Engineering Professionals: Insights & Resources

Fractional CTOs in St. Louis Making Things Happen

Ryan Stevens
July 7, 2025
All Insights
Engineering Professionals: Insights & Resources

Fractional CTOs in St. Louis Making Things Happen in 2025

St. Louis Interim Chief Technology Officers to Know

St. Louis has always been a city that builds—from its industrial roots to its growing presence in biotech, healthcare innovation, geospatial tech, and fintech. Today, the St. Louis, MO–IL metro is steadily earning its place on the national startup map. But with great ambition comes a real need: access to experienced technology leadership without the full-time price tag or commitment.

That’s where fractional CTOs come in.

A fractional CTO is a part-time or interim technology executive who steps in to help companies grow their product, guide engineering, and scale smartly—without rushing into a full-time hire. They’re especially valuable in founder-led or PE-backed environments where velocity matters and technical risk needs to be mitigated fast.

At Digital Reference, we’ve begun building a curated list of fractional CTOs operating in the St. Louis region—leaders with hands-on credibility and strong reputations for getting things done.

How We Curate These CTOs

Every professional included in this list meets our core vetting criteria:

✅ Based in or actively serving the St. Louis, MO–IL metro area
✅ Clearly positioned as a fractional, interim, or embedded CTO
✅ Strong public profile (LinkedIn, personal site, or firm page)
✅ Known for operational experience and real outcomes—not just theory
✅ Aligned with Digital Reference values: execution, clarity, and trust

This list will expand as we continue to identify strong regional operators.

St. Louis Fractional CTOs to Know

Tony Sousan

LinkedIn | Sousan Group
 

About: Tony is a seasoned startup technologist and founder of Sousan Group, where he acts as a trusted fractional CTO for early-stage ventures. With deep expertise in platform design, dev team structuring, and investor alignment, Tony helps tech-forward companies move from roadmap to reality with confidence.
 

Why they stand out as a Fractional CTO:

  • Deep experience guiding pre-seed to Series A startups

  • Focus on aligning technical architecture with investor-ready strategy

  • Combines mentorship with hands-on execution planning

Benjamin V.

LinkedIn | Lit AI
 

About: Benjamin is co-founder and technical architect at Lit AI, with a specialization in scaling machine learning workflows and AI infrastructure. As a fractional CTO, he advises growth-stage and enterprise clients on deploying explainable AI and aligning data strategies with core product goals.
 

Why they stand out as a Fractional CTO:

  • Brings deep AI/ML engineering fluency to product strategy

  • Emphasizes model transparency and operational reliability

  • Experienced in enterprise AI adoption and governance

Adam Brakhane

LinkedIn | Gateway
 

About: Adam is the founder and technical lead at Gateway, where he helps fintech and B2B startups architect scalable platforms. His background in full-stack development, coupled with startup ops experience, makes him a go-to resource for building product roadmaps that deliver both speed and stability.
 

Why they stand out as a Fractional CTO:

  • Specializes in fintech and infrastructure-heavy products

  • Strong product intuition paired with robust system design skills

  • Delivers clarity across both tech planning and team operations

Rich Epstein

LinkedIn | Castlewood by MyLance
 

About: Rich is a veteran software architect and CTO at Castlewood, the CTO consultancy arm of MyLance. He specializes in legacy modernization, agile transformation, and dev team enablement, bringing clarity and structure to engineering orgs looking to level up.
 

Why they stand out as a Fractional CTO:

  • Excellent at cleaning up technical debt and legacy bloat

  • Prioritizes mentorship and team scalability

  • Brings operational calm to chaotic or growing orgs

Michael K. Green

LinkedIn | CXO Cyber
 

About: Michael is a security-first fractional CTO and certified CISO with CXO Cyber. He supports companies in regulated or sensitive industries with strategic tech oversight, helping embed cybersecurity, compliance, and operational resilience into product builds and scaling plans.
 

Why they stand out as a Fractional CTO:

  • Blends CTO and CISO experience for end-to-end trust and security

  • Adept at building compliant infrastructure for scaling businesses

  • Especially valuable in healthcare, fintech, and enterprise SaaS

Krish Gopalakrishnan

LinkedIn
 

About: Krish is a fractional CTO who brings strong technical strategy and systems thinking to product-led SaaS businesses. With experience spanning cloud architecture, startup mentoring, and data engineering, he enables St. Louis teams to scale confidently without overengineering.
 

Why they stand out as a Fractional CTO:

  • Strong background in data and distributed systems

  • Skilled at aligning technical decisions with founder goals

  • Combines engineering depth with high-level business fluency

Matthew Coble

LinkedIn
 

About: Matthew is an operator-turned-CTO who now serves as a fractional tech lead to fast-growing teams. With a sharp focus on engineering process, team culture, and platform performance, he helps organizations refine both their codebases and their leadership workflows.
 

Why they stand out as a Fractional CTO:

  • Combines technical leadership with real-world operational experience

  • Emphasizes team growth and performance management

  • Helps streamline workflows across engineering and product

Are you a St. Louis-based fractional CTO or know someone who should be featured? Let us know hello@digitalreference.co.

Why St. Louis Companies Are Hiring Fractional CTOs

The St. Louis innovation scene is full of startups making meaningful bets—whether in medtech, AI, logistics, or edtech. But many aren’t ready for a full-time CTO or don’t have time to wait for the “perfect” hire. Fractional CTOs are becoming the go-to choice when:

  • 🚧 MVPs need to evolve into real platforms

  • 🧱 Tech debt from agencies or freelancers needs cleaning up

  • 🧠 Non-technical founders need strategic guidance

  • 📈 Fundraising, diligence, or M&A events require tech validation

  • 🔧 Engineering teams need mentorship or restructuring

In all these cases, fractional leaders offer immediate value—delivering clarity and progress when it matters most.

What Makes These CTOs Stand Out

The professionals we’ve highlighted here bring:

✅ Deep cross-functional experience (product, ops, systems)
✅ A calm, collaborative presence in high-stakes environments
✅ The ability to quickly assess and improve technical health
✅ Founder fluency—communicating clearly and driving results
✅ Repeat engagements, strong references, and peer trust

They’re not just fixing code—they’re helping companies move forward.

Digital Reference Resources to Explore

📘 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.

Final Word: St. Louis Innovation Deserves Leadership That Matches Its Momentum

Whether you're building B2B software, launching a healthtech platform, or scaling after your first funding round, the next chapter of growth often starts with one question: Do we have the right tech leadership in place?

Fractional CTOs like Greg Crook and Ryan Pride are answering that question every day—by embedding into real teams, guiding real systems, and delivering real outcomes. They’re not part-time leaders. They’re right-time leaders for the modern growth journey.

City Spotlights of of Part-time & Fractional CTOs in the USA

Ann Arbor - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Ann Arbor Making Things Happen
Atlanta - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Atlanta Making Things Happen
Austin - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Austin Making Things Happen
Boston - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Boston Making Things Happen
Charlotte - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Charlotte Making Things Happen
Chicago - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Chicago Making Things Happen
Dallas–Fort Worth - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Dallas–Fort Worth Making Things Happen
Denver - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Denver Making Things Happen
Detroit - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Detroit Making Things Happen
Houston - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Houston Making Things Happen
Jacksonville - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Jacksonville Making Things Happen
Las Vegas - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Las Vegas Making Things Happen
Los Angeles - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Los Angeles Making Things Happen
Miami - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Miami Making Things Happen
Minneapolis - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Minneapolis Making Things Happen
Nashville - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Nashville Making Things Happen
Naples - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Naples Making Things Happen
New York City- Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in New York City Making Things Happen
Orlando - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Orlando Making Things Happen
Phoenix - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Phoenix Making Things Happen
Pittsburgh - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Pittsburgh Making Things Happen
Portland - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Portland Making Things Happen
Raleigh–Durham - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Raleigh–Durham Making Things Happen
Sacramento - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Sacramento Making Things Happen
Salt Lake City - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Salt Lake City Making Things Happen
San Antonio - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in San Antonio Making Things Happen
San Diego - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in San Diego Making Things Happen
San Francisco- Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in San Francisco Making Things Happen
Seattle - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Seattle Making Things Happen
Tampa - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Tampa Making Things Happen
Washington DC - Virtual CTOs & Outsourced CTO Services
Fractional CTOs in Washington DC Making Things Happen

If you’re scaling something important, don’t wait for the “perfect” hire.
Bring in someone who can lead now.

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