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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Padova · Veneto · Remote-first

Fractional CTO in Padova and across Veneto.

I'm Marco Salatin and I provide part-time technical leadership — fractional CTO and CTO on-demand — to founders and SMBs in Padova and across Veneto. I work remote-first, with on-site visits when the project needs them.

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30 minutes · No commitment · Reply within 24 hours

My background

Former startup founder at H-Farm.

I founded a startup inside H-Farm — one of Italy's leading incubators. I know from the inside the path a founder in Veneto goes through: from idea validation to the first round, from tech hiring problems to choosing the stack, from board reporting to investor pitches.

That experience isn't something a career in-house CTO can share. You only get it from someone who has sat on your side of the table.

Areas covered

I cover Padova and Veneto, on-site when needed.

I work remote-first with clients across Veneto. For the phases that require physical presence — kick-offs, on-site audits, strategy workshops — I come to Padova and the nearby towns, with standard travel expenses. My base is in Conegliano (province of Treviso).

PadovaAbano TermeVigonzaAlbignasegoCittadellaEste

Other parts of Veneto and Northern Italy by arrangement. I'm also the technical reference for Treviso and Conegliano.

Why a fractional CTO makes sense for Padova

The territory I know, the way I work.

A Padova fabric that runs on software

Padova is a university city, an innovation and incubator hub, with a strong healthcare and biomedical sector and a lot of advanced services and software houses. These are businesses that almost always have internal software to modernize, ERPs to migrate or ecommerce to rewrite.

The software you typically need to modernize

Legacy ERPs and management systems, ecommerce and portals to rebuild, integrations between systems that don't talk to each other, edtech or healthcare platforms, mobile apps stuck on old versions. This is exactly where a senior technical reference makes the difference.

Remote-first, on-site when it actually matters

I work mostly remote with clients across Veneto. For the phases that need physical presence — kick-offs, on-site audits, strategy workshops — I come to Padova, with standard travel expenses. My base is in Conegliano (province of Treviso).

One senior point of contact, no theatrics

Direct language, fast decisions. As a former startup founder at H-Farm and a senior engineer, you deal with one person: if a choice is wrong I tell you, I don't send you a 40-page report.

How I can help

The same services I offer nationally, with presence in Veneto.

Technical audit

When it fits: You have doubts about the state of your internal software
Output: Written report in 2-3 days

Details

Project rescue

When it fits: A project has been stuck for months
Output: MVP or critical feature live in 2-4 weeks

Details

Fractional CTO

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

Details

Want to see how I think about architecture, stack and projects? Read the blog.

Frequently asked questions

The questions I get from founders and SMBs in Padova.

Do I have to be in Padova to work with you?

No. I work remote-first: most of the work happens on calls and via Slack, wherever you are. For the phases that need it — kick-offs, on-site audits, workshops — I come to Padova in person, with standard travel expenses. My base is in Conegliano, in the province of Treviso.

Do you work remote or come to the office in Padova?

Both, in different proportions. Most of the work is remote because it's more efficient; I keep on-site visits for the moments where presence adds real value, like kicking off a project or a deep audit. In those cases I come to Padova with standard travel expenses.

Which areas around Padova do you cover?

I cover Padova and the nearby towns — Abano Terme, Vigonza, Albignasego, Cittadella, Este — plus the rest of Veneto. On-site visits are always possible by arrangement, with standard travel expenses, since I travel from Conegliano.

What kind of companies do you work with in Padova?

Founders and startups, including university-linked or incubator ones, SMBs in advanced services, healthcare and biomedical companies, and software houses. The common thread is almost always the same: ERPs and management systems to modernize, ecommerce to rewrite, integrations to fix.

Do on-site visits in Padova cost extra?

Yes, standard travel expenses apply, because my base is in Conegliano and not in Padova. They stay limited, though: since most of the work is remote, trips are only for the moments that genuinely justify them.

Let's talk about your project in Padova?

30 free minutes on a call. You tell me where you are, I tell you what I'd do in your shoes. No fluff, no selling you services you don't need.

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Padova · Veneto · Remote-first · Based in Conegliano (TV)