Post-MVP startup
You've validated a first product, traction is picking up, you need to structure the tech team, prep the round and the due diligence without stalling the roadmap.
TL;DR
What it is
Fractional technical & product direction (senior CTO/CPO), by day per week or per month.
For whom
Post-MVP startups, SMEs accelerating on product, mid-market in transformation needing senior framing without a full-time hire.
Indicative price
Day rate EUR 1,000 excl. VAT (EUR 1,200 incl. VAT) or fixed price on quote — set upfront.
Founder-to-founder, no sugarcoating
You need senior technical and product leadership, but not a full-time CTO at €130k a year. A fractional CTO / CPO gives you the expertise when you need it — scoping, architecture, roadmap, hiring, cybersecurity — without the cost or the delays of a permanent hire.
Who it's built for
Three typical profiles where a fractional CTO / CPO changes the trajectory — without blowing up the payroll.
SME accelerating on product
You want to launch a digital product, modernize an aging one, industrialize your delivery. You need technical direction that speaks product, not just code.
Mid-market in transformation
Transformation program, architecture rebuild, AI or cybersecurity governance to frame. An external tech / product director brings the perspective and the field experience.
Two engagement formats
Day rate or fixed-price — you pick what fits the project.
No packaged bundle. Every mission is scoped before start, with a clear deliverable, cadence and price.
Day rate (TJM)
Flexible, transparent, no long commitment
€1,000 excl. VAT€1,200 incl. VAT
Scoping missions, tech decision support, incident triage, or short-to-mid-term fractional work. Billed by the day, short notice, cancellable anytime. The go-to when volume or cadence isn't yet locked in.
Fixed price
Clear goal, fixed cost, defined deliverable
On study and quote
PoC, technical rebuild, team ramp-up, fundraise prep. We scope the perimeter upfront, the price is set and doesn't move. You know exactly what you pay and what you get — we move together on documented milestones.
What you get
Strategy & technical architecture
Stack choices, architecture, roadmap, build vs buy calls. A technical direction that holds through rounds and pivots.
MVP framing & delivery
Prioritization, iterations, measurement. An MVP that learns fast rather than a first product that grows without direction.
Stack, debt & scalability
Stack choices aligned with your stage and objectives. Anticipating debt and scale without over-engineering.
Hiring & tech structuring
First-hire profile definition, sourcing, interviews, onboarding. Setting up rituals and processes when they become useful.
Cybersecurity & GDPR from day one
Security and compliance posture built into the architecture — not bolted on in panic before the first due diligence.
Due diligence & AI strategy
Preparing the technical due diligence for rounds, answering VC questions. AI / agents strategy aligned with your product, not with trends.
What a typical mission looks like
Common framework across every mission, day rate or fixed-price, short or long.
- Step 1
Initial scoping
One or two calls to understand context, ambition and constraints. A written summary describes the need and proposes a perimeter — before any commercial proposal.
- Step 2
Quote and contract
Priced quote (days or fixed-price), signed services agreement. Confidentiality, IP and exit clauses covered upfront. Mutual NDA on request.
- Step 3
Mission cadence
Weekly or bi-weekly touchpoint with the founder or exec team. Documentation, decisions and trade-offs tracked in a shared space.
- Step 4
Clean handover
Documented handover at every mission end or milestone. Deliverables stay with you — code, docs, cloud accounts, vendor contracts. No technical lock-in.
How to start a mission
- Step 1
You reach out
Booking form or email — a few lines are enough to describe the context, the need and the planned timeline.
- Step 2
Scoping call
A free call to understand the project, the team, the constraints, and check we're the right fit for this need.
- Step 3
Quote and start
Perimeter, format (day rate or fixed-price), cadence and deliverables scoped in a quote. Start within one to three weeks depending on availability.
- Step 4
Wrap-up and next steps
Documented wrap-up at mission end. Extension possible on other milestones if the need persists — or a clean handover to your team.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the need. For scoping or an architecture review, a few days are enough. For ongoing engagement, it typically ranges between 2 and 6 days per month. The cadence is set in the quote and can evolve by mutual agreement.
Mostly remote, with occasional physical touchpoints in the Paris region, in Nantes or across western France when it helps. The on-site cadence is defined at kickoff and adjusted through the mission's phases.
No. The model is fractional (days per week or per month defined in the contract). However, we can structure the tech team and prepare the recruitment of your future in-house CTO when the time is right.
Yes, on request. A mutual NDA is sent before any sensitive exchange. The confidentiality and IP framework is also covered in the services agreement.
Occasionally yes, on specialized topics (white-label fractional CTO, cyber expertise, product scoping). The contractual framework and scope are defined case by case with the client agency.
It's possible, but it's a different framework with its own prerequisites (post-MVP startup with traction, defined scope, product / tech alignment). See the dedicated capital-structuring page for the conditions.
Special case
Post-MVP startup ready for a longer partnership?
For a deliberately very limited number of projects, we do consider compensation in equity, in a cash + equity mix, or in cash with a long-term commitment. Dedicated legal framework, strict prerequisites, selection process.
See the capital-structuring page/ En résumé
Need technical or product leadership?
A free scoping call to understand your context. Quote within a few days if there's a fit.
MAG&Cie — consulting firm based in Nantes. Engagements in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg. Remote or on-site as needed.
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