Fractional CTO for Startups
Senior Technical Leadership Without the Full-Time Price Tag
You have a product idea, early traction, maybe some funding — but no one on your team who has built and scaled technology at the level your next stage demands. Hiring a full-time CTO at $250,000+ per year feels premature. Finding a technical co-founder who shares your vision feels impossible. And the development agency you hired is building something, but you have no way to evaluate whether it is any good.
This is exactly the problem I solve.
I am a fractional CTO with 16+ years of experience across eight companies — from early-stage startups to platforms serving millions of users. As Managing Partner at Extremoo and CTO at CasinoAlpha, I currently lead engineering teams that build AI-powered systems, blockchain platforms, and enterprise-grade software. I have done this enough times to know what works at each stage, what mistakes to avoid, and when you genuinely need me versus when you do not.
If you are not sure what a fractional CTO is or whether you need one at all, start with my complete guide to fractional CTOs. This page is for founders who already know they need senior technical leadership and want to understand what working with me looks like.
What I Do for Startups
Every engagement is different, but after doing this across eight companies, the work clusters around six areas. The mix depends on your stage, team, and most pressing challenges.
AI and Machine Learning Implementation
In 2026, this is where most startup engagements begin. You know AI could transform your product, but you do not know where to start — or you have started and the costs are spiraling.
I have built production RAG systems that reduced API costs by 70% while cutting hallucination rates from 15% to under 3%. I have deployed AI agents that process thousands of daily queries. I have fine-tuned custom models for domain-specific tasks that outperform generic models at a fraction of the cost.
What this means for your startup: I will evaluate whether AI makes sense for your specific use case, design the architecture, select the right tools from the 150+ options in the current ecosystem, and build it in a way that scales without bankrupting you on API costs.
Technology Strategy and Architecture
Should you build this feature in-house or buy? Will your current architecture scale to 100x the users? Is your tech stack the right choice for the next three years, or are you accumulating debt that will slow you down?
These decisions require pattern recognition from someone who has made them — and gotten them wrong — across multiple companies. When I redesigned the architecture at CasinoAlpha to support international SEO across multiple jurisdictions, the decisions were informed by mistakes I had seen at previous companies. That experience is what prevents your startup from making the same expensive errors.
Engineering Team Building
Your first five engineering hires define your company's technical culture for years. Get them wrong and you will spend a year recovering.
I have built and led engineering teams at eight companies — from the first hire to teams of 50+. I define roles, write job descriptions, source candidates, run technical interviews, and establish the engineering culture and processes that let your team ship consistently. I have written about this extensively in my guides on building high-performing tech teams and the CTO's guide to agile teams.
Technical Due Diligence
If you are raising a Series A, preparing for acquisition, or going through any process where investors or acquirers will examine your technology, you need someone who has been on both sides of due diligence.
I have prepared companies for technical scrutiny and I have conducted due diligence on behalf of investors. I know what they look for, where the red flags hide, and how to present your technology story credibly. This is often the trigger that brings startups to me — a funding round is approaching and they realize they need an experienced CTO in the room.
Cybersecurity and Compliance
If you are in a regulated industry — iGaming, fintech, healthcare — security and compliance are not optional features. They are existential requirements.
I have hardened server infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions, implemented Infrastructure as Code security with Terraform and Azure, and built compliance frameworks for UKGC, MGA, and GDPR requirements. A single compliance failure in a regulated industry can shut down your business. I make sure that does not happen.
Blockchain and Web3
For startups building on blockchain — smart contracts, DeFi protocols, provably fair systems, tokenization — I bring hands-on architecture experience. I designed and built a blockchain-based provably fair gaming system on Ethereum that allows players to independently verify the fairness of every game outcome. If your startup is building in Web3, I understand both the technology and the business model.
Real Results From Real Engagements
I do not share anonymized case studies with vague metrics. Here are specific outcomes from my work:
CasinoAlpha (CTO)
Regional platform needed to become global, multi-language operation
Redesigned technical architecture, implemented international SEO with hreflang, built automated data validation and enterprise security
Platform now operates across multiple jurisdictions with 99.9% uptime, serving millions of monthly visitors
RAG System Implementation
Production RAG system burning $50,000/month with 15% hallucination rate
Redesigned retrieval architecture, implemented intelligent caching, introduced hybrid search strategy
API costs dropped to $15,000/month (70% reduction), hallucination rate fell below 3%
Provably Fair Gaming
iGaming platform needed verifiable fairness that players could independently audit
Architected blockchain-based system using Ethereum smart contracts for verifiable random number generation
Players can independently verify every game outcome, eliminating the trust problem in online gaming
Key Way Group (CTO)
Enterprise software needed modernization across multiple products
Led cross-functional engineering teams, drove technology modernization initiatives
Successfully modernized technology stack and development practices across the organization
How I Work With Startups
Based on doing this eight times, here is what the first 90 days typically look like:
Days 1-30: Discovery and Quick Wins
I audit everything — your architecture, codebase, infrastructure, security posture, team skills, and development processes. I identify the 3-5 issues that will have the biggest immediate impact and fix them. I align with your founders and stakeholders on business goals and translate them into technology priorities.
By the end of Month 1, you have a clear picture of where you stand technically, what needs to change, and a prioritized plan for getting there.
Days 31-60: Strategy and Foundation
I create your 6-12 month technology roadmap aligned with business objectives. I make the critical architecture decisions — build vs buy, stack selection, scaling approach. I introduce or refine development workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and code review processes. If you need to hire, I define roles and begin sourcing.
By the end of Month 2, your team has clear direction, better processes, and the architectural foundation for the next phase of growth.
Days 61-90: Execution and Scaling
I get hands-on with critical projects and decisions. I interview candidates, onboard new hires, and mentor your tech leads. I prepare and present technology updates to your investors or board. I measure outcomes against the plan and adjust strategy based on what we learn.
By the end of Month 3, you have measurable improvements in development velocity, code quality, and team confidence — and a clear path forward.
Engagement Models
Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute consultation where I assess your situation and give you an honest recommendation — even if that recommendation is "you do not need me right now."
Advisory
4-8 hours/week
Starting from consultation
Specific decisions, architecture review, due diligence prep
Standard
8-16 hours/week
Custom based on scope
Ongoing strategic leadership, team building, roadmap execution
Intensive
16-24 hours/week
Custom based on scope
Pre-fundraising sprints, major architecture decisions, crisis management
When You Need a Fractional CTO (and When You Do Not)
You Need Me If...
- You are a non-technical founder building a technology product and cannot evaluate whether your developers are making good decisions
- You are preparing for fundraising and need someone credible to represent your technology to investors
- Your engineering team is growing faster than your technical leadership can handle
- You need AI implementation but do not know where to start or how to avoid burning money on API costs
- You are in a regulated industry (iGaming, fintech, healthcare) and need compliance-aware technical leadership
- Your tech lead is great but not ready to be CTO — they need an experienced executive to handle the strategic work while they focus on execution
You Do NOT Need Me If...
- You just need code written — hire developers instead
- You have a strong internal CTO who needs coaching — that is a different service
- You are pre-idea with no validated concept — find a technical co-founder or agency first
- You have 50+ engineers — at that scale, you need a full-time CTO
- You want someone to validate decisions you have already made — I will tell you uncomfortable truths, not what you want to hear
Industries I Work With
iGaming
CTO at CasinoAlpha, Managing Partner at Extremoo
Multi-jurisdiction compliance (UKGC, MGA), provably fair systems, international SEO, affiliate platform architecture
Fintech
Multiple engagements
Payment processing security, regulatory compliance, blockchain integration, DeFi protocols
SaaS
Multiple engagements
Scalable architecture, AI feature implementation, team scaling, technical due diligence
Healthcare Tech
CTO at ConsultaClick Romania
Patient data security (GDPR), platform connecting patients with medical professionals
E-commerce
Multiple engagements
Performance optimization, international expansion, payment integration
Technologies I Work With
AI/ML
OpenAI, LangChain, LlamaIndex, Hugging Face, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Pinecone, Weaviate, ChromaDB
Blockchain
Ethereum, Solidity, Web3.js, Smart Contracts, DeFi protocols
Cloud
AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Terraform, Docker, Kubernetes
Languages
Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, SQL, Solidity
Frameworks
React, Next.js, Astro, Node.js
Security
Nginx/Apache hardening, SSL/TLS, WAF, DDoS protection, GDPR compliance
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can a fractional CTO start working with my startup?
A fractional CTO can typically start within 1-2 weeks of the initial consultation. There is no 3-6 month recruitment process. The engagement begins with a technical audit of your current setup, followed by quick wins identification and a strategic roadmap.
How much does a fractional CTO cost for a startup?
Fractional CTO services for startups typically cost $8,000-$25,000 per month depending on hours and scope. This represents 60-70% savings compared to a full-time CTO salary of $200,000-$350,000 per year plus equity, benefits, and recruitment costs. Most startup engagements start at 1-2 days per week.
When should a startup hire a fractional CTO?
Hire a fractional CTO when you are a non-technical founder building a tech product, preparing for fundraising, scaling your engineering team, need AI implementation guidance, or operating in a regulated industry. The sweet spot is typically between seed and Series A stage, when you need strategic technical leadership but cannot justify a full-time executive hire.
What is the difference between a fractional CTO and a technical co-founder?
A technical co-founder is a full-time equity partner who shares ownership and risk. A fractional CTO provides the same strategic leadership on a part-time basis without equity dilution. The fractional model is ideal when you cannot find the right co-founder, need to move quickly, or want to preserve equity for future fundraising rounds.
Does a fractional CTO write code or just advise?
A good fractional CTO does both. They make strategic decisions, review architecture, and get hands-on when needed — code reviews, debugging critical issues, building prototypes. They are not consultants who deliver slide decks. They are CTOs who ship products and build teams.
Can you work remotely?
Yes. I am based in Bucharest, Romania and work with companies across Europe and internationally. Most engagement work happens remotely with occasional on-site visits for key meetings, workshops, or team events.
Ready to Talk?
The first consultation is always free. In 30 minutes, I will assess your technical situation and give you an honest recommendation — even if that recommendation is that you do not need a fractional CTO right now.