Emergency CTO Services
Emergency CTO provides immediate technical leadership in crisis situations: when your CTO leaves, production is down, or a critical launch is at risk. Engagements typically start at €25,000–40,000 per month.
Quick Answer
Emergency CTO is focused on stabilising technology and team within weeks. The priority is to restore uptime, reduce risk, and rebuild trust with stakeholders.
Start
Usually within 24–48 hours.
Scope
Crisis triage, incident response, short-term roadmap, team stabilisation.
Minimum engagement
1 month.
Pricing & Availability
Engagements are full-time and remote-first. On-site visits can be arranged.
Crisis Response
Immediate leadership to triage critical incidents, stabilise systems, and manage stakeholder communication. Focus on restoring service and creating a 30-day recovery plan.
✓
24/7 incident leadership✓
System triage and risk assessment✓
Stakeholder communication management✓
30-day stabilisation plan
€25,000 / month
1 month minimum
Stabilisation & Recovery
Ongoing leadership to address root causes, rebuild team processes, and prepare for a smooth handover to permanent leadership. Focus on long-term stability.
✓
Process implementation (incident, dev)✓
Team mentoring and re-organisation✓
Architectural improvements✓
Hiring and transition support
€20,000 / month
2-3 months
Standard emergency engagement
usually within 24–48 hours after agreement. First 2 weeks often include extended hours and 24/7 critical support.
✓
Incident command and hands-on resolution✓
Technical team leadership and stabilisation✓
Stakeholder communication and reporting
€25,000–40,000 / month
2-3 months
Pricing & Stages
Stage pricing depends on company size, complexity, and timeline. Rush option (3–5 days): +50% to the price.
When Do You Need an Emergency CTO?
An Emergency CTO is for critical situations requiring immediate, experienced technical leadership.
Sudden Leadership Gap
Your CTO or lead engineer suddenly left.
Production Instability
Frequent outages, severe bugs, or performance issues.
Security Incidents
Handling a security breach or data loss.
Launch Failures
A critical launch or migration went wrong.
Due Diligence Surprises
Serious technical issues uncovered before a deal.
Stabilisation Process
A structured approach to get from crisis to stability.
Week 1: Triage & Immediate Stabilisation
- Day 1–2: Emergency meetings, access setup, risk mapping.
- Day 3–5: Focus on production, security, and critical data integrity.
- Day 6–7: Short written report and 30-day stabilisation plan.
Weeks 2–4: Team & System Stabilisation
- Introduce or improve basic processes (standups, incident handling).
- Fix top-priority bugs and vulnerabilities.
- Clarify roles and responsibilities in the engineering team.
- Manage stakeholder communication (CEO, Board, investors, clients).
Months 2–3: Recovery & Transition Planning
- Create a longer-term technology roadmap.
- Define team structure and hiring plan, incl. permanent CTO if needed.
- Prepare a smooth handover to the next leader or steady-state setup.
Deliverables
Clear, actionable outcomes to navigate the crisis.
Crisis Assessment Report
5–10 pages
- Key risks and current status.
- Immediate action items.
30-Day Stabilisation Roadmap
3–5 pages
- Priorities and owners for the first month.
- Focus on stability and risk reduction.
Weekly Leadership Updates
1–2 pages
- Summary for leadership and the Board.
- Progress tracking and next steps.
Transition Plan
10–20 pages
- Documentation of major decisions and changes.
- Handover plan to long-term leadership.
Client Feedback
How we've helped companies in crisis
"The emergency CTO stabilised our platform and helped us pass technical due diligence on time."
Founder
Fintech Startup
"We went from repeated outages to predictable releases in a matter of weeks."
CEO
E-commerce Company
"The team gained structure and clarity in a very stressful period. Communication with the Board became much easier."
COO
B2B SaaS
"Emergency leadership helped us handle a compliance-related incident and prepare for audits."
Managing Director
Healthtech Platform
Related Services
Need Immediate Support?
Request Emergency CTO support now. We typically respond within hours.