16+ yrs
Leading technology initiatives
253
Companies I’ve stepped into
1M+
Engineering hours under my leadership
Why a startup would need a fractional CTO
A fractional CTO for startups is a senior technical leader who steps into the CTO seat part-time: owns the technical direction, makes the build decisions, runs the engineers and vendors, and answers to the founders for the outcome.
Founders usually come to me at one of three points. They have a validated idea and nobody to build it. They have a dev shop or a freelancer and nobody to check the work. Or they are raising, and investors are asking technical questions nobody in the room can answer.
The usual fix is to hunt for a technical co-founder and hand over a slice of the company for it. I fill that seat instead. I'm Sam Halcrow. I've stepped into 253 companies over 16 years, from pre-revenue startups to mid-market companies growing fast. I offer tech expertise, and a 26-strong engineering team across software, AI, cloud and security when the work needs one.
CLIENTS I'VE WORKED WITH
Someone accountable for your tech
I own the technical direction of your organisation and take accountability for it.
The right expertise for your business
I’ve been inside 253 tech projects. I know what’s about to go wrong before it does.
A leader your team and vendors can work with
I run your engineering function. I manage your existing tech team and partners.
Someone who speaks both languages
I speak business terms with your leadership and technical terms with your engineers.
Case studies
Results
STEP 1
Book an introduction call
STEP 2
Get a plan tailored to your business
STEP 3
Get started
FAQ
Is a fractional CTO right for an early-stage startup, or is it overkill?
It depends on whether technology decisions are being made. If you are choosing a stack, a build partner or a first engineering hire, those are the expensive decisions to get wrong. A few days a month at that stage is usually cheaper than unwinding them later.
How is this different from finding a technical co-founder?
A technical co-founder takes months to find and is a bet on one person. I take the same seat for a set number of days a month, with 16 years of experience with 253 companies and 26 engineers behind me.
What does a fractional CTO for a startup cost compared to a full-time CTO?
A full-time CTO usually lands between $250k and $450k a year once everything is factored in. A fractional CTO gives you the same level of decision-making and accountability for a set number of days a month, at a fraction of that.
Can you build the product, or only advise?
Both. I'm one of the only fractional CTOs with a team of software and AI engineers employed alongside me, so when we decide what to build, the people who build it are already here. If you already have a team, I set direction, review what they ship, and hold them to it.
Are you only in Sydney?
I'm based in Sydney and work with founders across Australia, mostly remotely.