Fractional CTO, UK based, working remotely
Fractional CTO for founders and scale-ups.Often starting with an independent review.
Senior technical leadership without a full-time hire: architecture decisions, hiring, engineering culture and hands-on delivery, for startups and scale-ups in the UK and further afield.
Many founders want an independent view of what has been built before they commit to ongoing help. That is a code and architecture review, and it is often where we start. I do both.
Engagement shapes
Priced by how many days a week you actually need me.
Structured the way most fractional CTO engagements are actually scoped: part-time retainers of one to three days a week, or a fixed-term project.
Not sure which tier? Ask
| Type | Timeline | From |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day/week | Ongoing retainer | From £3,500/month |
| 2 days/week | Ongoing retainer | From £6,500/month |
| 3 days/week | Ongoing retainer | From £9,500/month |
| Project / fixed-term | Scoped per project | From £1,500/day |
Retainer pricing reflects ongoing weekly access and continuity, not a flat per-day rate - project work with no ongoing commitment is priced separately at the day rate. Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute call to work out which shape fits - retainer or fixed-term. For complex situations, a paid discovery session (£500) gets you a written assessment of the landscape within 1-2 working days, credited against the project if we proceed.
-630% → +36%
TURNAROUND
Support-agreement profitability in 6 months
Dexus · NTT · Kalibrate · Lancom
ENGAGEMENTS
Plus NDA'd startups and government
Twelve years
ENGINEERING DEPTH
Full-stack to CTO
Who it is for
Who fractional CTO time suits.
This is for you if
- You need senior technical judgement now, before a full-time CTO makes sense.
- You want a CTO who still writes the code and understands what your team is actually dealing with.
- You want an independent view of what has been built before deciding how much ongoing help you need.
- Your team works remotely, in the UK or elsewhere.
This is not for you if
- You need a permanent, full-time CTO starting now. That is an executive hire, not a fractional role.
- You mainly need extra developers to ship features. That is a build engagement, not technical leadership.
- You only want a one-off verdict on a codebase. Start with the code and architecture review instead.
What is covered
Four situations where a fractional CTO earns its cost.
Pre-hire
You need technical direction now, before you can justify, or find, a full-time CTO.
Founding team gap
The founding technical team is strong on delivery but needs a senior partner for architecture and hiring calls.
At a crossroads
A platform rewrite, cloud migration, or new product line. Decisions that are expensive to get wrong.
CTO gone commercial
Your technical co-founder moved into a business role and the technical side needs someone hands-on again.
What you get
What a fractional CTO from me actually does.
Senior technical leadership without the full-time hire. A CTO who still writes the code and understands what your team is actually dealing with.
- Set technical direction with you and your team.
- Make the architecture and stack decisions that are expensive to get wrong.
- Hire and grow engineers, and shape how the team reviews, tests and ships.
- Build the systems that let you scale, hands-on where it helps.
Start with a review
Many engagements start with a review.
A common path is an independent code and architecture review first, then ongoing fractional CTO time if you want it.
Step 1
Independent review
I review your codebase and architecture and give you a clear verdict in writing: what's ready, what isn't, and what to fix first.
Step 2
Fractional CTO time, if you want it
If you want help acting on the findings, we agree an ongoing shape: days per week on a retainer, or a fixed-term project.
The review is independent of any later engagement. It is paid for and delivered on its own, and there is no obligation to take on fractional CTO time afterwards.
Read about the code and architecture reviewProof
Recent and current work.
Current: Fractional CTO at Foundana
Foundana is an AI-native software studio that builds client products in two-week sprints. I own the technical side: architecture decisions, technical direction on the product, AI integration, and the process that takes work from onboarding to sign-off. I work hands-on on the studio's core platform and project boilerplate, and I have run a technical audit of its codebases.
Earlier engagements
Led an early-stage SaaS startup from zero to pre-seed - architecture, stack decisions, MVP build, engineering culture - as sole technical leader. Also rescued a stalled .NET migration at Lancom Technology - six months overdue, back to billable within three months.
Full background, timeline, and client list on the About page.
How it works
How an engagement usually runs.
- 1
Scoping call
A 30-minute call about where you are and what you need. I will tell you honestly whether a review, a retainer or a fixed-term project actually helps.
- 2
Review first, if it helps
If the codebase or architecture is an unknown, we start with an independent code and architecture review and a written report.
- 3
Agree the shape
Days per week on a retainer, or a fixed-term project, quoted before any work starts.
- 4
Ongoing technical leadership
Regular time with your team on direction, architecture, hiring and hands-on delivery.
Outside the UK
Working with overseas teams.
- Rates are quoted in GBP. If you work in USD or EUR, I can quote in your currency on request.
- I work from the UK and set meeting times around yours.
- The review and the engagement shapes work the same way wherever your team is.
FAQ
Common questions before booking.
Do you work with companies in Sheffield and Yorkshire?
Yes. I am based in Sheffield and work with founders and scale-ups across the UK, mostly remotely. I am happy to meet in person in Sheffield, and to travel to London when it helps.
What does a fractional CTO do?
A fractional CTO provides senior technical leadership on a part-time or fixed-term basis: setting technical direction, making architecture decisions, hiring and growing engineers, and making sure the right systems get built. You get CTO-level judgement without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
Can you start with a review before I commit to a retainer?
Yes, and many engagements start that way. An independent code and architecture review gives you a written view of what you have: what is ready, what is not, and what to fix first. The review is independent of any later engagement. There is no obligation to take on fractional CTO time afterwards; if you do, the review becomes the starting point for the work.
How is fractional CTO work different from the review?
The review is a fixed-scope piece of work: I look at your codebase and architecture and give you a written report. Fractional CTO work is ongoing leadership, usually one to three days a week: technical direction, architecture decisions, hiring and growing engineers, and hands-on delivery. The review tells you where you stand. Fractional CTO time helps you act on it.
How much does a fractional CTO cost in the UK?
UK fractional CTO engagements with senior, enterprise-grade experience typically run from £3,500/month for one day a week up to £9,500/month for three days a week, or from £1,500/day for project work. Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute call to work out which shape actually fits.
Fractional CTO vs full-time CTO: what is the difference?
A full-time CTO is a permanent hire, usually costing £120,000-£180,000 a year plus equity and benefits. A fractional CTO delivers the same architecture, hiring, and technical direction work on a part-time basis, at a fraction of the cost, and can start immediately without a lengthy executive search.
How many days a week does a fractional CTO work?
Most fractional CTO engagements run one to three days a week, scoped to the size of the team and the stage of the company. Some situations, such as a stalled migration or a pre-seed architecture sprint, suit a fixed-term project instead of an ongoing retainer.
Do you work with teams outside the UK?
Yes. I work from the UK and work remotely with teams elsewhere, setting meeting times around yours. Rates are quoted in GBP, and in USD or EUR on request.
Do you offer fractional CTO services outside London?
Yes. Nash Software Services is UK-based and works fully remotely with clients across London, Manchester, and the rest of the UK. All engagements are delivered remotely by default, with in-person time arranged where it genuinely helps.
One call to work out whether you need a review or a fractional CTO.
Book the same 30-minute call either way. No pitch, no deck. I'll tell you honestly which one actually helps, and what it would cost.
Book a call