Where Technical Excellence Meets Business Strategy
I'm a technical entrepreneur who bridges the gap between business strategy and technology implementation. With experience as a cofounder, fractional CTO, and strategic advisor, I help companies navigate the intersection of AI, software development, and business growth.
My approach combines deep technical expertise with practical business acumen. I've built companies from zero to one, scaled technical teams, and architected systems that handle real-world complexity. Whether you're a PE firm evaluating technical assets, a startup finding product-market fit, or an enterprise modernizing your tech stack, I bring hands-on experience and strategic insight to drive meaningful outcomes.
Technical Due Diligence & Portfolio Support
I help PE firms make informed investment decisions and maximize portfolio value through comprehensive technical assessments and strategic implementation support.
Scenario: PE firm evaluating acquisition of fintech platform
Working with a PE firm's investment team, I conducted a comprehensive technical assessment of a financial data platform serving institutional investors. My analysis revealed critical architectural improvements that could 3x processing capacity while reducing infrastructure costs by 40%. Post-acquisition, I worked with the portfolio company to implement these optimizations, resulting in improved margins and positioning for their next growth phase.
Key outcomes:
Technical Advisory & Portfolio Acceleration
I partner with VC firms to evaluate technical founders, assess product viability, and accelerate portfolio company growth through hands-on technical guidance.
Scenario: Seed-stage AI company seeking Series A
Partnered with a VC firm to validate an AI startup's core technology claims and scalability potential. Through code review, architecture analysis, and competitive benchmarking, I verified their proprietary approach offered genuine advantages. I then worked with the founding team to develop a technical roadmap aligned with their Series A goals, including specific milestones for performance improvements and enterprise features.
Key outcomes:
Fractional CTO & Technical Strategy
I provide startups with senior technical leadership and hands-on development expertise, helping navigate the journey from idea to scale.
Scenario: Educational institution building custom learning management system
Served as fractional CTO for an educational technology initiative, leading the development of a comprehensive learning management system from concept to launch. Built the initial architecture, recruited the technical team, and implemented AI-powered features for personalized learning paths. The platform now serves 5,000+ students with 99.9% uptime.
Key outcomes:
Digital Transformation & Innovation
I help established companies modernize their technology infrastructure, implement AI capabilities, and build competitive advantages through strategic technical initiatives.
Scenario: Traditional insurer building climate risk modeling platform
As cofounder and technical lead for The Climate Insurance Company, I'm architecting a platform that transforms how insurance companies model and price climate risk. This involves building complex financial models, integrating multiple data sources, and creating intuitive interfaces for non-technical users. The platform combines traditional actuarial methods with modern AI approaches to provide more accurate risk assessments.
Key outcomes:
While I can strategize with the best of them, I'm happiest when I'm building. I write production code, review PRs, debug issues, and pair program with your team. The best insights come from being in the trenches, not the boardroom.
I'm not a solo consultant. I have a deep bench. Over 15 years, I've built relationships with exceptional engineers, product managers, designers, and AI specialists. When your project needs specialized expertise or extra hands, I can quickly bring in the right people who I've personally worked with and trust to deliver.
I move fast but build things right the first time. That means choosing boring technology when appropriate, writing tests that matter, and documenting decisions. Technical debt is a choice, not an accident.
No black boxes, no surprises. I communicate early and often about risks, trade-offs, and blockers. You'll have access to everything I build, understand how it works, and know exactly where we stand at all times.
The goal isn't to make myself indispensable. It's to level up your team while delivering results. I write documentation like a developer will actually read it, create runbooks that work, and ensure your team owns what we build together.
Languages
Python, TypeScript, JavaScript, SQL
AI/ML
LangChain, OpenAI, Claude, Custom ML pipelines
Cloud
AWS, Google Cloud, Vercel
Databases
PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Vector databases
Frameworks
React, Next.js, FastAPI, Node.js
DevOps
Docker, CI/CD, Infrastructure as Code
I'm selective about engagements to ensure I can deliver exceptional value. If you're facing a technical challenge that requires both strategic insight and hands-on expertise, I'd love to explore how we can work together.
Ideal engagements involve:
hello@vandraventures.com