Flagship offer

6-Week Fractional CTO Sprint

Build the first commercializable piece.

A six-week senior technical ownership sprint for founders and teams that need to turn an idea, workflow, or AI/software opportunity into a demoable, commercializable piece — with the technical path and sales story to keep moving.

This is not advisory-only. Prototype acts as your technical owner for prototype shaping, architecture and build decisions, risk checks, and enough build to prove the path — plus the demo and commercial validation story you need to sell, test, or fund the next step.

Investment
$12k–$18k
Duration
6 weeks
Capacity
~60 hours

Final scope and quote are confirmed after intake or a Software Planning Sprint. Planning Sprint credits toward this engagement are confirmed in the proposal.

Book a software strategy call

How the work is sequenced

Validate the build in a Planning Sprint. Build the first commercializable piece here. Move into a production-grade Build Sprint or a Retainer when the path is proven. View all services for trusted AI, brand website, and funding-readiness offerings.

Step 1 — Start here

Software Planning Sprint

Before you buy code, validate the build

Investment
$3k–$5k
Duration
2 weeks

A paid discovery sprint where Prototype acts as your technical owner and turns the idea into a proposal-ready build brief.

Explore the Planning Sprint
Step 2 — Flagship

6-Week Fractional CTO Sprint

Build the first commercializable piece

Investment
$12k–$18k
Duration
6 weeks · ~60 hours

Senior technical ownership to shape, build, and validate the first commercializable prototype, eval toy, workflow, or product slice — with a sell/validate path.

Book a software strategy call
Step 3 — Production build

6-Week Build Sprint

Ship the production-grade software slice

Investment
$30k–$45k+
Duration
6 weeks · 10–15 hrs/week

Implementation-heavy delivery when scope is approved and you need a production-grade MVP foundation, integration, portal, or workflow.

Explore the Build Sprint

Most teams: Planning Sprint → Fractional CTO Sprint → Build Sprint or Retainer. Planning Sprint credits toward the next engagement are confirmed in the proposal.

Who the Fractional CTO Sprint is for

This is a fit when you need a senior technical owner to build the first commercializable piece — not just a strategy deck — and create the path to sell, demo, or validate before a larger build. That includes the first commercializable AI-supported workflow, assistant, eval toy, or prototype — and testing whether it can support sales, operations, or delivery.

Ideal fit

  • Founders with a software idea that needs a commercializable first piece
  • Teams trying to validate an AI or software workflow — including a first commercializable assistant, eval toy, or prototype
  • Businesses that need a demoable prototype before selling, funding, or a larger build
  • Teams with a promising idea but no technical owner

Strong signals

  • You need senior architecture and product judgment plus enough build to prove the path
  • You want something you can demo, sell, or put in front of users — not unlimited implementation
  • You are ready to test commercial validation after the six weeks

May not be fit

  • You already have production-ready scope and need a larger build immediately — Build Sprint may be the fit
  • You need a full MVP in six weeks
  • You need ongoing CTO support without a defined outcome — consider the Retainer
  • You are not ready to sell, test, or validate the prototype after the sprint

Proof of work shipped

Curationist.org

Large-scale data + architecture

Led architecture and delivery for a cultural data platform, normalizing millions of records across multiple institutions into a searchable public product.

Read case note

Bevel OS

Modern SaaS + fractional CTO

Built SaaS workflow infrastructure with authentication, invite systems, client/staff portals, and multi-tenant product architecture.

Read case note

Ingenio Legal Tech

Complex domain + ACL/RBAC

Implemented relationship-based ACL/RBAC and onboarding workflows for a legal-tech MVP.

Read case note

What you leave with

  • First commercializable prototype, eval toy, workflow, or product slice
  • Build notes and technical decisions
  • Risk and assumption log
  • Basic architecture and implementation path
  • Demo and sales narrative
  • Commercial validation path
  • Next Build Sprint or Retainer recommendation
  • Handoff notes

This sprint is scoped for validation and the first commercializable piece — not a full production MVP, unlimited implementation, production hardening, or open-ended CTO support unless explicitly scoped.

Outcomes you can act on

  • A demoable piece you can sell, show, or validate with real users
  • A senior-reviewed technical path for what comes next
  • A commercial story that supports funding, sales, or deeper build
  • A clear recommendation: Build Sprint, Retainer, reduced scope, or pause

How the Fractional CTO Sprint works

Six weeks of senior technical ownership — approximately 60 hours — with regular demos so you see the commercializable piece take shape.

  1. Define the commercial slice

    Lock what must be demoable, sellable, or validatable in six weeks.

  2. Shape & build

    Senior ownership on architecture, prototype shaping, and enough build to prove feasibility — not throwaway boilerplate.

  3. Validate & narrate

    Pressure-test assumptions, refine the demo, and build the sales or funding narrative around what you can show.

  4. Recommend next

    Hand off with a Build Sprint scope, Retainer path, reduced scope, or pause — based on what the six weeks proved.

Build the first commercializable piece

Book a software strategy call to discuss your idea, the first piece to validate, and whether the 6-Week Fractional CTO Sprint is the right next step. No brief yet? Start with a Planning Sprint.

Book a software strategy call View case studies