Inspired By Frustration
Fractional CTO for Startups.
Fractional CTO for startups: architecture review, technical hiring, and delivery leadership from a hands-on builder who ships production software.
A full-time CTO is a $250k+ commitment. Most early-stage startups don't need one — they need senior technical judgment applied part-time to real decisions. I've spent 10+ years building enterprise software and the last several years shipping 50+ AI-powered apps solo.
What we deliver
Architecture Review & Roadmap
Evaluate your current stack, identify tech debt, and design a path forward that won't require a rewrite in 18 months.
Technical Hiring
Write job specs, interview engineers, and assess candidates who won't waste your runway. I know what good looks like.
Fractional CTO Rates & Scope Planning
Map realistic monthly engagement ranges against stage, delivery pressure, and architecture complexity before committing to a full-time CTO hire.
Vendor & Tool Selection
Cut through the noise on infrastructure, databases, auth, payments, and AI tooling. Opinionated, evidence-based recommendations.
Engineering Process
Introduce just enough process to ship faster — PR standards, decision records, documentation habits — without enterprise bureaucracy.
Why us
Still Shipping Production Code
I build AppHandoff, MCP Beast, Context Capture, Shadow Post — products in active use, not case studies.
10+ Years Enterprise Background
Complex stakeholders, compliance requirements, and mission-critical systems aren't new territory.
AI-Native Perspective
I understand what AI-accelerated development actually changes — and where it creates risk if you don't know what you're doing.
Stop making technical decisions alone.
Whether you're facing your first architecture decision or about to raise a round — a fractional CTO engagement gives you the senior judgment to make better calls.
Get in touchFAQ
How much does a fractional CTO cost?
Fractional CTO engagements typically run $3,000–$8,000 per month for part-time involvement (1–2 days per week). Compared to a full-time CTO at $200k–$350k per year, fractional is a fraction of the cost for early-stage startups that need judgment, not headcount.
What does a fractional CTO do for an early-stage startup?
A fractional CTO provides senior technical leadership without the full-time commitment: architecture decisions, technology stack choices, technical hiring, vendor evaluation, code review standards, and translating technical reality into language investors understand.
When should a startup hire a fractional CTO?
Consider a fractional CTO when you're a non-technical founder making high-stakes technical decisions alone, when you're about to hire your first engineers, when your codebase is accumulating technical debt, or when investors are asking technical due diligence questions you can't fully answer.