Top Outsourced CTO Agencies in the UK in 2025

Best Fractional & Part-time CTO Services in the United Kingdom

As the UK continues to solidify its reputation as a hub for innovation, technology leadership is becoming more crucial than ever. Yet for many startups, scale-ups, and even mature mid-sized businesses, hiring a full-time Chief Technology Officer (CTO) can be costly, complex, and unnecessary at certain stages. That’s where fractional and part-time CTO services come into play.

These outsourced CTOs deliver strategic leadership, technical direction, and executive-level oversight—without the overhead of a permanent hire. Whether a company is building a product, modernising infrastructure, entering a new market, or preparing for funding, fractional CTOs offer the flexibility and deep expertise needed to make confident decisions.

At Digital Reference, we’re focused on improving the efficiency and transparency of the talent ecosystem. We’ve curated this list of leading outsourced CTO providers in the United Kingdom, featuring individuals and agencies who consistently deliver high-impact results.

Our Methodology

To build this curated list, we evaluated:

• Proven client outcomes and engagement case studies
• Breadth and depth of technical leadership experience
• Presence and operations in the UK market
• Flexibility of engagement models (part-time, project-based, advisory, etc.)
• Industry focus (startups, SaaS, fintech, e-commerce, etc.)

The following providers are active in the UK and offer credible, scalable CTO support across a range of business contexts.

1. Gather Technology

Website: https://gather.tech/outsourced-cto/

Gather Technology offers outsourced and fractional CTO services to startups and SMEs across the UK. Their approach is holistic, balancing hands-on support with high-level strategy.

Why They Stand Out:

• Provides strategic planning, team mentoring, and tech stack design
• Extensive experience with digital products, SaaS, and custom platforms
• Strong emphasis on aligning technology with business outcomes

2. PSP (Professional Services Partnership)

Website: https://psp-outsourced.com/outsourced-it-roles/cto-service/

PSP provides outsourced IT leadership, including part-time and interim CTO roles. Their team brings decades of operational experience, especially in regulated industries.

Why They Stand Out:

• Excellent fit for compliance-heavy sectors like finance and healthcare
• Combines CTO advisory with managed IT services
• Great for mid-market firms looking to evolve their infrastructure and digital maturity

3. Freeman Clarke

Website: https://www.freemanclarke.com/en-us/fractional-cto/

Freeman Clarke is a well-known UK-based provider of fractional CIO and CTO services. With dozens of partners across the UK, they deliver embedded leadership to organisations needing strategic IT direction.

Why They Stand Out:

• Large bench of experienced CTOs available on-demand
• Flexible models including board advisory, hands-on CTO, and IT transformation
• Trusted by UK SMEs for over a decade

4. Limes

Website: https://limes.ltd/fractional-cto

Limes offers fractional CTO services for high-growth startups and digital product companies. They help founders move from MVP to scalable technology solutions.

Why They Stand Out:

• CTO services embedded in product teams
• Expertise in Python, Node.js, React, and cloud infrastructure
• Great for early-stage or post-seed companies

5. Embeddable

Website: https://embeddable.co.uk/how-we-help/fractional-cto/

Embeddable helps startups and digital teams grow through fractional CTO, CPO, and engineering leadership. Their approach blends mentorship with systems architecture.

Why They Stand Out:

• Strong track record in product-led companies
• Provides code reviews, team hiring support, and tech roadmap development
• Emphasis on embedding into founder teams with agility

6. Full Stack Consulting

Website: https://fullstackconsulting.co.uk/services/fractional-cto

Full Stack Consulting delivers CTO-level leadership with an emphasis on modern cloud-native technology stacks. They work across a range of industries and company sizes.

Why They Stand Out:

• Combines strategy, architecture, and delivery oversight
• Experience with AWS, Azure, and microservices environments
• Great fit for product-centric startups and agencies

7. Adam Martin – fCTO

Website: https://fractional-ctos.com/

Adam Martin is an experienced freelance CTO (fCTO) working with tech startups, agencies, and non-technical founders. He provides executive-level advice and embedded support.

Why He Stands Out:

• Strong personal brand and clear service offerings
• Combines business strategy with technical execution
• Experience in SaaS, edtech, and B2B platforms

8. CTO as a Service

Website: https://cto-as-a-service.io/

This platform provides on-demand access to UK-based fractional CTOs, matching businesses with experienced tech leaders for temporary or project-based roles.

Why They Stand Out:

• Marketplace-style model with vetted CTOs
• Flexible, fast, and scalable access
• Great option for startups needing immediate technical oversight

9. Pragmatic Partners

Website: https://www.pragmaticpartners.co.uk/fractional-cto/

Pragmatic Partners brings no-nonsense technical leadership to scaling companies. Their fractional CTO service is designed to create clarity and momentum for digital teams.

Why They Stand Out:

• Strong product and engineering culture
• Services include tech audits, hiring support, and strategic planning
• Ideal for businesses struggling with tech debt or platform scalability

10. Foresight Mobile

Website: https://foresightmobile.com/services/fractional-cto-service

Foresight Mobile offers fractional CTO services alongside product design and mobile development. Their focus is on helping non-technical founders turn ideas into robust mobile applications.

Why They Stand Out:

• Full product development stack with technical oversight
• Focus on MVP delivery and scaling mobile apps
• Strong design and user experience orientation

11. Bytesized Fractional CTO

Website: https://foresightmobile.com/services/fractional-cto-service

A service offered under Foresight Mobile, Bytesized CTO offers bite-sized, strategic CTO engagements for early-stage companies.

Why They Stand Out:

• Lower-cost entry point for tech strategy support
• Short-term engagements with long-term value
• Ideal for pre-revenue startups

12. Kitnetic

Website: https://kitnetic.co.uk/service/fractional-cto

Kitnetic provides fractional and interim CTO services, particularly for e-commerce, logistics, and software product firms. They support CTO transitions and technology turnarounds.

Why They Stand Out:

• Strong focus on digital commerce and operations tech
• Services include vendor management, platform audits, and scaling guidance
• Available for interim and project-specific CTO roles

13. Kay Services

Website: https://www.kayservices.co.uk/virtual-cto

Kay Services provides virtual CTO and CIO services, helping organisations modernise, secure, and scale their technology stack.

Why They Stand Out:

• Practical approach focused on business needs
• Strong focus on cybersecurity and IT compliance
• Good fit for traditional businesses undergoing digital change

14. YourDigitalCTO

Website: https://www.yourdigitalcto.com/

YourDigitalCTO offers fractional CTO services to non-technical founders, scale-ups, and SMEs. They provide hands-on help with vendor selection, hiring, architecture, and strategic planning.

Why They Stand Out:

• Focused on startups with technical uncertainty
• Transparent pricing and fixed engagements
• Combines coaching and hands-on delivery

15. The Interim CTO

Website: https://www.theinterimcto.com/

The Interim CTO provides UK startups and mid-sized firms with experienced temporary tech leadership, typically filling in during key transitions or new initiatives.

Why They Stand Out:

• Supports businesses during scaling, crisis, or post-funding phases
• Deep understanding of founder and investor priorities
• Focused on outcome-driven leadership

Why Companies Are Choosing Fractional CTOs in the UK

Businesses across the UK are embracing fractional CTOs as an alternative to expensive, long-term executive hires. This model offers companies:

• Immediate access to top-tier technical leadership
• Cost control and scalability of engagement
• Support for short-term goals or long-term transformation
• Leadership to manage remote or hybrid tech teams

Whether you’re launching a product, preparing for a round of funding, or modernising your operations, a fractional CTO can deliver meaningful impact.

Final Thoughts

Fractional CTO services are becoming an indispensable part of the UK’s modern tech ecosystem. As companies seek to remain agile and cost-conscious, these flexible, high-value services provide access to technical vision, product direction, and scalable architecture.

At Digital Reference, we’ve curated this list to help businesses find the right partner—whether that’s a solo operator, a consulting firm, or an embedded team player.

Use this guide to explore your options, reach out to providers, and identify who aligns best with your goals. The future of technical leadership is modular, on-demand, and tailored to the needs of your business.

– The Digital Reference Team

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