What does it cost to work with you?

It depends. I know "it depends" isn't satisfying, but it's honest: audit, project rescue and fractional CTO have different sizes and timelines. I give you the price in our first call, after I understand what you actually need. What's certain: it's written down before we start, and it's fixed. No quotes that keep growing, no surprises halfway through.

How quickly will I see real results?

Audit: written report in your hands in 2-3 days. Project rescue: first changes live within 1-2 weeks, completion in 2-4 weeks. Fractional CTO: from the first week you have a written technical roadmap and the first decisions made — you don't wait a month to see what's changing.

Do you only work remote or also in person?

Remote, mostly. I come on-site when it actually matters — kick-off, strategic workshops, on-site audits. Veneto, Lombardia and Emilia covered easily; other regions with travel expenses. No theater of mandatory presence.

Do you also work full-time somewhere else?

Yes — I'm a Tech Lead at an enterprise company, and that's exactly where the technical level I bring to your project comes from. That's why I work with very few clients at a time, with clear scope: audit, time-boxed rescue, light monthly retainer. My availability is limited by design, not despite everything. If you need someone full-time every day, you need an in-house dev — and I'll be the first to tell you.

What happens if after the audit we decide not to continue?

Nothing bad. The report is yours, take it home — it contains everything another dev or team needs to act. The initial 30-minute call is free, the audit has a fixed price agreed up front. Zero ambiguity, no hidden clauses.

Do you only work with startups or also with SMBs?

Both. Founders validating an idea, CTOs inheriting a codebase, SMBs with stuck internal software or a developer who stopped replying to emails. I bring value in all these cases — it's not the company size that matters, it's whether you actually need a senior technical reference.

Can I have a fractional CTO while I already have internal developers?

Yes, and it's one of the most common cases. You have devs (internal or external) but no one makes technical decisions or coordinates. That's the role I play: I don't replace the team, I lead it. Direct Slack, weekly call, no disappearances. If there's a promising senior dev, my goal is also to help them grow until they can replace me.

What stacks are you specialized in?

Next.js, TypeScript, Node.js, Python, FastAPI, PostgreSQL, AWS, Vercel — that's where I'm fastest. But fractional CTO isn't about the stack: it's about picking the right one for your stage and executing. I also work with inherited codebases on other stacks — actually, that happens often. If I think the stack choice is wrong, I'll tell you.

How does invoicing work?

Italian invoice with VAT. Audit and project rescue: 50% upfront, 50% on delivery. Fractional CTO: monthly invoice, renewable quarterly contract (no annual lock-ins). Payment by bank transfer. Clean, invoiced, traceable.

Marco Salatin.Fractional CTO · Software project unblocker

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Available for new projects

CTO on-demand: the technical reference you're missing.

For startups and SMBs with a stuck software project, a non-delivering team or technical decisions too important to leave to chance.

Book a free call See how I work

30 minutes · No commitment · Reply within 24 hours

Where you are now

The moment you need a CTO on-demand is when technical decisions weigh more than code.

You've invested time and capital into a product that never reached production.
Your dev team no longer tells you where they are, and you have no way to verify.
Technical decisions are made by whoever writes the code, and not always well.
The product works but every new feature breaks something.
You're about to close a round and investors want to talk stack, scalability, team.

Definition

What a CTO on-demand is (and isn't).

A CTO on-demand is a senior technical professional who joins your project or company part-time, time-bound, or for specific interventions.

Not a freelance dev writing code from a spec. Not an advisor giving you 30 minutes of generic advice per month. The role that makes technical decisions for you and with you, and answers for them.

In-house CTO

Full-time, employee. €80-150k/year gross.

When the technical volume justifies a dedicated person.

Fractional CTO

Part-time, monthly retainer.

When you have ongoing decisions but not a large team.

CTO on-demand

Scope-defined interventions (audit, rescue) + optional retainer.

When the need is one-off, or you want to test the collaboration before a retainer.

Technical advisor

Board-level, hands-off, a few hours a month.

Only at later stages. Strategic decisions, no operations.

Three ways to work together

Pick where to start.

Audit, rescue or retainer. Clear scope, defined timelines. We align on the financial details in the call, based on your specific case.

Technical audit

When it fits: You have doubts about the state of the product
Output: Written report + intervention roadmap

See technical audit

Project rescue

When it fits: The product has been stuck for months
Output: MVP or critical feature live in production

See project rescue

Fractional CTO

When it fits: You need ongoing technical decisions
Output: Monthly retainer, direct Slack, weekly call

See fractional CTO

How I work

Four steps. No surprises.

You book a call

30 free minutes.

I analyze your case

I figure out where you are, what you really need, what you don't.

I propose a clear plan

What I do, in how much time, at what price.

If it makes sense, we start

Results visible from the first week.

About me

Marco Salatin.

Over 10 years of software engineering experience, 6 in digital business. I've shipped 8+ products to production with Italian founders and SMB teams.

I work with one client at a time. I'm not an agency that hands you off to a junior collaborator after signing — it's me, directly, from start to finish. I also collaborate with internal teams and structured corporate contexts as a technical consultant or project lead.

Frequently asked questions

The questions I get most about CTO on-demand.

What's the difference between a CTO on-demand, a fractional CTO and a technical advisor?

A CTO on-demand works on scope-defined interventions like an audit or a project rescue, with an optional retainer afterwards. A fractional CTO is an ongoing monthly retainer for recurring technical decisions. An advisor is board-level and hands-off, a few hours a month, and only fits at a later stage. If you're not sure which you need, we start from the call and figure it out together.

How do I engage you, and how fast do you reply?

You book a free 30-minute call, I analyze your case and propose a clear plan: what I do, in how much time, at what price. I reply within 24 hours. If it makes sense, we start and you see results from the first week.

Do I have to commit to a monthly retainer right away?

No. You can start with a one-off intervention like a technical audit or a project rescue, with a defined scope and timeline. The retainer is optional and only fits if you want an ongoing collaboration afterwards. Many people engage me precisely to test how I work before committing to a monthly arrangement.

Do you do the work yourself, or hand it off to someone else?

Myself, directly, from start to finish. I work with one client at a time and I'm not an agency that hands you off to a junior after signing. I also collaborate with internal teams and structured corporate contexts as a technical consultant or project lead.

What do I get from the free first call?

Thirty no-commitment minutes where I figure out where you are, what you really need and what you don't. Even if we don't end up working together, you leave with a clearer direction. No sales pitch: if I'm not the right person for you, I'll tell you.

Let's talk for 30 minutes.

Even if we don't end up working together, you leave the call with a clearer direction on what to do next.

Book a free call

30 minutes · Slots available this week · Italy & remote