Fractional CTO: technology leadership, part time
Growing companies reach a point where technology decisions are too expensive to make by instinct, but a full-time chief technology officer is not yet justified. A fractional CTO gives you that judgment for the hours you need it.
Decisions a fractional CTO owns
The role is about choices that are hard to reverse. We bring a written recommendation, the trade-offs, and an estimate, then stay accountable for how it turns out.
- A technology roadmap tied to the business plan, reviewed each quarter
- Build-or-buy decisions for software, and vendor selection when buying
- Oversight of custom software and AI projects, internal or outsourced
- Cloud architecture and spend reviews on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud
- Hiring help: job descriptions, interviews and onboarding for technical staff
How the engagement works
Engagements are a set number of hours a month with a standing meeting with leadership. Between meetings we review proposals, join vendor calls and keep a decision log, so the reasoning behind each choice outlives the meeting.
When a project needs execution as well as direction, our engineering team can build it, or we oversee the firm you hire and review its work on your behalf.
Security is part of the job
Every architecture choice is also a security choice. Our fractional CISO service covers security leadership in depth, and the two roles work from the same plan so speed and safety are weighed together rather than argued about later.
Frequently asked questions
- How is this different from a fractional CISO?
- A fractional CTO decides what to build and buy and how systems fit together; a fractional CISO decides how they are protected. Smaller companies often start with one and add the other.
- Can you work with our existing developers?
- Yes. We set direction and standards, review architecture and code, and help your developers ship, rather than replacing them.
- Is this only for software companies?
- No. Any organization spending meaningfully on technology, from clinics to distributors to nonprofits, benefits from someone accountable for those decisions.