Hello, I'm caz

CTO-for-Hire

for Startups Who Want to Move Fast Without Breaking Things

I design scalable systems, lead engineering teams, and help founders launch smart MVPs

fractional cto | architecture | DevOps | techops | engineering
Photo of Caz, a female presenting person with red curly hair
coding 2 (1)

About me

I’m Caz Stephenson – a Fractional CTO, Solutions Architect, and Technical Generalist with 13+ years of experience helping organisations design and deliver scalable, effective software.

I’ve worked across sectors — from SaaS and comms to health tech, public sector, and nonprofits — bringing clarity to complex systems and delivering reliable solutions that just work.

I’ve led everything from Infrastructure and DevOps teams to product architecture and MVP launches. I’ve supported founders, advised engineering teams, run TechOps, and even helped close enterprise deals as a solutions engineer.

Today, I help early-stage startups and growing teams make smart technical decisions, ship faster, and scale with confidence — without needing to hire a full-time CTO.

What I bring

I bring hands-on engineering, architecture and leadership to help you build, scale and align you tech with your business – without the overhead of a full-time hire

Technical strategy & architecture planning

I help you make smart foundational decisions — designing scalable systems that support your roadmap without over-engineering.

MVP design, build, and launch guidance

Whether you're validating an idea or launching V1, I guide you through the build process to ship something lean, reliable, and ready to grow.

Product discovery & early-stage planning

I work with you to clarify product goals, identify user needs, and define a realistic path to launch — so you build the right thing, the right way.

Infrastructure setup, DevOps, and cloud engineering

From CI/CD pipelines to scalable cloud infrastructure, I ensure your backend is stable, secure, and built to scale with confidence.

Team structure, hiring, and mentoring

I help you find, structure, and grow the right team — and support them with clear technical leadership, mentoring, and processes.

Stakeholder management & communication

I bridge the gap between technical teams and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring alignment, clarity, and trust across the board.

Pre-sales support and product shaping

I translate complex technical ideas for clients and stakeholders, helping you win deals and shape the right solutions early.

Calm, experienced leadership

I bring grounded, senior-level decision-making to your startup — helping you avoid costly mistakes and move forward with clarity.

Skills

Cloud Architecture
80%
Backend Development
90%
DevOps & CI/CD
80%
Technical Leadership
90%
Product Discovery
90%
Stakeholder Management
80%

Experience

2024-now

Shane Collective

Chief Technical Officer

Heading up technology and product strategy as we launch the Shane app - getshane.io - a global platform empowering LGBTQ+ folks with peer reviewed search, safety and navigation information, built by and for Queer people.

2021-now

caz.fyi ltd

Freelance solutions architect

I've taken on select freelance projects, helping businesses with targeted solutions architecture and technical guidance. These engagements focused on practical problem solving and aligning technology with client goals

2021-2024

Ciptex

senior solutions engineer

At Ciptex, I worked across Solutions Architecture and Engineering to design and deliver intelligent communications platforms — with a strong focus on not-for-profits, often through Twilio.org. I led architecture and technical delivery for key customer projects, collaborating closely with stakeholders to create scalable, mission-aligned solutions.

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