Mike Tempest Fractional CPTO for UK Startups
From 12 Resignations to Zero Attrition
When I joined Risika, the engineering team was falling apart. 18 months later: shipping velocity doubled, zero attrition, $5.6M ARR.
The fix wasn't technical. It was commercial.
Read the full story →We turn around struggling tech teams and make them work
As CTO at Risika, we transformed the business from VC-funded to profitable in 18 months. We rebuilt the engineering culture around ownership, voice, and remote-first ways of working. You get the same operating system we use to run a fintech profitably.
Latest ProjectWhether you need strategic technical leadership, help scaling your team, or guidance through a turnaround. I have done it before and I can help you do it right.
Get in touchReal Impact
At Risika, we led the transformation from VC-funded to profitable in 18 months. We took a predominantly in-house team and built a high-performing distributed remote organisation. The key was not just structure. It was rebuilding culture around ownership, giving people a voice, and psychological safety.
At RefME, we scaled the team to ~50 people and the platform to 2 million users. We made one of the toughest calls of our careers: rewriting the core business functionality from JavaScript to Pascal. Accuracy was around 55% and threatening the business. It was high-risk. If we got it wrong, we could have destroyed the company. We pulled it off. Accuracy went to 99%.
Where I've Worked
2023 - Present
Chief Technology Officer at Risika
2024 - 2025
Founder & CEO at Elysium Studios
2020 - Dec 2022
Technology Director at Critical Mass
2016 - 2020
Contract Lead Engineer
2014 - 2016
Head of Engineering at RefME
2013 - 2014
Contract Front End Developer
2012 - 2013
Senior Front End Developer at Beyond (Google/YouTube)
2011
Senior Front End Developer at Beyond (Apple)
2008 - 2011
Front End Developer at Propeller Communications
2006 - 2008
Freelance Web Designer
Ready to work with someone who delivers real results?
Contact MeLet's Build Something Great Together
Whether you need strategic technical leadership, help scaling your team, or guidance through a turnaround. I have done it before and I can help you do it right.