Senior CTO Leadership.
Without the Full-Time Cost.
Your startup needs a CTO who has built and scaled engineering teams before — not someone learning on the job. I bring 20+ years of hands-on technical leadership, from architecture decisions to hiring your first 10 engineers, at a fraction of what a full-time CTO costs.
Trusted by teams at
The CTO Gap Is Costing You Money
Architecture Decisions Stick for Years
The wrong database choice, the monolith you should have split, the AI vendor lock-in — these mistakes compound. I have made these decisions across 150+ projects and know which trade-offs matter at your stage.
Hiring Without a CTO Is Expensive
Without senior technical leadership, you over-hire for roles you don't need and under-hire for roles you do. I set up org structures, define role ladders, and run technical interviews — so your first 10 hires are the right 10.
Investors Want Technical Credibility
Board meetings, due diligence calls, technical deep-dives with potential investors — I sit in as your CTO and speak fluently about your architecture, scalability plan, and AI strategy. I have done this for companies raising Seed through Series B.
Full-Time CTOs Cost $300K+
A senior CTO in the US costs $300K-$500K/year in total comp. You get the same caliber of leadership — ex-CTO at Spericorn (35+ engineers), co-founder of B24 e Solutions (150+ projects) — at 20-30% of that cost.
Who This Is For
Funded Startups (Seed - Series B)
You have product-market fit and funding, but no full-time CTO. You need someone to own the technical roadmap, hire the team, and set up engineering processes that scale.
Non-Technical Founders
You are building a tech product but your background is in business, sales, or domain expertise. You need a technical co-pilot who can translate business requirements into architecture decisions.
SMBs Adopting AI
You want to integrate AI into your existing product or operations but don't know where to start. I evaluate what is hype versus what will actually move your metrics, then build the implementation plan.
Companies Replacing an Outgoing CTO
Your CTO left and you need someone to stabilize the engineering org, maintain velocity, and bridge the gap while you search for a permanent hire. I have done this multiple times.
What You Get
Technical Strategy
Engineering Operations
Stakeholder Communication
Why Clients Trust Me
From co-founding B24 e Solutions in 2004 to leading distributed AI teams globally in 2026
Built and led the engineering org as CTO at Spericorn Technology
Across banking, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and AI — on time, on budget
Consistently 5-star ratings across 50+ engagements with global clients
Remote delivery across US, UK, Australia, and India with full timezone overlap
Fidelity, CBRE, PNB MetLife, Godrej, Meesho, SkinIQ, and more
Ready to Talk?
Book a free 30-minute strategy call. No pitch deck required — just tell me where you are, where you want to be, and I will tell you honestly whether a fractional CTO engagement makes sense for your stage.
FAQ
What does a fractional CTO do?
A fractional CTO provides senior technical leadership on a part-time basis — typically 10-20 hours per week. Virendra Vaishnav handles architecture decisions, engineering hiring, technology roadmaps, investor due diligence, and AI strategy, delivering the same impact as a full-time CTO at 20-30% of the cost.
How much does a fractional CTO cost compared to a full-time CTO?
A full-time CTO in the US costs $300K-$500K per year in total compensation. A fractional CTO engagement with Virendra Vaishnav typically costs 20-30% of that, with no equity dilution, no long-term contract, and the flexibility to scale hours up or down as your needs change.
When should a startup hire a fractional CTO?
The ideal time is after product-market fit and funding, but before your engineering team grows past 10 people. That is when architecture decisions, hiring choices, and process foundations compound the most. Companies replacing an outgoing CTO or preparing for investor due diligence also benefit immediately.
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