Fractional CTO · Columbus, Ohio

Steve Thomas
Helping Founders
Understand
Their Tech.

For 30 years, Steve has served as both a CEO and CTO — leading businesses, building technology organizations, and translating complex technical realities into clear business decisions. That experience is the foundation CTO Clarity is built on.

20
Years CTO Experience
30+
Startups Reviewed
$100M+
Deals Supported
Steve in a jacket
Steve Thomas
Fractional CTO
The Story

Built on 30 Years of Being in the Room

Steve has sat in many board rooms, pitch meetings, and technical audits where a non-technical founder didn't know how to answer a basic technical question — and watched a deal cool or a relationship shift as a result.

"The gap between what founders know about their technology and what they need to know is costing them deals, customers, and sleep."

Steve built CTO Clarity because he kept seeing the same problem: brilliant founders, building real products, with real revenue — who had no idea whether their technology could survive an investor's technical review, a data breach, or their first viral moment.

The problem isn't intelligence. It's access. Senior CTO judgment costs $200–$300/hour and requires a full-time commitment most early-stage companies can't afford. He wanted to change that — starting with the Clarity Audit a 30-question risk assessment that gives any founder an honest picture of their technical risks in 8 minutes.

Steve is based in Delaware, Ohio — Columbus area — and works with founders across the US. His background spans blockchain infrastructure, B2B SaaS platforms, enterprise security, and regulated industries including healthcare and financial services.

What We Believe

Three Principles Behind Everything We Do

Plain English, Always
If we can't explain a technical risk in terms that affect your business, revenue, or investors — we haven't done our job. Jargon is a failure of communication, not a sign of expertise.
Honest Over Comfortable
We'll tell you what we actually find — not what you want to hear. If your codebase is a risk, you need to know before an investor's CTO tells you the same thing and pulls their term sheet.
Practical Over Perfect
Every recommendation we make is achievable at your stage with your team and your budget. We don't prescribe enterprise-grade solutions for pre-seed companies.
Background

30 Years Across the Stack

🏗️
Technical Architecture
Designed and evaluated systems at every scale — from $0 to Series C+. He knows what CTO advisors look for in due diligence.
🔒
Security & Compliance
HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2, PCI DSS. He's helped startups navigate regulated industries without losing their velocity.
⛓️
Blockchain & AI
Deep experience in distributed systems, smart contract architecture, and AI integration for enterprise and startup clients.
📈
Fundraising Support
Supported $100M+ in startup financing across seed to Series C+, providing technical due diligence documentation and investor CTO prep.
Get Started

Ready to Get Clarity
on Your Technology?

Start with the free Clarity Audit — 30 questions, 8 minutes, one honest verdict on your startup's technical investor readiness risks. Or reach out directly if you're ready to talk.