Edinburgh & Scotland
Fractional CTO for Edinburgh Startups
Senior technical leadership for Scotland's growing tech ecosystem. Remote-first with regular visits to Edinburgh. I help climate tech, fintech, and deep tech startups build scalable technology without the overhead of a full-time CTO.
Why Edinburgh Startups Need Fractional CTOs
Edinburgh is Scotland's tech powerhouse. Home to CodeBase (one of Europe's largest tech incubators), world-class universities, and a growing cluster of climate tech, fintech, and space technology companies. The ecosystem has matured significantly, with Scottish Enterprise, Archangels, and Par Equity backing ambitious startups.
But Edinburgh faces a specific challenge: the talent pool for senior technical leadership is smaller than London or Manchester. Hiring a full-time CTO means competing with established players like FanDuel, Skyscanner, and the big four consultancies. A fractional arrangement gives you access to experienced leadership without that competition.
Remote-First, In-Person When Needed
Most of our work happens remotely. But when you need me in Edinburgh for a board meeting, investor pitch, or team workshop, I travel. The train from London is under five hours, and I am happy to be there when it matters.
Scottish Ecosystem Understanding
I understand how Scottish Enterprise grants work, how to navigate Edinburgh's investor landscape, and the practical realities of building a tech company outside London. Different funding environment, different talent dynamics, same high standards.
Climate Tech and Deep Tech Focus
Edinburgh punches above its weight in climate tech, space technology, and enterprise SaaS. I have particular experience with regulated industries and complex technical products, which aligns well with what Scottish startups are building.
Flexible Arrangement
1-3 days per week, fully remote or with periodic Edinburgh visits. Scale up for fundraising rounds or product launches. Scale down when you need less support.
Remote-First
Most work happens online
Edinburgh Visits
In-person when it matters
Scotland-Wide
Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen too
Edinburgh's Tech Ecosystem
I work with startups connected to Edinburgh's key tech institutions and clusters:
Incubator
CodeBase
Europe's largest tech incubator
Universities
University Spin-outs
Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, St Andrews
Government
Scottish Enterprise
High-growth support programmes
Industry
Climate Tech Cluster
Net Zero, ESG, sustainability
Deep Tech
Space & Satellite
ESA BIC, Higgs Centre
What I Help Edinburgh Startups With
Technical Strategy and Architecture
Technology choices that scale with your business. Build the right thing, the right way, without over-engineering for problems you do not have yet. Particularly relevant for deep tech and climate tech where technical complexity is high.
Engineering Team Building
Hiring in Edinburgh's competitive market. Building interview processes that identify great engineers. Creating a culture that retains them against the pull of larger employers.
Fundraising Support
Technical due diligence preparation. Investor presentations that explain your technology credibly. I understand what Scottish and UK investors look for, and how to answer the hard questions about scalability and technical risk.
Product and Technology Leadership
Bridging the gap between what your technology can do and what the market needs. As a fractional CPTO, I bring both product strategy and engineering execution together, which is particularly valuable for technical products serving enterprise customers.
About Me
I am Mike Tempest. I have been building technology products for over 15 years, primarily in fintech and enterprise SaaS.
Most recently I was CTO at Risika, a Danish fintech where we went from burning VC cash to profitability in 18 months. Before that, I scaled RefME to 2 million users as Head of Engineering before acquisition by Chegg. I have worked with Google, Apple, and YouTube through Beyond, and led teams at Critical Mass.
I understand the challenges of building technology companies outside the London bubble. Edinburgh has a brilliant ecosystem with different dynamics. Smaller talent pool, different investor landscape, stronger university connections. I help founders navigate those differences while building technology that competes globally.
Insights for Scottish Founders
When Does Your Startup Need a CTO?
The honest answer: probably later than you think. But definitely before you think you can manage without one forever.
Cannot Afford a Full-Time CTO?
You need senior technical leadership but cannot justify a £200k salary. Here are your real options.
Technical Leadership for Regulated Startups
Building technology in FCA-regulated, healthcare, or compliance-heavy environments demands different leadership.
Build vs Buy: A Framework
Most founders get this decision wrong because they focus on upfront cost instead of total cost of ownership.
Let's Talk About Your Technology Challenges
Book a call. No commitment, no sales pitch. Just a conversation about where you are and where you want to be.
Book Discovery Call