Alison Ellis
Fractional CTO for AI & Automation
Ship AI products and automations 3x faster, cut manual work 20-50%, and augment your team with proven execution for startups and operators.
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Executive Sales Dashboard
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How PocketCTO Partners delivers measurable outcomes
We help teams ship AI products faster, reduce manual operations, and protect customer data without hiring a full-time engineering org.
Velocity Tracker
Launch timeline control
Sprint 0 · Discovery
5 days
-2 days vs. plan
MVP Build
18 days
-5 days vs. plan
Governance Review
3 days
-1 day vs. plan
Pilot Launch
28 days
+2 days vs. plan
Ops Handoff
4 days
-3 days vs. plan
Velocity Sprints
Launch production-grade pilots in weeks with a fractional CTO team that handles roadmap, architecture, and delivery.
Automation Backlog
Ops savings tracker
Workflow
Ticket escalations
Manual effort
-42%
Ops Automation ROI
Automate RevOps, CX, and finance workflows to cut manual effort 20–50% while keeping humans in the loop for high-value work.
Security Controls
Compliance built-in
Runbooks updated
92% mapped
Escalation response
< 14 minutes
Operate with Confidence
Build automation with pragmatic guardrails—logging, access controls, and runbooks that keep teams aligned without overselling certification.
How PocketCTO Partners delivers measurable outcomes
Fractional leadership plus delivery muscle. We pair strategy, hands-on build teams, and pragmatic guardrails so you can move fast without breaking trust.
Fractional CTO for AI & automation
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AI/Automation Opportunity Audit
2-3 week assessment that maps KPIs, stack diagrams, risk considerations, and a prioritized backlog to hit 90-day wins.
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CTO-on-Call Retainer
On-demand Executive support, vendor management, and roadmap ownership—senior leadership without the full-time headcount.
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Build & Ship Projects
Fixed-fee delivery pods that integrate data, ship AI workflows, and leave your team with playbooks and guardrails.
Insights & Resources
Explore our latest thinking on shipping AI & automation for SMEs and startups.
Engagement models built for momentum
Choose the level of support you need—from a focused audit to an embedded fractional CTO squad.
AI/Automation Opportunity Audit
$3k – $7.5k fixed
2–3 week assessment documenting KPIs, stack diagrams, prioritized backlog, and a 90-day roadmap with ROI modelling.
- Executive-ready findings deck
- Current-state systems map + data flows
- Prioritized opportunity backlog (RICE)
- Quick wins playbook (<30 days)
- Risk notes and vendor dependencies
CTO-on-Call Retainer
$7k – $15k / month
Fractional CTO leadership with a cadence that fits your needs, roadmap ownership, and vendor coordination.
- Weekly exec standups + monthly steering
- Roadmap + backlog management
- Vendor and budget oversight
- Operational guardrails and tooling reviews
- Team enablement and hiring support
Build & Ship Projects
$25k – $150k milestones
Delivery pods to ship AI products, automations, and integrations with measurable ROI and full documentation.
- Product + architecture ownership
- Fixed-fee sprints with milestone sign-off
- Data, API, and workflow integrations
- QA, security reviews, and release planning
- Playbooks, training, and handover
Frequently asked questions
Still curious about how we can help? Book an intro call and we'll map out the fit together.
What results does the AI/Automation Opportunity Audit deliver?
In 2–3 weeks you receive an executive-ready deck covering ROI projections, a current-state systems map, prioritized backlog, quick-win playbook, and risk register so you can act with confidence immediately after the audit.
Do you only support venture-backed startups?
We work with pre-seed to Series B founders as well as 10–200 FTE services and operations teams who need to ship AI initiatives without adding full-time leadership.
Can you collaborate with our in-house engineers or agencies?
Yes. We regularly lead mixed delivery pods alongside internal engineers, data teams, and partner agencies—PocketCTO handles product/architecture, vendor selection, and program alignment so everyone stays on track.
How is pricing structured?
Audits are fixed fee ($3k-$7.5k). Fractional CTO retainers start at $7k/month and project builds run from $25k–$150k with milestone-based payments. Every engagement includes transparent scope, deliverables, and exit ramps.
How quickly can we get started?
After the intro call we can finalize scopes within 3–5 business days. Kickoff is scheduled as soon as contracts and initial assets are in place, often the following week.
What does onboarding look like?
We set up shared workspaces, intake forms, and a cadence that fits your needs. You'll also receive a checklist of artifacts we need—access, datasets, and any risk docs—to hit the ground running.
How do you keep projects production-ready?
Security is baked into every workflow: documented guardrails, SOC 2-inspired controls, vendor due diligence, and data classification. We maintain a current subprocessor list and support DPA reviews alongside your legal/compliance teams—while being clear we’re not a certification body.
What happens after delivery?
We leave you with playbooks, training, and measurement dashboards. Many clients keep us on retainer for roadmap ownership, but every engagement includes a structured handoff so you stay self-sufficient.