Fractional CTOs in Los Angeles Making Things Happen in 2025

Los Angeles Interim Chief Technology Officers to Know

The Los Angeles tech ecosystem has long outgrown its label as "Hollywood’s side hustle." Today, it’s a thriving innovation hub—home to dynamic startups, venture-backed scale-ups, and fast-growing digital platforms. And behind many of these operations are the steady, strategic hands of fractional CTOs.

At Digital Reference, we believe professionals deserve to be seen for more than just titles and LinkedIn headers. We believe in showcasing real, verified work and building a more radically transparent and radically authentic talent ecosystem. That’s why we’re profiling the fractional CTOs of Los Angeles—the technologists who are quietly steering the future of Southern California’s most ambitious companies.

This blog is a living list, curated and updated regularly to reflect the leaders who are helping founders build products, scale platforms, and make bold tech bets without the overhead of a full-time CTO. These professionals are solo operators, independent advisors, and fractional executives with deep experience and a track record of building real things.

Our methodology includes:

• Verifying the professionals are based in LA or work closely with LA-based companies
• Evaluating depth of experience, public thought leadership, and active client work
• Prioritizing individuals who embody the values of ownership, transparency, and collaboration

Let’s dive into the LA talent fueling tomorrow’s innovation.

Brian Jeremy Kupetz

Company: Supergroup

Brian Jeremy Kupetz is the co-founder of Supergroup, a fractional tech and product leadership firm built for early-stage startups. As a CTO-for-hire, Brian is known for building high-performing engineering cultures and product roadmaps that translate vision into action.

Brian brings together decades of experience in product and tech leadership, with a uniquely human-centered approach. He doesn't just focus on code; he focuses on people, process, and scalable practices. At Supergroup, Brian and his team have helped dozens of companies across LA and beyond build MVPs, rebuild legacy platforms, and make smarter tech bets.

Patrick Grosso

Company: Visiting CTO

Patrick Grosso founded Visiting CTO to serve a simple need: give founders access to real-world CTO experience without the pressure of a full-time hire. Based in LA, Patrick works with early-stage and growth companies to provide strategic tech leadership, help with hiring and team development, and guide architectural decisions.

Patrick is especially strong when it comes to translating technical debt into business terms. He acts as a translator between engineering and executive leadership, helping startups mature their tech orgs with minimal disruption.

Charles Zivko

Company: SaMo Ventures

Charles Zivko serves as Fractional CTO through SaMo Ventures, where he partners with ambitious fintech startups and product teams. His specialty is supporting companies during critical inflection points—such as product-market fit, user growth, or technical scaling.

Charles combines product thinking with technical rigor. His experience spans mobile apps, payment systems, and large-scale backend infrastructures. He’s the kind of CTO who dives deep in the code but knows when to zoom out and align the roadmap with investor expectations.

Tony Karrer

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tonykarrer

A household name in the LA tech consulting world, Tony Karrer has been providing fractional CTO services long before the title became trendy. With over 20 years of experience, Tony works with startups, nonprofits, and growing companies to set up sound technical foundations.

Tony is also the founder of Aggregage and has deep roots in the learning tech and B2B SaaS sectors. He’s an ideal partner for founder-led companies that need someone who can think long-term and architect solutions for scale. His strength lies in making the complex manageable—and setting up processes that help tech teams thrive.

Ryan Vinson

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ryanvinson

Ryan Vinson brings a calm, confidence-inspiring presence to his role as a fractional CTO. Based in Los Angeles, Ryan has worked across e-commerce, fintech, and digital media, helping startups align their product and engineering functions.

He’s known for his ability to ramp up quickly and lead distributed teams through transition—whether that’s a rebuild, replatform, or just preparing for a next round of funding. Ryan's hands-on technical experience and strategic focus make him a go-to for founders looking for a steady guide.

Egor (Yahor) Shadryn

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yahor

Yahor Shadryn is a startup CTO and technology advisor with a knack for delivering lean, scalable systems. He works with founders and product teams to optimize architecture, build engineering teams, and accelerate product development cycles.

What sets Yahor apart is his dual focus on execution and mentorship. He not only builds the right solution—he helps teach teams how to operate it. Yahor is especially valuable in startup environments where speed matters, but technical debt can't be ignored.

Dustin Tiep

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dustintiep

As a consultant and fractional CTO at MacMD in Los Angeles, Dustin Tiep specializes in Apple ecosystem tech, privacy-focused development, and startup technology operations. Dustin’s sweet spot is helping growing companies create secure, reliable, and scalable infrastructure.

He brings over a decade of experience supporting creative firms, digital media businesses, and remote-first teams. Dustin’s ability to bridge consumer tech with backend systems makes him a go-to CTO for DTC brands and creative studios.

Ron Johnson

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ron-h-johnson

Ron Johnson is a fractional CTO and technology executive focused on strategy, operations, and supply chain. With decades of experience under his belt, Ron brings executive-level insight to midsize businesses navigating digital transformation.

Ron isn’t your typical CTO—his work extends into IT operations, logistics systems, and process redesign. He’s an ideal fit for companies that need cross-functional leadership, especially where technology is tied closely to supply chain or service delivery.

Jeremy Tong

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tongjeremy

Jeremy Tong offers fractional CTO services to startups in finance, crypto, and creator economy spaces. He specializes in architecting apps, building from scratch, and advising on scalable growth paths.

What makes Jeremy valuable is his firsthand experience as both engineer and technical founder. He understands the pressure of shipping fast and iterating in real time. Founders who want someone who speaks their language—and challenges them to think bigger—should have Jeremy on speed dial.

Roger Obando

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rogerobando

Roger Obando is a serial entrepreneur and tech advisor who now serves as a fractional CTO and coach for startup teams. Roger's been in the trenches—he co-founded a cannabis tech platform acquired in 2019—and now helps other founders avoid the pitfalls of fast growth.

Roger’s strength lies in mentorship. He doesn’t just help build platforms—he helps build the leadership culture needed to scale. For mission-driven founders who want an experienced partner who can think both tactically and emotionally, Roger brings that rare mix of vision and empathy.

Why Fractional CTOs Matter in LA

The Los Angeles tech landscape is vast and varied. From creator tools to logistics platforms, healthcare apps to SaaS products, LA companies need technology leadership that adapts to a dynamic, often resource-limited environment. That’s where fractional CTOs shine.

They offer:

• Experienced leadership at a part-time commitment
• Cross-industry knowledge and tested frameworks
• Credibility with investors and technical hires
• Cost-effective strategic support during critical growth periods

In LA, speed matters—but so does thoughtfulness. Fractional CTOs bring the mix of tempo and tact that’s essential for companies with big ambitions and limited time to waste.

Digital Reference: Reframing How Talent is Found

At Digital Reference, we believe your work should speak louder than your résumé. Our platform is designed to help independent professionals and fractional leaders:

• Capture their real achievements
• Showcase video references and portfolios
• Publish shareable profiles that highlight authenticity and proof

Each of the professionals in this blog has been selected for their alignment with those values. We believe in surfacing real stories, not just titles—and helping businesses find the kind of talent that gets things done.

We’re proud to be building a content ecosystem that makes the talent world more transparent, more authentic, and more effective.

Nominate Someone or Join the List

This list of LA-based fractional CTOs is just the beginning. We’ll be growing it over time—adding more voices, stories, and leaders who are building better, bolder companies across Southern California.

If you’re a fractional CTO based in LA—or know someone who should be on our radar—reach out. We’d love to hear from you.

Explore more leaders, build your profile, and become part of a more human talent ecosystem at Digital Reference.

– The Digital Reference Team

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