Fractional CTOs in Washington DC Making Things Happen in 2025

Washington DC Interim Chief Technology Officers to Know

Washington DC has long been known as a hub of policy, defense, and public service—but beneath the surface of Capitol Hill is a thriving technology scene with a rising demand for smart, adaptive tech leadership. As the nation’s capital continues to attract startups, government contractors, non-profits, and mission-driven tech companies, the need for executive-level technology insight is growing—and not always in the form of full-time hires. That’s where fractional CTOs come in.

At Digital Reference, our mission is to foster radical transparency and radical authenticity in the professional world. We don’t just spotlight people because of their job titles. We highlight professionals based on real impact, trust, and the value they bring to organizations navigating complexity. Our curated lists are part of a living ecosystem where talent is verified, not assumed, and where your professional narrative is backed by actual outcomes.

This blog showcases a powerful cohort of fractional CTOs in the DC metro area. Some are independent consultants, some operate boutique advisory firms, and all bring deep technical and strategic acumen to the table. Whether working with venture-backed startups, policy-adjacent platforms, or civic tech firms, these leaders are helping organizations across the region build smarter, more scalable, and more secure systems.

Methodology for Selection

• Professionals must be based in or serve organizations in Washington DC or the surrounding DMV (District, Maryland, Virginia) area.
• Focus on fractional, part-time, or interim CTO offerings.
• Demonstrated track record of startup leadership, technical strategy, or scalable infrastructure.
• Strong presence in either thought leadership, client outcomes, or startup support ecosystems.

Featured Leaders

Sachin Nene

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinnene/

Sachin Nene is a seasoned technology executive who serves as a fractional CTO and advisor to high-growth companies, especially in government contracting and cybersecurity sectors. With extensive experience in federal IT systems and commercial platforms, Sachin is known for his ability to scale tech infrastructure while navigating security and compliance demands.

He is often called on by founder-led teams who need to modernize legacy systems or build MVPs that must integrate with federal protocols. Sachin brings a rare combination of technical depth, regulatory understanding, and leadership maturity. His dual fluency in startup pace and institutional frameworks makes him an ideal partner for companies in the DC ecosystem.

Yogesh Khanna

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yogesh-khanna-6034764/

Yogesh Khanna brings over two decades of senior technology leadership, including experience as CTO at major government contractors and SaaS platforms. Now offering fractional CTO services, Yogesh works with companies navigating digital transformation, cybersecurity, and IT strategy alignment.

Based in Northern Virginia and active in the greater DC area, he’s trusted for guiding enterprises through complex technology landscapes. His engagements often include building out cloud architecture, transitioning to DevOps practices, and mentoring in-house teams to become more agile.

What sets Yogesh apart is his ability to translate executive vision into technical roadmaps that scale. He’s especially impactful for mid-market organizations and mission-driven enterprises undergoing structural change.

Brendan Grace

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendengrace/

Brendan Grace is a Washington DC-based fractional CTO who specializes in startup advisory, platform architecture, and product-market fit alignment. With a background in venture-backed startups and a strong orientation toward user experience, Brendan offers the kind of technical leadership that helps young companies ship smarter.

He works closely with early-stage founders to build their first tech stack, make key hiring decisions, and avoid common pitfalls in product architecture. Brendan is known for being approachable, hands-on, and highly collaborative—the kind of CTO who integrates seamlessly into founder-led teams.

Whether you’re launching a fintech platform or refining a civic tech product, Brendan brings clarity, speed, and technical acumen.

Andrey Mikhalchuk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikhalchuk/

Andrey Mikhalchuk is a serial entrepreneur and CTO-for-hire who helps startups in the DC area build scalable cloud infrastructure, data pipelines, and backend systems. He is highly respected in both product and developer communities for his open-source contributions and mentoring.

Andrey’s clients often include B2B SaaS startups, healthtech ventures, and data-centric platforms. He’s especially strong at helping technical founders level up their architecture or at guiding non-technical founders through the build phase.

With a pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to software leadership, Andrey ensures that early-stage companies build not just quickly—but sustainably.

Why Fractional CTOs Matter in the DC Tech Scene

Washington DC is more than politics. It’s a hotbed of innovation in cybersecurity, health IT, clean tech, and civic tech. And yet, many of the companies driving this innovation don’t need (or can’t afford) a full-time CTO. That’s where fractional leaders come in.

Fractional CTOs bring:

• Executive-level expertise on flexible terms
• Guidance through complex product builds, audits, or scaling events
• Support for hiring and team development
• Experience with regulated industries and compliance

In cities like DC where contracts, policies, and partnerships often shape product decisions, having a technology leader who understands these dynamics is invaluable.

The Digital Reference Difference

At Digital Reference, we’re building a better way to represent professional identity. In the age of fractional work, consulting, and portfolio careers, résumés and job titles fall short. We provide:

• Human-centric portfolios that tell the real story
• Structured verification of past performance
• Reference-backed narratives that travel with you

Our platform helps professionals like these CTOs:

• Capture meaningful feedback from clients
• Highlight thought leadership, past outcomes, and industry verticals
• Share their work in a way that goes beyond the traditional CV

In short, we’re making talent discovery more transparent and more human.

Join the Movement or Nominate a Leader

This list is only the beginning. Know a standout fractional CTO in the Washington DC area who should be featured? Want to be included in a future edition of this series? Reach out to us at Digital Reference.

Let’s keep building a future where talent is seen, respected, and aligned with the work that matters.

Stay curious, stay connected.

— The Digital Reference Team

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