Insights & Lessons

Startup Lessons

How to Find a Technical Co-Founder (Without Getting Burned)

Guide to finding the right technical co-founder. What to look for, red flags, where to search, and how non-technical founders can evaluate technical skills.

21 Feb 2026 12 min read

Startup Lessons

When Should a Startup Hire a CTO? (And When You Shouldn't)

Learn when you actually need a full-time CTO—and the common hiring mistakes that sink early-stage startups. Real advice from 25+ years in the trenches.

7 Feb 2026 9 min read

Startup Lessons

Fractional CTO vs Full-Time CTO: Which Does Your Startup Need?

Should you hire a fractional CTO or full-time? We compare costs, benefits, and when each makes sense—plus when you actually need a technical co-founder instead.

31 Jan 2026 7 min read

Startup Lessons

CTO as a Service: What It Actually Means and Whether Your Startup Needs It

CTO as a Service gives startups experienced tech leadership without the full-time hire. Here's how it works, what it costs, and when a deeper partnership might be the better move.

24 Jan 2026 11 min read

Funding & Equity

How Much Does a Fractional CTO Cost? UK Rates, Pricing Models, and the Numbers Nobody Talks About

Fractional CTO costs in the UK range from £800-£1,600/day or £3k-£8k/month. Full breakdown of pricing, the real cost of a full-time hire, and why equity-aligned models are changing the game.

17 Jan 2026 8 min read

Startup Lessons

What is a Fractional CTO? A Guide From People Who've Done It Both Ways

A fractional CTO gives your startup senior tech leadership without the £200k salary. Here's what they actually do, what it costs, and how to tell if you need one — or something else entirely.

10 Jan 2026 9 min read

Startup Lessons

Why We Stopped Being an Agency

After 15 years of building products for clients, we made a fundamental shift. Here's what we learned and why we now only partner with founders on an equity or hybrid basis.

15 Dec 2025 6 min read

Technical Insights

Scaling to 100 Million Users: What We Learned

When you're handling billions of messages for millions of users, you learn things that tutorials don't teach. Here are the lessons that cost us sleep so they don't have to cost you.

28 Nov 2025 8 min read

Funding & Equity

Equity vs Consultancy: How We Structure Startup Partnerships

Should you pay for development or trade equity? After dozens of partnerships, here's how we think about it - and what works best in different situations.

10 Nov 2025 7 min read