Summit Labs

As a Fractional CTO I help transform teams that are struggling to deliver results. I start with simplifying the processes and the platform to get results. 

I help companies to scale by:
1. Adding users
2. Adding features
3. Adding developers

As a seasoned technical product builder and startup advisor, I have been at the forefront of helping early-stage companies bring their ideas to life by building cutting-edge software products. With extensive experience in software development and a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem, I specialize in advising startups on the right technical decisions to make, helping them navigate through the complex process of product development, and providing strategic guidance on how to build successful and scalable products. 

Whether it's working with founders to identify the best technology stack for their product or leading development teams to build high-quality software, I am committed to helping startups achieve their goals by providing the technical expertise they need to succeed.

Fractional CTO | Principal Technical Advisor

Katilyst

Katilyst is leading the charge with products and services focused on shifting company culture toward security best practices through engaging security champion programs.

Investor and Advisor

ByDesign

As a technical advisor for ByDesign, I provide critical guidance and support to help the company navigate the complexities of the technology landscape and achieve their ambitious goals.

Through a collaborative and hands-on approach, I am able to help guide the development of  customized solutions that align with the ByDesign's specific needs and goals. Thanks in part to my guidance and support, the company continues to achieve significant success, rapidly scaling their platform and expanding their offerings.

Primary Venture Partners

As an Expert, I provide strategic advice and guidance to Primary and their portfolio network. Experts enjoy access to early-stage businesses, emerging trends and technology, and an expanded network of exceptional leaders, and resources through a top-tier seed-stage firm.

Primary is New York City’s premier early stage venture firm working alongside founders to build unicorns like Alloy, Chief, Electric, K Health, Slice, and many more.

Advisor / Expert

Techstars

As a technical mentor to early stage startups, I have had the privilege of working with some of the most innovative and exciting companies in the technology space.

My role has been to provide guidance, support, and advice to these startups as they navigate the challenges of building a successful business, with a particular focus on their technical strategy and execution.

Through a collaborative and hands-on approach, I have worked closely with the founders and their teams to help them develop the technical skills and knowledge they need to build robust and scalable technology solutions.

This has included providing mentorship and coaching on a range of technical topics, from software engineering best practices and architectural design to cloud computing, data science, and emerging technologies.

One of the things that sets me apart as a technical mentor is my ability to tailor my approach to the specific needs and goals of each startup. I take the time to understand their unique challenges and opportunities, and work closely with them to develop customized solutions that meet their needs.

Through my experience as a technical mentor, I have gained a deep appreciation for the unique challenges and opportunities that early stage startups face in the technology space. And I am committed to using my skills and expertise to help these companies succeed and thrive in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving landscape.

Mentor

goLance

At goLance we're leading the industry with technical innovation bringing together the right talent with the right clients.

As the Chief Technology Officer for a dynamic marketplace platform, I am instrumental in steering the technology direction and software development to bring together clients and freelancers. My role encompasses leading a talented tech team, enhancing our platform to meet and exceed user expectations, and driving innovation to ensure our technology stays ahead of the curve.

With a keen eye on the evolving tech landscape, I navigate through technological advancements to incorporate cutting-edge solutions that elevate our service. My approach is hands-on in solving technical challenges, ensuring our platform remains robust and reliable. I excel in demystifying complex technical concepts, ensuring seamless communication across teams and with our stakeholders, thereby fostering a collaborative environment that propels our platform forward.

My mission is to create a marketplace that not only meets the current demands of our users but also anticipates future needs, making it a go-to platform for clients and freelancers alike. Through strategic planning, technological innovation, and a commitment to excellence, I am dedicated to enhancing our platform's impact and success in the marketplace.

Chief Technology Officer

Calendly

At Calendly we're making scheduling easy.

As an application architect, I play a critical role in helping the organization design, build, and deploy complex software applications that meet their unique needs.

Through a deep understanding of software engineering best practices, application design patterns, and modern technologies, I have been able to develop scalable, reliable, and maintainable software architectures that support business growth and drive innovation.

Some of the key areas in which I have provided value include:

* Guiding the implementation of a microservices-based architecture for improved scalability and flexibility
* Designing and guiding development cloud-native applications for enhanced reliability, availability, and cost-effectiveness
* Advising on software engineering best practices and emerging technologies to keep applications current and competitive
* Collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with business goals and objectives

Application Architect

WealthForge

As application architect for WealthForge, a fintech startup, I was responsible for designing and implementing cutting-edge solutions for the Altigo platform. With my deep expertise in software engineering, cloud computing, and financial technologies, I was able to deliver innovative solutions that simplified the overall architecture that allowed for better scalability and security.

My role involved working closely with our development teams to design and implement solutions that are scalable, reliable, and secure. Whether we were developing new features, optimizing existing applications, or building integrations with third-party platforms, I ensured that our solutions are aligned with our business objectives and meet the needs of the business.

Capital One

At Capital One, we're Changing Banking for Good. As a Master Software Engineer I have developed applications to improve visibility of key financial metrics. I have developed and continually contributed to inner sourced application frameworks that have decreased development time by 80% while improving application security and resiliency. As an AWS Solutions Architect, I have reduced cloud costs by 66% while increasing application resiliency.

As a trainer and teacher I have developed and lead training courses in Threat Modeling, Application Development, and Application Security.

Master Software Engineer

Provider Resources, Inc.

Application Developer

CTO at goLance • Making software simple • Startup Mentor

Building and scaling your product feels unpredictable and frustrating.

Now, imagine if you could:
- Have a clear roadmap for your tech decisions
- Build a system that supports consistent, scalable growth

You know there’s a better way to operate.

This is where I come in...

For startups and scale-ups, I offer Technical Advising Services:
- I provide high-level strategic advice, along with hands-on guidance to ensure execution aligns with your business goals.
- With over 15 years in the field and experience leading teams through high-growth phases, I specialize in helping companies avoid costly mistakes and create tech systems that scale.
- My frameworks have helped companies transform messy tech stacks into well-oiled machines, ready to scale.

I offer a limited number of advising slots to ensure each client gets personalized attention.
  
If you’re ready to take your technology to the next level, send me a message or schedule a call using the link in my profile.

Brian Childress

I help software developers build successful software through software architecture that fits. | Consultant & Trainer @ imarqio

Trying to move 50 people in a VW Polo? Bad idea.

Trying to scale to 50 developers with architecture knowledge stuck in one person's head? Just as bad.

Architecture development needs to fit your team - like transportation fits the number of people. With 5 developers in one team, informal coordination works. With 50 developers across multiple teams, you need systematic approaches and distributed knowledge - or your teams will trip over each other.

Know the feeling? You hire more developers, but software delivery slows down. Every new feature takes longer. Time-to-market drops. And you ask yourself: "Why is everything getting slower when we're investing more?"

The problem isn't your team. The problem is that knowledge sits in 2-3 heads - and the approach doesn't scale when you grow to multiple teams.

Most companies then try one of 3 solutions:
→ Book external training (theory without context to your organization)
→ Hire a full-time architect (concentrates knowledge in one person again)
→ Let the team figure it out themselves (overwhelming without systematic guidance)

All 3 fail at the same point: They don't embed architecture in the organization.

And meanwhile, the clock is ticking: features pile up, the business is waiting, your best developers are considering leaving.

I do something different: I help decision-makers in growing software companies embed architecture knowledge and ownership in your teams. Not through dependency, but through enablement.

My Context-First approach:
- I start with: Who makes decisions? How do you communicate? Only then: Which patterns?
- I develop WITH your teams, not FOR your teams
- My success is measurable: you don't need me anymore

22+ years of practice, 2,800+ hours of training, 321+ successful projects.

The pattern I see again and again: architecture knowledge in 2-5 heads. My work: Distribute that knowledge into the organization. Typical timeline: 3-6 months to independence.

What does your organization look like when I'm gone?
Your teams make coordinated, autonomous architecture decisions, new team members become productive quickly, and you deliver reliably - without me.

The longer you wait, the deeper the dependency on individual knowledge holders becomes.

I deliberately work with only a few organizations at a time. In our first conversation, we'll figure out if I'm even the right fit for you. No pitch, no obligation, just clarity. 30 minutes. Message me.

taplio

The Battle

Brian Childress

Sönke Schwenk

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