The technical lead the VC asked about
CTO Advisory at $4,500 a month. I sit in investor calls, own the tech section of the deck, and commit to the build plan in writing. 16 years of shipping. Never ghosted a client.
Who this is for
Non-technical founder in active pre-seed conversations. The lead VC has asked 'who is your technical lead' and the current answer is not clearing the bar.
The pain today
- The VC asked about the technical lead and there was an awkward pause.
- The deck has a tech slide I cannot defend on my own.
- A technical cofounder wants 20-30 percent of the company for part-time help.
- Every fractional CTO profile I find is thin on real shipping experience.
The outcome you get
- A defensible technical lead referenced in the deck and on the site.
- A written build plan the VC can review, scoped to the round size.
- Weekly strategy calls plus investor-call coverage.
- Conversion path to the full $8,500 tier after the round closes.
What a fractional CTO says in the investor Q&A
The question 'who is your technical lead' has three common traps. The first is ducking it ('we have someone helping'), which kills the call. The second is overclaiming ('he is our CTO') when the person is a contractor. The third is underclaiming ('we are still looking'). The right answer at pre-seed is precise: the fractional CTO is named, has real shipping credits, and has a path to becoming the full-time CTO or handing off to one. That level of specificity reads as a founder who has thought through the hiring path.
Build plan versus pitch deck
Most pre-seed decks have a tech slide that says 'Next.js, React, AWS' and nothing useful. I replace that with a one-page build plan a VC can evaluate: scope of the v1, tech choices and why, timeline to first shippable product, cost range, hiring plan for the 6-9 months post-round. This document becomes the tech section of the due diligence pack and often the decider between two pre-seed offers. It takes me a week to build the first version.
Compensation structure
Advisory at $4,500 a month is the full cost. No hidden equity, no deferred fees, no success bonuses. If the round closes and you want to upgrade to the full Fractional CTO tier at $8,500, that is a clean conversation. Many founders run Advisory through the round, then upgrade to full for the six months post-close, then hire a permanent CTO. The US LLC invoicing is IRS and IR35 safe, which cleans up the tax profile for a US-incorporated startup.
Conversion to the full $8,500 tier
The upgrade is usually triggered by one of three events. Round closes: Advisory covers fundraising, full covers execution. First engineering hire: you need someone to manage them. Build sprint: the team needs 15-20 hours a week of hands-on architecture. I do not push the upgrade. Many founders run Advisory for six months or more and hire a permanent CTO straight from that tier.
Recent proof
A comparable engagement, delivered and documented.
Built and shipped an investor-ready MVP from scratch
Built the entire technological base and delivered MVP in just 3 weeks, enabling a successful rapid launch and investor demo.
Frequently asked questions
The questions prospects ask before they book.
- Will you be named on the deck?
- Yes, if you want. Most pre-seed founders list me on the team slide with role and link. It materially helps the fundraise.
- How many investor calls will you join?
- Two to three a month during active rounds. I join the technical Q&A section, not the whole call, unless you specifically want that.
- What if the VC wants a full-time CTO?
- Some do. I help you plan the hiring path and, if the round closes, I help recruit the permanent CTO. A strong fractional CTO during the round is often a proof of hiring judgment in itself.
- Can you recommend investors?
- I can make intros to investors who have backed builds I worked on, when the fit matches. This is a side benefit, not the core product.
- How fast can we start?
- One week from signed agreement to first strategy call. Faster if you have an investor call in 10 days and need me on it.
Ready to start?
Tell me what you need in 60 seconds. Tailored proposal in your inbox within 6 hours.