Fractional CTO
CTO-level leadership.
Without the C-suite salary.
You don't need a $250K/year CTO to make the right technical decisions. You need an experienced engineer who's been CTO before — available when you need them, gone when you don't.
The problem
Most startups don't need a full-time CTO.
You need someone who can make architecture decisions that won't haunt you in 18 months. Someone who can evaluate developers, choose the right stack, and keep your technical roadmap honest. But you don't need that person 40 hours a week — and you definitely can't afford $200-350K in salary plus equity.
"A bad technical decision at the start costs 10x to fix later."
That's where a fractional CTO comes in. You get the experience and judgment of someone who's built and scaled products before — without the full-time overhead.
What you get
Everything a CTO does — on your schedule
Technical Strategy
Architecture decisions, technology selection, and roadmap planning that align with your business goals and runway.
Team Building
Hire the right engineers, set up code review processes, and establish engineering culture — even if you're starting from zero.
Hands-On Development
Not just advice — we write code, build prototypes, and ship features alongside your team when needed.
Investor Readiness
Technical due diligence prep, architecture documentation, and the confidence to answer hard technical questions from investors.
Vendor & Tool Evaluation
Cut through the noise. We evaluate APIs, platforms, and tools based on what actually works at your stage and scale.
Code & Security Audits
Review existing codebases for quality, scalability, and security risks. Get a clear picture of your technical debt.
By industry
Fractional CTO for your vertical
Every industry has its own architectural gravity. Pick yours.
Fintech
Ship payment, lending, and ledger systems that survive audit and scale.
See Fintech fractional CTO →
Healthtech
Build HIPAA-compliant products without the architectural debt that strangles your roadmap.
See Healthtech fractional CTO →
B2B SaaS
From first paying team to enterprise readiness without rebuilding the foundation.
See B2B SaaS fractional CTO →
AI Startups
Build AI products that survive contact with real users — not just demos that wow investors.
See AI Startups fractional CTO →
Marketplaces
Solve the cold-start problem in the product, not just the pitch deck.
See Marketplaces fractional CTO →
Developer Tools
CLI, SDK, and API design that developers adopt instead of abandon.
See Developer Tools fractional CTO →
Who it's for
Startups that need technical leadership now
Compare
Fractional CTO vs. the alternatives
| Fractional CTO | Full-Time CTO | Technical Advisor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $3-10K/mo | $200-350K + equity | $500-2K/mo |
| Writes Code | Yes | Sometimes | No |
| Availability | Flexible hours | Full-time | 1-2 calls/month |
| Commitment | Month-to-month | Long-term hire | Equity + advisory |
| Experience | Multi-company CTO | Varies | Varies |
| Equity Required | Optional | Usually 2-5% | Usually 0.5-1% |
Your fractional CTO
Eric P. Hassey
Founder & Fractional CTO
12+ years building production software. CTO of multiple startups. R&D 100 Award winner. Built defense systems, AI medical devices, and consumer apps.
Based in Boston, MA — serving clients nationwide
FAQ
Common questions
How many hours per week? +
Completely flexible. Some clients need 5 hours a week, others need 20. We scale up or down based on what your startup needs right now — no minimums, no long-term contracts.
Do you replace a full-time CTO? +
For early-stage startups, yes — we handle everything a CTO would. As you grow and are ready to hire a full-time CTO, we help you find them, onboard them, and transition out cleanly.
Can you also build the product? +
Absolutely. Unlike most fractional CTOs who only advise, we also write code and ship features. Strategy and execution from the same person means nothing gets lost in translation.
What if we already have developers? +
Great. We work alongside your existing team — setting architecture standards, doing code reviews, unblocking technical decisions, and mentoring junior engineers.
Book a call
Pick a time that works.
Free 30 minutes. No pitch deck. We'll tell you whether a fractional CTO is the right move — even if the answer is no.