Fractional CTO for Startups and Growing Companies
Senior technical leadership, part time
Start a conversationNot every company needs a full time CTO, but most reach a point where they need senior technical judgement: choosing an architecture, deciding where AI fits, hiring the first engineers, or getting an independent technical view before an investment.
As a founding engineer at Speakeasy, and previously a tech lead of teams of up to 18 engineers, I have made those decisions from the inside. As a fractional CTO I bring that experience to your company for a day or two a week, or on a lighter advisory retainer.
Who it's for
- Non-technical founders building a software or AI product
- Startups between their first engineers and a full time CTO
- Companies that need an independent view on architecture, vendors, or AI strategy
- Investors who need technical due diligence
What you get
- A technical roadmap tied to business goals, including where AI fits
- Architecture decisions made, documented, and understood by the team
- A hiring plan and interview process for your first engineers
- A trusted technical voice in leadership and board conversations
How I can help
Experienced technical leadership for startups and growing companies that need direction, not another full time executive.
Technical Strategy & Roadmaps
Turn business goals into a technical plan, including where AI fits and where it does not.
Architecture & Due Diligence
System and code reviews, build versus buy decisions, and technical due diligence for investors and acquirers.
Engineering Team Building
Hire your first engineers, set up processes that scale, and mentor the leads who will run the team.
Startup Technical Advisory
A trusted technical voice for founders, from MVP planning through to scaling decisions.
Ways to work together
Advisory Retainer
A few hours a month of on-call advice, reviews, and decision support.
Enablement Sprint
A focused engagement of a few weeks to roll out AI tooling and workflows across a team.
Fractional Leadership
One or two days a week as your CTO or engineering lead, embedded with your team.
Project Delivery
Scoped builds of agents, MCP servers, and AI features, delivered end to end.
Frequently asked questions
What does a fractional CTO do?
A fractional CTO provides part time senior technical leadership: setting technical strategy, making architecture and vendor decisions, building the engineering team, and representing technology at the leadership level, without the cost of a full time executive.
How much time does a fractional CTO spend with my company?
Commonly one or two days a week, though some companies prefer a lighter advisory retainer. We agree on a cadence that fits your stage and adjust it as you grow.
When should a startup bring in a fractional CTO?
When technical decisions start carrying real cost: before committing to an architecture, raising a round, hiring your first engineers, or betting on an AI strategy.
Can a fractional CTO help with AI strategy?
Yes. I build AI infrastructure day to day, so working out where AI creates real value, and where it doesn't, is part of every engagement.
Let's talk about where you are
Based in Cairns, working remotely with teams worldwide. Tell me what you're working on and we'll work out whether I can help.
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