Fractional CTOs in Seattle Making Things Happen in 2025

Seattle Interim Chief Technology Officers to Know

Seattle has long been a global tech heavyweight. It’s home to the cloud (literally), the birthplace of two of the world’s most valuable companies, and a launching pad for generations of engineering leaders. But in a post-remote, post-scale era, even Seattle’s fastest-moving companies are starting to think differently about how—and when—they bring tech leadership into the room.

Enter the fractional CTO.

Across the Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue region, startups, mid-market orgs, and investor-backed scale-ups are hiring fractional or interim Chief Technology Officers to lead product architecture, stabilize dev teams, or guide technical strategy—without committing to full-time headcount or executive search timelines.

At Digital Reference, we’ve curated a list of trusted, embedded, and referenceable fractional CTOs in Seattle who are helping companies move fast and build well.

Our Methodology: How We Select Seattle’s Fractional CTOs

Every professional featured in this article was selected through Digital Reference’s research-driven process:

✅ Active as a fractional, interim, or embedded CTO
✅ Based in or serving the Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue metro
✅ Demonstrated success in early- or growth-stage environments
✅ Public-facing credibility (LinkedIn, firm, or published work)
✅ Aligned with our core values: operational impact, reputation, and transparency

These are not “maybe CTOs.” These are hired, embedded, trusted leaders.

Seattle Fractional CTOs to Know

🔹 Bradley P. James

Fractional CTO | Platform Builder | SaaS Architect
Bradley helps early-stage SaaS companies create scalable, modern, and secure platforms from the ground up. With a background in enterprise architecture and cloud services, he specializes in reducing technical debt, leveling up junior teams, and aligning engineering with business goals. Founders rely on Bradley to be the strategic tech partner they wish they’d hired six months ago.

🔍 Specialties: B2B SaaS, platform architecture, cloud-native systems
📍 Based in: Seattle, WA

🔹 Mitra Raman

Fractional CTO | Technical Advisor | Product Strategy Coach
Mitra is known for her ability to sit at the intersection of product, engineering, and business strategy. She works with both non-technical founders and scaling tech teams to bridge vision with velocity. Whether it’s mapping a new architecture, mentoring an engineering manager, or aligning tech KPIs with investor goals, Mitra brings calm clarity to complex builds.

🔍 Specialties: Product/engineering alignment, org design, roadmap restructuring
📍 Based in: Seattle, WA

🔹 Bradley Bargen

Fractional CTO | AI-Enabled Platform Expert | Startup Technologist
Bradley has spent over 20 years building, scaling, and advising technology companies across healthtech, AI, and data platforms. As a fractional CTO, he partners with startups and founder-led teams who need strategic clarity and execution. He’s especially effective in AI or ML settings, helping companies align data strategy with product performance.

🔍 Specialties: AI platforms, technical due diligence, multi-cloud architecture
📍 Based in: Bellevue, WA

🔹 David Smith

CTO Advisor | Enterprise Systems Architect | Infrastructure Specialist
David supports companies moving from traditional IT to modern, scalable, cloud-first architecture. With deep experience in compliance-heavy and regulated environments, he’s often tapped to lead technical transitions, assess existing infrastructure, or mentor CTOs through growth and scale. His engagements are often post-funding or post-acquisition.

🔍 Specialties: Cloud infrastructure, security audits, B2B platforms
📍 Based in: Tacoma, WA

Why Seattle Is Built for Fractional CTO Engagements

Seattle’s tech scene is full of paradoxes. It has massive enterprise experience and scrappy startup energy. World-class engineers… and talent shortages. Funded companies… and lean teams. This is what makes fractional leadership work so well here.

When are Seattle companies hiring fractional CTOs?

• 🚀 Early growth stage (10–50 employees) but no in-house senior tech leader
  
  
• 📊 Preparing for Series A or B with technical debt to clean up
  
  
• 🧱 Building out v2 of a product post-MVP
  
  
• 💼 Navigating product/engineering friction
  
  
• 🔁 Recovering from failed dev agency engagements or internal churn
  
  

Fractional CTOs are the scaling partners who know how to assess, align, build, and mentor—fast.

What Makes These CTOs Stand Out

We look for CTOs who blend technical expertise with:

✅ Strategic advisory experience
✅ Founder fluency—understanding urgency, ambiguity, and iteration
✅ Operational credibility—they’ve built and shipped
✅ Talent development—they mentor as much as they manage
✅ Trust—they’re re-hired, referenced, and respected

Bradley, Mitra, Bradley B., and David represent that leadership model well—they're not interim managers, they're momentum builders.

More from Digital Reference

📘 How to Hire a Fractional Executive
A practical guide for founders and operators navigating interim leadership.

📍 The Importance of Professional References
Explore why third-party credibility is more critical than ever in today’s trust-driven hiring market.

📍 Find Local Fractional CTOs & Chief Technology Officers Near Me
Explore why third-party credibility is more critical than ever in today’s trust-driven hiring market.

📘 Collecting Professional References: The Dos and Don’ts
References are often the make-or-break element of your next opportunity. Yet many professionals still treat the reference process as an afterthought or, worse, scramble to collect them last minute.

📗 The Talent Ecosystem: Why Fractional Operators Are Reshaping the C-Suite
Explore the structural shifts behind the rise of fractional leadership and what it means for your next hire.

Final Word: Fractional CTOs Are Fueling the Next Wave of Seattle Innovation

Seattle tech has always been bold—but now it’s getting smarter about how it scales. With product complexity rising and technical leadership in high demand, fractional CTOs are filling the gap between idea and execution, between Series A and system stability.

Bradley James, Mitra Raman, Bradley Bargen, and David Smith are already leading these transitions—quietly, effectively, and with the reputation that matters most: teams that ask them to come back.

If you're navigating a tech inflection point, don’t just hire a “dev agency.”
Hire a CTO who will build with you.

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