Free Fractional CTO services

What is Fractional CTO?

A fractional CTO is a part-time technology leader who performs the same core responsibilities as a full-time CTO, including leading engineering teams, shaping technology strategy, and optimizing costs, just without the full-time commitment.

Depending on where you look, the company size, and the level of involvement, Fractional CTO services may cost anywhere from $3,000 to $25,000 per month. We provide this service at no additional cost to all of our clients.

Meet your Fractional CTO

Hi, I’m Denis Stebunov. I'm deeply technical, but I also like to work with people. I have over 25 years of experience in software, including hands-on programming, engineering leadership, product management, startup exits, and M&A.

I work as a Fractional CTO with clients across the US and Europe, from early-stage startups to mid-sized businesses. I help companies shape product roadmaps, accelerate development, improve quality and security, prepare for compliance, and optimize technology costs.

You can find me on LinkedIn and YouTube, where I occasionally share my thoughts on technology and engineering leadership.

Why we provide a Fractional CTO for free?

The reason is simple - we truly want your project to succeed, not just ship software. Many of our clients come to us through referrals because they've seen that we care about their business. That's why we want you to have the best service possible, and having our CTO to work with the engineers in the field helps us do just that.

If you need help with...

• Building and scaling your startup We work with startups at every stage, from raw ideas to millions of users and $100M+ exits. We understand the unique needs of startups and can support founders across the entire journey, from fundraising and building to scaling and successful exits.

• Shipping fast Responsible use of AI, combined with Continuous Delivery and DevOps best practices, is a recipe for success. Most of the teams we work with deploy to production multiple times a day while maintaining excellent uptime.

• Improving quality and uptime We’ve seen many systems struggle to serve users reliably, and the root cause is rarely a single issue. There could be problems with software architecture, development process, infrastructure, or something else. We'll help you identify and fix these issues.

• Optimizing costs Choosing vendors, analyzing and optimizing IT spending, deciding whether to build or buy, and planning your team’s roadmap all have a direct impact on your budget. We’ll help you make the right decisions in each of these areas.

• Security and compliance Most of the projects we work with are subject to compliance standards, such as GDPR, CCPA, SOC 2, HIPAA, or FedRAMP. We'll help you establish a secure development process and infrastructure to meet your organization's requirements.

• Hiring your full-time CTO Our ultimate goal is to help your business succeed, even if that means you eventually no longer need a Fractional CTO. When that time comes, we’ll help you find the right full-time CTO and support a smooth transition by helping them get up to speed.

FAQ

How much do your Fractional CTO services cost?

It's free if you hire a development team from us (or even a single developer). Fractional CTOs typically cost $3,000–$25,000/month elsewhere – with ivelum, it's included.

How is this different from hiring a full-time CTO or a regular dev agency?

A full-time CTO costs more and takes months to hire. A regular agency ships code but doesn't have anyone accountable for whether the technology decisions are right. We do both – you get senior engineers and someone who owns the decisions above their heads.

How much time will you be able to devote to our project?

You can count on at least a few hours per week, but there’s no hard limit. I work as much as needed, and in our practice, there has been no case so far that the project was limited by my availability.

Can you work with our in-house developers or other contractors?

Yes! In fact, most of our teams are hybrid, meaning we collaborate with the in-house development team, so I’m very familiar with this environment.

Will you join our team standups?

Yes, as frequently as needed. In most cases, it’s helpful to do at least weekly check-ins with the team.

What if we already have an in-house CTO?

That's completely fine. Whether you use the Fractional CTO services is entirely up to you. I'm always happy to brainstorm ideas, discuss technical challenges, or help solve difficult problems. Think of me as an external advisor you can turn to whenever you need a second opinion.