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

IT Book a call

Do you need someone to decide, or someone to build?

Those are the two things I do, and they're needed at different moments. Here are all the services split along that line: on one side whoever makes the technical decisions, on the other whoever writes the code. Often they're the same person — me.

If you have to decide

Technical leadership

You have people writing the code — or you're about to pick them — but nobody who answers for the decisions: architecture, vendors, priorities, risk. It's the role usually called fractional CTO.

You need an ongoing technical lead

CTO on-demand

Monthly retainer, decisions and coordination. Where most clients start.

You want to understand the role

Fractional CTO

What it is, what it costs, how you start and how you exit. The reference page on the model.

You don't know if what you have is any good

Technical audit

Two or three days, a written report with priorities. It's yours either way, even if we don't work together.

It's been stuck for months or delivered badly

Unblock a project

Analysis, recovery plan and execution. Usually you don't have to rebuild from scratch.

If you have to build

Development

The decisions are made, or they're clear. You need someone to get into the code and do the parts where a mistake is expensive properly — without having to explain it twice.

You need a senior who writes the code

Freelance developer

Hands-on on the delicate parts: integrations, authentication, payments, performance.

You start from an idea and have no technical lead

Build a product

From architecture to the first production release, with scope cut so you actually get there.

Nobody actually uses your CRM

Custom CRM

Built on your process, no per-seat licenses, with code and data you own.

The ERP is old and replacing it scares you

Custom ERP

Gradual migration without stopping the company: old and new coexist as long as needed.

Everyone talks about AI and you can't tell what's real

AI for your company

I automate where the numbers add up and train the team. If it's not for you, I say so in the first call.

Where I work

Remote-first across Italy, on-site in the Northeast.

My base is Conegliano (TV), Italy. Most of the work happens remotely because it's more efficient; I come on-site for the moments that earn it — kick-offs, audits, workshops. How remote works.

Frequently asked

How to choose.

I don't know which one I need. How do I tell?

Simple rule: if the problem is "I don't know what to do", you need technical leadership; if it's "I know what to do but nobody does it well", you need development. If you can't decide, the 30-minute call is exactly for that — and I'll tell you, free, no strings.

Can I have both?

Yes, and it's the combination that works best: decisions and implementation speak the same language, with nothing lost in translation between whoever decides and whoever writes. Often it starts with an audit or a rescue and continues as a retainer.

Where should I start?

In most cases with the technical audit: it costs a fraction of the project, takes two or three days, and leaves you a written report that's yours either way. From there it's clear whether you need direction, execution or both — without committing blind.

Do you only work in Veneto?

No. I work remote-first across Italy. In the Northeast — Treviso, Conegliano, Vittorio Veneto, Padua, Verona, Venice, Belluno, Pordenone — I also come on-site when presence genuinely matters.

Not sure which one you need? I'll tell you.

30 free minutes: tell me where you are and I'll tell you whether you need direction, execution or neither. Either way you leave with a clear direction.

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