim integrity, and vendor transparency.

Role in ATIC’s Mission

ASIC‑SF strengthens the next generation of AI founders by providing:

  • A credible governance framework

  • Early defensibility and documentation

  • A trust signal for investors and partners

  • A structured path toward full ASIC certification

This tier ensures that responsible AI development begins at the earliest stages of innovation.