When does a startup actually need a CTO?
· 2 min read
Founders ask me this constantly, usually phrased as a worry: "Are we too early to think about a CTO? Or are we already too late?"
The honest answer is that "CTO" is the wrong unit to think in. What you actually need is senior technical judgment, available at the moments it matters. Whether that should be full-time, fractional, or just an advisor depends on a few clear signals.