Horizon LabsHorizon Labs

CTO Advisory

Not every business needs a full-time CTO, but every business making technology decisions needs CTO-level thinking. We provide fractional CTO capability: technology strategy aligned to business goals, architecture reviews that identify risk and opportunity, vendor evaluations that cut through sales pitches, team structure advice, and build-vs-buy analysis. This is the advisory layer that sits across all our other services — making sure your technology investments are coherent, prioritised, and realistic.

What you get

Technology strategy tied to business goals, not technology trends
Architecture reviews that identify risk before it becomes a crisis
Vendor evaluation based on your needs, not vendor marketing
Team structure and hiring guidance from people who build teams

Real examples

Technology strategy and roadmap

Work with leadership to define a technology roadmap — what to modernise, where to invest in AI, how to structure data, and what to build vs buy — aligned to a 12–24 month business plan.

Architecture review and recommendations

Assess your current technology architecture for risk, scalability, and readiness for AI adoption. Deliver a prioritised set of recommendations with honest effort estimates.

Common questions

What does a fractional CTO do?

The same things a full-time CTO does — technology strategy, architecture decisions, vendor management, team guidance, and board-level technology communication — but on a part-time basis, typically 1–2 days per week.

How is this different from consulting?

Consultants deliver a report and leave. A fractional CTO stays embedded in your business, attends leadership meetings, and takes accountability for technology decisions over time. It’s an ongoing relationship, not a project.

How much time commitment?

Typically 1–2 days per week, adjusted based on what’s happening. More during major decisions (platform selection, architecture redesign, team restructure), less during steady-state periods.

Do you help with hiring?

Yes. We help define roles, write job descriptions, screen candidates, and structure technical interviews. We also advise on team shape — when to hire, when to outsource, and what skills to prioritise.

Can you work alongside our existing IT team?

That’s the normal setup. We work with your IT manager or team lead, providing the strategic and architectural guidance they need. We’re not here to replace your team — we’re here to make them more effective.

Ready to get started?

Tell us about your project and we'll tell you honestly how we can help.

Get in Touch

Let's build something intelligent

Tell us about your product challenge. Whether you're launching from scratch, scaling an existing product, or need AI capabilities — we'll tell you honestly how we can help.

First conversation is free, no obligations. If there's a fit, we'll scope a small first step so you can see results before committing to anything bigger.