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Leadership

Fractional CTO

Embedded technical leadership for AI-native and high-stakes software companies. Architecture, engineering judgment, technical diligence, and senior representation in the rooms where it matters — without a full-time hire.

Engagement Surface

6-month default

Architecture

Decisions, reviews, technical risk

Engineering Judgment

Build / buy / kill / sequence calls

Team Leadership

Hiring rubric, leveling, 1:1s as needed

Diligence & Investor

DD prep, technical narrative, board ops

Hands-On Delivery

Code, infra, eval rigs when scope demands

Cadence

Weekly syncs · monthly board · always async

Production exit

Senior technical leadership your team and investors actually feel.

Timeline
Ongoing
Engagement
Monthly retainer
Output
Technical leadership
Time to Value
Continuous

Who It's For

  • Startups without technical co-founders
  • Growth companies between CTO hires
  • Companies preparing for fundraising
  • Organizations needing technical board presence

Our Approach

1

Onboarding

Week 1

Deep dive into your business, product, team, and technology stack. Identify immediate risks and quick wins to build momentum.

2

Strategy

Weeks 2-4

Define technical strategy aligned with business goals, establish architecture principles, and create a prioritized roadmap.

3

Execution

Ongoing

Provide ongoing technical leadership through regular check-ins, architecture reviews, hiring support, and strategic guidance as your company evolves.

Common Questions

How much time do you dedicate per month?

Typical retainers range from 2-4 days per month, depending on your needs. This includes regular strategy sessions, architecture reviews, team mentoring, and availability for ad-hoc decisions. We scale up during critical periods like fundraising or major technical decisions.

How is this different from a technical advisor?

A Fractional CTO is hands-on. We don't just advise; we attend leadership meetings, make architecture decisions, interview engineering candidates, and represent the technical team to the board. We're accountable for outcomes, not just opinions.

What happens when we're ready to hire a full-time CTO?

That's a success for us. We help you define the role, participate in the hiring process, and ensure a smooth transition. Many clients keep a lighter advisory relationship after their full-time CTO is in place.

What You Get

  • Technical strategy and roadmap
  • Architecture review and guidance
  • Team hiring and development plan
  • Vendor evaluation and selection
  • Board and investor readiness
  • Technical due diligence support

Embedded technical leadership for AI-native teams.

A 30-minute scoping call covers the architecture you're shipping, the technical decisions in front of you, and whether a fractional CTO retainer is the right shape for the next six months.