Fractional CTO for Startups
Early-stage technology decisions compound. The platform foundation chosen at launch shapes what the company can build for the next several years. A fractional CTO brings enterprise architecture experience to those decisions at a cost structure that fits pre-revenue and early-revenue companies.
From early stage to a $50M acquisition
A confidential class-action settlement administration firm based in Costa Mesa, California. The engagement covered architecture and platform development from the company's early growth stage — building the systems that handle court-ordered claims intake, claimant verification, fund disbursement, and the compliance infrastructure that satisfies both court requirements and state unclaimed property laws.
Settlement administration is a demanding domain for platform development: every transaction is auditable, deadlines are set by court order, and errors carry legal consequences. The platform that supported the firm through its growth was designed with those constraints at the center from the start. That foundation held through the company's growth to a $50M acquisition.
At PRAM — a pharmaceutical-focused mobile technology company based in Brea, California — the engagement started at zero: iOS app architecture and full backend API built from scratch. Mobile product companies at the earliest stage need the same architectural discipline as enterprise companies, scaled to what a small team can actually ship and maintain. Getting that balance right is the job.
The first version of a platform is not just code — it is a set of decisions that will either constrain or enable everything that follows. Most early-stage companies underestimate how much the architecture choices made in the first six months shape what is possible at Series A and beyond.
Six dimensions of early-stage technology leadership
MVP Architecture Design
Platform and technology decisions that hold under early user load and do not require a full rewrite when the product finds traction. The foundation matters more at the start than it appears.
First Engineering Team Buildout
Interview support, role definition, and team structure recommendations for the first engineering hires. The first three engineers shape the culture and capability of the team that follows them.
Platform Foundation Decisions
Cloud provider selection, framework choices, deployment architecture, and data storage decisions — made with an eye toward what the platform needs to support at Series A scale, not just at launch.
Fundraising & Diligence Preparation
Technical narrative for investor presentations, architecture documentation for technical due diligence, and the platform readiness work that prevents a raise from being delayed by technical questions.
Vendor & Tool Selection
Evaluating the platforms, APIs, and services the product will depend on — with attention to cost at scale, lock-in risk, and whether the capability is truly needed now or can be deferred.
Technical Roadmap for Growth
The sequence of technical investments the platform needs as the company grows — including the architectural decisions that are low-cost now and high-cost to retrofit later.
"Our industry of insurance is heavily regulated — Shawn Livermore understood that and delivered a powerful, secure, and compliant app."
What a fractional CTO engagement looks like for an early-stage company
The engagement structure varies by what the company needs. Some early-stage companies need a technology assessment first — understanding what they have built so far and whether it can support the next phase. Others need an architecture partner for a specific build. Others need a CTO-level presence for investor conversations or due diligence without the cost of a full-time hire.
- Technology state review — Whether the company has an existing codebase or is starting fresh, the engagement begins with an assessment of where things stand and what the platform needs to support over the next 12–18 months.
- Architecture and platform decisions — The specific technology decisions that shape the foundation: infrastructure, frameworks, data architecture, third-party dependencies, and deployment patterns.
- Team buildout guidance — Role definitions, interview support, and team structure advice for the early engineering hires that will own what gets built.
- Roadmap and milestone planning — A technical roadmap that connects to fundraising milestones, product launch targets, and the specific capabilities the business needs to demonstrate at each stage.
- Ongoing fractional CTO engagement — Weekly or bi-weekly involvement at whatever depth the company needs — from architecture reviews to investor briefings to hands-on technical leadership during critical buildout phases.
Fractional engagement is not a reduced version of a full-time CTO. It is a specific structure that works for companies that need senior technical judgment without the overhead of a full-time executive hire. Reach out to discuss what an engagement would look like for your company.
Senior technology leadership at early-stage scale
Fractional CTO experience across a confidential class-action settlement platform (early stage to $50M acquisition), PRAM (iOS app and API built from zero), and FNDRS (AI platform built for PE deal flow) — available at a structure that works for your company's stage.
