The Virtual CTO

The challenge:

Early stage companies have a great deal to gain by getting their technology right. This now means large-scale thinking on a small-scale budget. Now that most investors are looking for solid proof of concept before investing the search for best value is increasingly important. The need for scalability is equally important as a new company can ill afford the disruption of a system re-build their just as their business is breaking into a market.

The people with the experience and knowledge to devise such a solution are in short supply. They may also be unaffordable during the period of time when they are most needed. So what’s a young company to do?

A solution: Enter the Virtual CTO…

A part-time executive with the right background can make a substantial contribution in such areas as:

• Defining a technical architecture and associated policies for the enterprise
• Developing requirements specifications for major systems such as web site, intranet, office automation and key business systems.
• Procurement of solutions in the form of software products and/ or technical services
• Product and/ or Project management
• Recruiting and training an in-house technical team (for development and/or customer support)

Depending on the degree of customer-facing technology required, this role can be best described as Chief Technology Officer, Chief Information Officer or both.

The Virtual CTO should be prepared to invest in the companies he helps. He should look to replace himself with an in-house resource at the earliest practical opportunity, especially as the job becomes closer to full-time.

For more information please mail the Virtual CTO.