Engineering Professionals: Insights & Resources

Best Fractional CTO Services in Denver

Ryan Stevens

January 27, 2026

Best Fractional CTO Services in Denver

Denver's Best Outsourced CTO Services, Fractional CTO, & Virtual CTO Services

Denver doesn’t just play host to outdoor enthusiasts and craft beer lovers—it’s also home to a quietly thriving innovation economy. The Denver–Aurora–Lakewood metro has become a magnet for startups, scale-ups, and remote-first product companies across SaaS, fintech, healthtech, and clean energy. As the city’s business landscape expands, a key trend is emerging: more companies are choosing fractional CTOs to lead their technology strategy.

These interim or part-time Chief Technology Officers embed with fast-growing organizations to solve real problems—aligning product and engineering, modernizing infrastructure, mentoring teams, or preparing for funding rounds. They bring senior-level insight without the overhead or rigidity of a full-time hire.

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Our Methodology: Denver Fractional CTO, Virtual CTO Services, and Outsourced CTOs

At Digital Reference, we’ve curated a list of trusted fractional CTOs in Denver—people who are already making a measurable difference in high-growth environments.

Every professional spotlighted here meets the following criteria:

✅ Clearly operates as a fractional, interim, or embedded CTO
✅ Based in or actively serving the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood metro
✅ Demonstrated impact in startup, scale-up, or digital transformation roles
✅ Public profile via LinkedIn, firm, or advisory business
✅ Strong alignment with Digital Reference’s values: trust, clarity, and execution

We feature operators who do the work, not just talk about it.

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Meet The Best Fractional CTO, Virtual CTO, & Outsourced CTO Services in Denver

David Logan

Fractional CTO | Technical Team Builder | Systems Strategist | Founder, Your Software CTO

David Logan is a fractional CTO who helps PE-backed companies and operationally complex startups modernize legacy systems and build scalable engineering teams. With deep experience in systems architecture and development leadership, he blends strategy, structure, and speed—equally effective in code reviews and boardrooms.

Highlights:
🧩 Specializes in legacy modernization and post-funding platform builds
👥 Expert in scaling and structuring engineering teams
📊 Trusted partner for PE-backed and high-complexity organizations

David helps companies stabilize technology foundations while preparing for their next growth phase.

Ken O'Brien

Fractional CTO | SaaS Platform Architect | B2B Tech Strategist

Ken O’Brien is a fractional CTO who partners with B2B SaaS companies to design high-performance, scalable tech stacks. Often brought in post-funding or during roadmap pivots, he assesses architecture, stabilizes development cycles, and aligns technical strategy with commercial outcomes.

Highlights:
💻 Deep expertise in SaaS engineering and platform architecture
🔍 Trusted for technical due diligence and roadmap evaluation
📈 Aligns engineering execution with business growth goals

Ken provides the technical clarity growth-stage SaaS teams need to scale with confidence.

Rich Klein

CTO-as-a-Service | Startup Advisor | Embedded Technical Leader

Rich Klein is a CTO-as-a-service and startup advisor who helps early-stage and mission-driven organizations bring structure to product development and engineering culture. He excels at guiding teams through MVP-to-scale transitions with a strong focus on performance and alignment.

Highlights:
🚀 Expert in MVP evolution and product architecture
🔄 Builds agile, aligned engineering organizations
🤝 Thrives in high-trust, founder-first environments

Rich helps teams turn early momentum into durable, scalable platforms.

Sharon Bolding

Fractional CTO | Product Development Leader | Technical Coach

Sharon Bolding is a fractional CTO and technical coach who helps organizations rebuild clarity, culture, and momentum after periods of rapid growth or high turnover. Working across healthtech, edtech, and digital services, she brings steady leadership and deep technical empathy to complex environments.

Highlights:
🌱 Specializes in engineering culture and team mentorship
🧭 Provides clear technical roadmaps during chaotic transitions
🤝 Strong focus on founder coaching and platform clarity

Sharon helps teams regain stability while building healthier, more resilient engineering organizations.

Cory Flanigan

Fractional CTO | Startup Technologist | Embedded Engineering Partner

Cory Flanigan is a fractional CTO who supports startups in high-urgency product and engineering scenarios. From MVP rescues to scaling early teams, he brings full-stack depth and clear founder communication to help companies bridge to their first internal technical hire.

Highlights:
🛠️ Full-stack architecture and early-stage product development
🚑 Expert in technical rescue and v1 team scaling
💬 Strong focus on founder alignment and communication

Cory helps early-stage teams move fast—without breaking what matters.

Why Denver Startups Are Turning to Fractional CTOs

Denver’s tech scene combines startup speed with Western practicality. It’s a city that values lean teams, fast iterations, and real traction over hype—and that’s exactly why fractional tech leadership works so well here.

Companies in the area often bring in fractional CTOs to:

🧱 Re-architect MVPs to support growth
👥 Coach or replace founding engineers
📈 Prepare for fundraising with a tighter roadmap
🔧 Reduce technical debt and stabilize velocity
🧠 Advise non-technical founders on engineering operations

The result? High leverage, high clarity, low drag.

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What Makes These Leaders Stand Out

The CTOs featured here bring:

✅ Operational range (architecture → hiring → investor comms)
✅ Founder fluency—they speak both code and commercial strategy
✅ Calm in complexity—especially when rebuilding or replatforming
✅ Repeatability—trusted by multiple teams across time
✅ Clear focus on action over abstraction

They don’t just “advise”—they embed, align, and execute.

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Related Resources from Digital Reference

📘 How to Hire a Fractional Executive
A practical guide for founders and operators navigating interim leadership.

📍 The Importance of Professional References
Explore why third-party credibility is more critical than ever in today’s trust-driven hiring market.

📍 Find Local Fractional CTOs & Chief Technology Officers Near Me
Explore why third-party credibility is more critical than ever in today’s trust-driven hiring market.

📘 Collecting Professional References: The Dos and Don’ts
References are often the make-or-break element of your next opportunity. Yet many professionals still treat the reference process as an afterthought or, worse, scramble to collect them last minute.

📗 The Talent Ecosystem: Why Fractional Operators Are Reshaping the C-Suite
Explore the structural shifts behind the rise of fractional leadership and what it means for your next hire.

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Final Word: Denver’s Tech Growth Deserves Leadership That’s Flexible, Fast, and Proven

Denver doesn’t chase hype—it builds substance. And today’s fastest-moving companies here aren’t waiting around for a perfect CTO hire. They’re engaging fractional CTOs like Ken O’Brien, Rich Klein, David Logan, Sharon Bolding, and Cory Flanigan—leaders who can guide engineering, support founders, and scale systems now.

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