Engineering Professionals: Insights & Resources

Best Fractional CTO Services in Los Angeles

Ryan Stevens

January 27, 2026

Best Fractional CTO Services in Los Angeles

Los Angeles's Best Outsourced CTO Services, Fractional CTO, & Virtual CTO Services

The Los Angeles tech ecosystem has long outgrown its label as "Hollywood’s side hustle." Today, it’s a thriving innovation hub—home to dynamic startups, venture-backed scale-ups, and fast-growing digital platforms. And behind many of these operations are the steady, strategic hands of fractional CTOs.

At Digital Reference, we believe professionals deserve to be seen for more than just titles and LinkedIn headers. We believe in showcasing real, verified work and building a more radically transparent and radically authentic talent ecosystem. That’s why we’re profiling the fractional CTOs of Los Angeles—the technologists who are quietly steering the future of Southern California’s most ambitious companies.

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Our Methodology: Los Angeles Fractional CTO, Virtual CTO Services, and Outsourced CTOs

This blog is a living list, curated and updated regularly to reflect the leaders who are helping founders build products, scale platforms, and make bold tech bets without the overhead of a full-time CTO. These professionals are solo operators, independent advisors, and fractional executives with deep experience and a track record of building real things.

Our methodology includes:

Verifying the professionals are based in LA or work closely with LA-based companies
Evaluating depth of experience, public thought leadership, and active client work
Prioritizing individuals who embody the values of ownership, transparency, and collaboration

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Meet The Best Fractional CTO, Virtual CTO, & Outsourced CTO Services in Los Angeles

Tony Karrer

Founder, TechEmpower / Co-Founder, LA CTO Forum

Tony Karrer is a long-standing leader in the fractional CTO space, with over 20 years of experience supporting startups, nonprofits, and growing companies. He’s known for helping founder-led organizations build strong technical foundations and long-term scalable systems.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for startups, nonprofits, and B2B SaaS companies
📑 Deep expertise in learning tech, SaaS architecture, and technical strategy
💬 Makes complex systems understandable and helps teams thrive through structure

Tony is ideal for founders who need seasoned, future-focused technical leadership.

Brian Jeremy Kupetz

Co-Founder, Supergroup

Brian Kupetz provides CTO-for-hire services to early-stage startups through Supergroup, where he focuses on building strong engineering cultures and product roadmaps that turn vision into execution. His approach blends technical rigor with people-first leadership.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for early-stage startups and scaling product teams
📑 Engineering culture, product roadmapping, and MVP development
💬 Known for balancing people, process, and scalable technical practices

Brian is an excellent fit for founders who want both a strategic thinker and a deeply human leader.

Patrick Grosso

Founder, Visiting CTO

Patrick Grosso founded Visiting CTO to give startups access to experienced technical leadership without a full-time hire. He works closely with founders to mature tech organizations, guide architectural decisions, and build stronger engineering teams.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for early-stage and growth companies
📑 Technical hiring, architecture guidance, and tech org development
💬 Expert at translating technical debt into business impact

Patrick is ideal for founders who want clarity between engineering realities and executive priorities.

Charles Zivko

Fractional CTO, SaMo Ventures

Charles Zivko partners with fintech and product-driven startups during critical growth moments such as scaling, product-market fit, and user growth. He blends hands-on technical depth with strong product and investor alignment.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for fintech and product-led startups
📑 Mobile apps, payment systems, and scalable backend architecture
💬 Balances deep technical execution with roadmap and investor alignment

Charles is a strong partner for ambitious startups navigating high-growth inflection points.

Ryan Vinson

Ryan Vinson brings calm, clarity, and strong execution to his work as a fractional CTO across e-commerce, fintech, and digital media. He’s known for quickly embedding with teams and leading technical transitions smoothly.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for startups preparing for scale or funding
📑 Replatforming, technical rebuilds, and distributed team leadership
💬 Hands-on technologist with a steady strategic presence

Ryan is a great fit for founders who want a dependable technical leader during moments of change.

Egor (Yahor) Shadryn

Yahor Shadryn helps founders build lean, scalable systems while also mentoring teams to become stronger operators. His dual focus on execution and education makes him especially valuable in fast-moving startup environments.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for startup product and engineering teams
📑 Architecture optimization, engineering team building, and delivery acceleration
💬 Combines technical execution with strong mentorship and team development

Yahor is ideal for teams that need both strong systems and stronger internal capability.

Dustin Tiep

Dustin Tiep specializes in privacy-focused development, Apple ecosystem technology, and scalable infrastructure for creative and digital-first companies. His work bridges consumer tech experiences with reliable backend systems.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for creative firms, digital media, and DTC brands
📑 Apple ecosystem expertise, security-focused infrastructure, and startup ops
💬 Strong at connecting user experience with technical reliability

Dustin is a natural fit for brands and creative teams that need sophisticated but practical technical leadership.

Ron Johnson

Ron Johnson brings executive-level technical leadership to midsize businesses navigating digital transformation. His expertise spans technology strategy, operations, and supply chain systems.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for midsize and operationally complex organizations
📑 IT operations, logistics systems, and process redesign
💬 Brings cross-functional executive perspective beyond traditional tech roles

Ron is best suited for organizations where technology, operations, and service delivery are deeply interconnected.

Jeremy Tong

Jeremy Tong supports startups in fintech, crypto, and the creator economy by helping founders architect scalable systems and build strong products from the ground up. He brings lived experience as both engineer and founder.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO for early-stage tech startups
📑 App architecture, greenfield builds, and scaling strategy
💬 Founder-minded partner who understands real startup pressure

Jeremy is ideal for founders who want a technical partner who challenges thinking and accelerates growth.

Roger Obando

Roger Obando is a serial entrepreneur turned fractional CTO and founder coach. After exiting his own startup, he now helps other founders build both scalable platforms and healthy leadership cultures.

Highlights:
🏢 Fractional CTO and mentor for early-stage founders
📑 Startup strategy, platform development, and leadership coaching
💬 Known for combining tactical execution with emotional intelligence

Roger is a powerful partner for mission-driven founders who want both technical guidance and thoughtful mentorship.

Why Fractional CTOs Matter in LA

The Los Angeles tech landscape is vast and varied. From creator tools to logistics platforms, healthcare apps to SaaS products, LA companies need technology leadership that adapts to a dynamic, often resource-limited environment. That’s where fractional CTOs shine.

They offer:

Experienced leadership at a part-time commitment
Cross-industry knowledge and tested frameworks
Credibility with investors and technical hires
Cost-effective strategic support during critical growth periods

In LA, speed matters—but so does thoughtfulness. Fractional CTOs bring the mix of tempo and tact that’s essential for companies with big ambitions and limited time to waste.

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Digital Reference: Reframing How Talent is Found

At Digital Reference, we believe your work should speak louder than your résumé. Our platform is designed to help independent professionals and fractional leaders:

Capture their real achievements
Showcase video references and portfolios
Publish shareable profiles that highlight authenticity and proof

Each of the professionals in this blog has been selected for their alignment with those values. We believe in surfacing real stories, not just titles—and helping businesses find the kind of talent that gets things done.

We’re proud to be building a content ecosystem that makes the talent world more transparent, more authentic, and more effective.

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Nominate Someone or Join the List of Top LA Fractional CTO

This list of LA-based fractional CTOs is just the beginning. We’ll be growing it over time—adding more voices, stories, and leaders who are building better, bolder companies across Southern California.

If you’re a fractional CTO based in LA—or know someone who should be on our radar—reach out. We’d love to hear from you.

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