Hire a Technical Co-founder (Without the Equity)

Need a technical co-founder but can't find one? Hire fractional CTO leadership that acts like a co-founder without giving up equity.

What You Get

  • Co-founder level involvement without equity
  • Technical strategy and product direction
  • Investor pitch and due diligence support
  • Engineering hiring and team building
  • Transition support when you find full-time

Ideal For

  • Non-technical solo founders
  • Founders who lost their technical co-founder
  • Startups that can't find co-founder fit
  • Companies wanting to preserve equity

Technical Co-founder Without the Equity

Finding a technical co-founder is one of the hardest challenges for non-technical founders. But you don't always need to give up equity to get co-founder-level technical involvement.

What You Get

  • Strategic Partnership: Not just execution, but shaping product and technology direction
  • Investor Credibility: Strong technical presence for fundraising and due diligence
  • Team Building: Help hire your engineering team and define roles
  • Product Development: Hands-on building of your MVP and early product
  • Transition Support: Help hire and onboard your full-time CTO when ready

Preserve Your Equity

Equity should go to people who will be with you for the long haul. Our fractional model lets you get co-founder-level expertise during your most critical early stages without diluting your ownership. Many clients work with us for 12-24 months before hiring their permanent technical leadership.

Fast, Seamless Onboarding

From first call to first commit in under a week.

Day 1

Discovery Call

Understand your product, stack, and what success looks like

Day 2-3

Team Match

Match the right engineer(s) based on your needs

Day 4-5

Onboarding

Slack access, repo access, codebase walkthrough

Week 1

First Ship

First PR merged, hitting the ground running

Aravind is in the top 1% of engineers I've hired. He supported us from $100K to $5M ARR, keeping us shipping through crazy growth and investor scrutiny.
Tara Viswanathan
Co-founder & CEO, Rupa Health (Acquired by Fullscript)

Hire a Technical Co-founder Replacement FAQs

What is the process to hire a technical co-founder replacement?

Start with a 30-minute discovery call where we understand your needs, tech stack, and goals. We then match you with the right engineer(s) from our team. Onboarding typically takes 2-3 days, and most engineers ship their first PR within the first week.

How much does it cost to hire a technical co-founder replacement?

Our engagements are structured as monthly retainers based on the scope and seniority needed. We're transparent about pricing—book a call to discuss your specific needs and get a custom quote. There are no hidden fees or account manager overhead.

Can I hire a technical co-founder replacement for just a few months?

Yes, we offer flexible month-to-month engagements. While most clients work with us for 6-12+ months, there's no long-term lock-in. We believe in earning your continued partnership through results, not contracts.

What makes your a technical co-founder replacement different?

Our engineers have shipped products at venture-backed startups and understand the unique pressures of early-stage companies. They take ownership of outcomes, not just tasks. You get direct Slack access—no project managers or account executives in between.

Do you work with my tech stack?

Our team is full-stack and adaptable. We have deep experience with React/Next.js, Node.js, Python, TypeScript, AWS, GCP, and modern AI/LLM frameworks. We can also ramp up quickly on new technologies if needed.

Aravind Srinivas
Founder, HyperNest Labs

Former engineering leader who helped scale Rupa Health from $100K to $5M ARR. Passionate about helping startups build great engineering teams.

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Ready to hire a technical co-founder replacement?

Book a 30-minute call to discuss your needs and find the right fit.