Fractional CTO · Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and remote
A fractional CTO for founders who need one before they can afford one
Senior technical leadership a few days a month. Architecture decisions, hiring your first engineers, keeping agencies honest, and a technology roadmap your board and investors can read.
When a fractional CTO makes sense
Most often for non-technical founders and growing businesses that rely on software but don't yet need a full-time technology executive.
You're relying on an agency
An outsourced team is building your product and you can't tell whether the code, the estimates or the invoices are reasonable.
You're about to hire engineers
You need someone to write the role, run the technical interviews and set up the team so your first hires succeed.
Investors are asking questions
Technical due diligence is coming, and you need a clear story on architecture, security, scalability and the roadmap.
Big decisions are piling up
Build or buy, which platform, whether to rebuild, and how much AI belongs in the product. Each one is expensive to get wrong.
What a fractional CTO does
The responsibilities of a CTO, scaled to the days you actually need.
- Architecture and build-or-buy decisions, written down with the reasoning
- A technology roadmap tied to business goals, in language your board understands
- Hiring: role descriptions, technical interviews and onboarding for your first engineers
- Vendor and agency oversight: code reviews, estimate checks and contract terms
- Security, privacy and compliance ownership until you have someone full time
- Board, investor and due diligence support
- Engineering practices your team can keep: reviews, releases, incidents
How it runs
A short start-up period, then a steady monthly rhythm.
Assess
Two weeks to review your product, code, team, vendors and plans. You get a written assessment and a 90-day plan.
Included in the first monthLead
Agreed days each month, plus email and chat for quick decisions. A short written update to founders every month.
Monthly · from $3,500Hand over
When you're ready for a full-time CTO or head of engineering, we help write the role, interview candidates and hand over.
IncludedHonest about fit
A fractional CTO isn't right for everyone. We'll tell you on the first call if it isn't right for you.
Good fit
Pre-seed to Series A startups, non-technical founders, businesses with an agency or a small team, and companies preparing for investment or a sale.
Not a good fit
Teams that need someone hands-on five days a week for the long term. In that case you need a full-time hire, and we'll help you find them.
Independent advice
We work for a fee and don't take commissions from agencies, vendors or cloud providers, so our recommendations aren't for sale.
Continuity
You get a named person, not a rotating bench, with a second senior engineer who knows your context as backup.
Tools and platforms we use most
Pricing
Monthly plans with no minimum term. Unused days roll over to the next month.
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| AdvisorTwo days a month. Decisions, reviews and a monthly update. | $3,500/mo |
| PartnerFour days a month. Adds hiring, vendor oversight and board support. | $6,500/mo |
| EmbeddedEight days a month. Hands-on leadership of the engineering team. | $12,000/mo |
| Technical due diligenceA one-off review for investors, acquirers or before you raise. | from $6,500 |
All plans can be cancelled with thirty days' notice. Registered startups under two years old get 15% off their first three months.
What this looks like in practice
An illustrative example of a typical engagement.
Common questions
How is a fractional CTO different from a technical advisor?
An advisor gives opinions. A fractional CTO takes responsibility: they make decisions, manage vendors and engineers, and answer to the founders for the outcome.
Can you manage our outsourced or offshore developers?
Yes, it's one of the most common reasons founders call us. We review the code and estimates, set clear expectations and make sure you own everything that's built.
Will you help us hire a full-time CTO?
Yes. Most good fractional engagements end that way. We write the role, run technical interviews and hand over properly.
What happens in a typical month?
A planning session with the founders, a few working days on the month's priorities, regular check-ins with the team or vendors, and a written summary of decisions and next steps.
Can you help with investor technical due diligence?
Yes, from either side. We prepare companies for due diligence before a raise, and run independent technical reviews for investors and acquirers.
Often paired with
Product engineering
Web and mobile products, APIs and integrations, shipped by a small senior team. A first version, a rebuild, or the feature you haven't had time for.
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Learn more →Get a CTO's judgement without a CTO's salary
Book a 30-minute call. We'll talk through where you are, what's coming, and whether a fractional CTO is the right fit.