Finding the perfect CTO is hard, but you're in a situation where you need one now. Whether it's to keep things running smoothly because your company is experiencing rapid growth, or because you're seeking investment and need to provide credibility, Wilder Innovation's Interim CTO service will provide you with a highly experienced leader.
What Is Interim CTO?
An Interim CTO steps in to run technology when you're between permanent leaders. This happens after a CTO leaves, during a search process, or when you need someone to stabilize things before making a long-term hire.
This is full-time, on-site or remote, and temporary. Usually three to nine months. The goal is to keep the team productive, ship what needs shipping, and make sure you're in good shape when the permanent CTO starts.
You're not getting a placeholder. You're getting someone who can lead, decide, and execute while you figure out what you need permanently. Sometimes what you learn during an interim engagement changes who you hire next.
How It Works
We start by assessing what's happening right now. Team morale, project status, technical debt, vendor relationships, and immediate risks. This happens in the first week.
Then we stabilize. Make sure the team knows who's in charge, what's expected, and where they should focus. Stop any bleeding. Get releases back on schedule. Clear blockers.
After stabilization, we focus on progress. Ship what was planned, handle urgent technical decisions, and prepare documentation so the next CTO can ramp up quickly. When the permanent hire starts, we do a clean handoff.
- Rapid assessment - Understand current state of team, product, and systems
- Stabilize operations - Clear blockers, set priorities, restore predictability
- Lead the team - Daily standups, code reviews, architecture decisions
- Drive delivery - Ship committed work, handle urgent technical issues
- Document everything - Prepare transition materials for the next CTO
Who It's For
Companies that need immediate technical leadership while searching for a permanent CTO. Your previous CTO left, was let go, or you're scaling fast and need someone in place while recruiting.
- Your CTO just resigned and you need someone leading the team tomorrow
- You're searching for a permanent CTO but the process will take three to six months
- You promoted an engineer to CTO and it didn't work out
- You're about to close a funding round and need technical leadership in place now
Key Benefits
Your team stays productive instead of drifting. Projects keep moving. Technical decisions get made. The company doesn't stall while you recruit.
- Immediate stability - Leadership in place within days, not months
- Continuity - Team doesn't lose momentum during the search
- No long-term commitment - Ends when you hire the permanent CTO
- Search clarity - Learn what you actually need in a permanent leader
- Clean handoff - Documentation and transition plan for the new CTO
- Risk reduction - Someone experienced catches problems before they compound
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when we hire a permanent CTO?
We transition out. That includes detailed documentation, knowledge transfer meetings, and direct collaboration with the new leader. The goal is a smooth handoff, not a power struggle. Most transitions take one to two weeks.
Can an Interim CTO help us hire the permanent one?
Yes. We can participate in interviews, evaluate technical depth, and help you understand what skills actually matter for your situation. We're not threatened by hiring our replacement. That's the point.
What if we want to keep the Interim CTO permanently?
It happens. If the fit is good and both sides want it, we can convert to a permanent role. But we always start with the assumption this is temporary. That keeps expectations clear.
Schedule a call to learn more about how we can be your Interim CTO.