Startup consulting
Startup technology partner from idea to a version two that is not a restart
We work with first-time founders who have the idea and the domain knowledge but not the technical team, building version one properly enough that version two is not a rewrite. This includes MVP development and the technical judgement a co-founder would bring.
What this includes
The work, and what you receive for it.
Idea validation
Research into whether the problem is real, who has it, and what they do instead today.
You receive
- Market summary
- Competitor map
- Interview notes
- Go/no-go view
Product strategy
Deciding what to build first, what to cut, and what the next twelve months look like.
You receive
- Feature prioritisation
- MVP definition
- Roadmap
- Success metrics
MVP development
Building the smallest version that can be put in front of real users and learned from.
You receive
- Working product
- Analytics
- Feedback loop
- Iteration plan
Technical consulting
Helping founders make technology decisions they won't regret at scale.
You receive
- Stack recommendation
- Build-vs-buy analysis
- Cost model
- Risk notes
Pitch and fundraise support
The technical half of a fundraise — architecture, roadmap, and the slides that get questioned.
You receive
- Architecture slide
- Roadmap slide
- Diligence prep
Investor readiness
Getting documentation, metrics and the technical story in order before conversations start.
You receive
- Metrics pack
- Technical documentation
- Diligence checklist
Digital transformation
Moving a business off manual, disconnected processes onto systems that talk to each other.
You receive
- Current-state map
- Target-state design
- Phased plan
- Business case
Technology consulting
Choosing stack, platform and architecture against real constraints — budget, team, timeline.
You receive
- Recommendation
- Trade-off analysis
- Cost projection
CTO-as-a-Service
Ongoing technical leadership — architecture decisions, hiring, vendor management, roadmap.
You receive
- Monthly leadership time
- Architecture ownership
- Hiring support
- Roadmap
IT strategy
Aligning technology spend and decisions with what the business is trying to achieve.
You receive
- IT roadmap
- Spend review
- Priority framework
Architecture review
Reviewing existing software and infrastructure for scalability, performance and maintainability.
You receive
- Findings report
- Risk register
- Remediation roadmap
How we work
One process, no surprises at the finish.
- A
We sit with the people who will use it, not just the person buying it, and write down what it has to do.
- B
You get a scope, a number and a timeline before any production code exists — including the monthly running cost.
- C
We build in short cycles with a working demo at the end of each one.
- D
Handover: your repository, your cloud account, documentation, training, and a named engineer who knows the system.
Who this is for
First-time founders
You have the idea and the domain knowledge, not the technical team.
Domain experts leaving a job
You know the industry's real problem better than any consultant.
Founders on attempt two
The first one taught you what not to repeat.
Funded startups without a CTO
You need technical leadership before you can afford to hire it.
Established businesses modernising
The systems work but the business has outgrown them.
Boards facing a big decision
You need a view that isn't from the vendor selling it.
Questions
Answers before you ask.
- What does a startup technology partner do?
- Turns a validated idea into a working product, makes the architecture and platform decisions, and stays accountable for delivery — the role a technical co-founder would otherwise fill.
- How fast can an MVP be built?
- It depends on scope. We quote a number and a timeline before you commit, and we scope deliberately small so you learn from real users sooner.
- Do you take equity instead of fees?
- Talk to us about the engagement model. We offer several, and pick the one that matches the risk you are taking.
Tell us the problem. We'll tell you what it actually needs.
You get a straight answer on scope, cost and timeline — and an honest note if we think this is not the work you should be doing first.