I help founders build products that raise rounds and teams that ship.
Fractional CTO & engineering advisor for startups. Hands-on, accountable, embedded — not just advisory slides.
15+ years in engineering · 30+ teams scaled · $50M+ in products built
Is this for you?
The best engagements come from strong fit. Be honest with yourself — this will save us both time.
This is for you if…
- ✓Pre-seed to Series B founders who need senior technical thinking
- ✓Non-technical founders building their first product or team
- ✓Startups scaling past first customers — architecture, hiring, process
- ✓Companies preparing for a fundraise and needing investor-ready tech
- ✓Teams where the founding engineer is maxed out and needs a sparring partner
This is NOT for you if…
- ✕2–4 week delivery-only engagements
- ✕"Just build this feature" with no context or ownership
- ✕Teams not open to changing how they work
- ✕Founders looking for the cheapest option, not the right one
Typical engagements: project-based, monthly retainer, or ongoing advisory. Scope agreed upfront — no surprises.
Why typical options don't work for founders
You've probably already considered the usual routes. Here's where they break down.
Agency
- —Optimizes for velocity, not your business outcomes
- —Hands off code with no accountability after
- —Expensive and misaligned on what 'done' means
Full-time CTO hire
- —$200–400K fully-loaded before you know PMF
- —3–6 month hiring process you don't have
- —Equity dilution and culture risk if the wrong person
Freelance contractor
- —Executes tasks, doesn't own outcomes
- —No strategic layer — just a pair of hands
- —Leaves when contract ends, taking context with them
What working with me looks like instead
Embedded, not external
I join your standups, Slack, and planning sessions. Part of the team — not a vendor on the side.
Accountable for outcomes
I stay long enough to live with my own decisions. No hit-and-run architecture.
Hands-on when it matters
I can review architecture and advise, or I can open a PR. Most engagements involve both.
Honest over comfortable
I'll tell you when the plan is wrong, when the hire is a mistake, or when you're solving the wrong problem.
What I bring
The scope depends on where you are and what you need most right now.
0→1 Product Build
Turn your vision into a shippable product. Architecture, tech stack decisions, and hands-on execution to reach your first customers.
Team Scaling
Hire, structure, and lead engineering teams. From first hire to 20+, with clear processes and ownership that doesn't depend on you.
Technical Due Diligence
Investor-ready technical assessment. Risk analysis, architecture review, and a clear roadmap for fundraise or acquisition.
Architecture & Systems Design
Make the early decisions that won't block growth later. Scalable architecture at the right complexity for your current stage.
Fractional CTO / Advisor
Ongoing leadership without full-time overhead. Strategy, architecture decisions, and founder-level sparring on retainer.
Hiring & Engineering Culture
Define roles, run interviews, and build the engineering culture from day one — so you attract and keep the right people.
Outcomes
Specific metrics are better proof than big claims.
B2B SaaS — Pre-seed
Challenge: Non-technical founders with a validated idea and no engineering team. 4 months to demo day.
What changed: Defined tech stack, hired 2 engineers, ran weekly architecture reviews, unblocked critical decisions in real time.
→ Shipped MVP on schedule. Raised $1.2M seed. Engineering team is still running the same foundations 18 months later.
Healthtech — Series A
Challenge: Engineering team of 5 with unpredictable delivery, missed sprints, and a frustrated founder-CEO.
What changed: Audited team structure, introduced lightweight RFC process, replaced broken ticketing workflow, coached tech lead.
→ Delivery velocity doubled in 6 months. Tech lead stepped into Head of Engineering.
Fintech — Series A due diligence
Challenge: Investor asked for technical due diligence. Founding team had no CTO.
What changed: Full codebase and architecture audit, identified 3 critical risks, produced investor-facing technical report.
→ Investment closed. Investor called the report "the clearest they'd seen at this stage."
What founders say
“Maciek took our messy codebase and turned it into something we could confidently show investors. His technical due diligence work was instrumental in our raise.”
“He doesn't just advise — he gets in the trenches. In 3 months we went from chaos to a team that ships predictably.”
How I work
Simple and transparent. No surprises after you sign.
Discovery Call
30 minutes. Your situation, goals, and constraints. No pitch — just direct conversation about fit.
Fit Assessment
I'll be direct about whether I can help. You vet me — speak to past clients, ask hard questions.
Scope & Engagement
We agree on format — project, retainer, or advisory. Clear deliverables and definition of success.
Execution
Hands-on work inside your team. Weekly check-ins, transparent progress, real accountability.
Why engagements are longer than a few weeks
Accountability
I stay long enough to live with my own decisions. No hit-and-run architecture — I own the outcomes.
Compounding impact
Real engineering improvement compounds. The first month is diagnosis; month three is where leverage starts.
Context depth
Understanding your domain, team dynamics, and codebase takes time. That context makes advice useful.
Frequently asked questions
Questions founders usually ask before reaching out.
Ready to talk?
Book a 30-minute discovery call. No pitch. We'll discuss your situation honestly — and I'll tell you upfront if I'm not the right fit.
Book a Strategy CallUsually responds within 1 business day.