Tom Smykowski is a product-minded engineer and technical leader with nearly two decades of experience, offering Fractional CTO services to founders, CTOs, and executives. Based in Poland and working remotely with EU, UK, and US teams, he provides the strategic oversight, architectural guidance, and hands-on leadership needed to de-risk product development, accelerate AI adoption, and scale engineering teams without the full-time executive overhead. His approach combines deep technical execution with product and business thinking, making him an ideal fit for startups seeking to build or modernize systems, scale SaaS platforms, or integrate AI into their core workflows.
What a Remote Fractional CTO Delivers
A Fractional CTO serves as your part-time technical executive, providing leadership where and when you need it most. This model is particularly valuable for startups and scale-ups that require high-level strategic direction but aren't ready for, or don't need, a full-time C-suite hire. Tom operates as a strategic partner, embedding with your team to define technology roadmaps, establish engineering best practices, and make critical architectural decisions that align with business goals.
His engagements focus on ownership from discovery through production. This means he doesn't just advise from a distance, he rolls up his sleeves to help implement the vision. Whether you're building an MVP from scratch, modernizing a legacy Angular or React application, or setting up an AI software factory, he provides the hands-on leadership to ensure the work gets done effectively. His remote-first approach, with availability for occasional on-site workshops and client visits, ensures seamless collaboration across time zones.
The core deliverables of a Fractional CTO engagement include technical strategy formulation, team structure and hiring guidance, vendor and technology selection, risk management, and stakeholder communication. Tom leverages his extensive background with clients like Croissant, Printify, and Websoul to bring proven frameworks and a pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset to your unique challenges.
Strategic AI and Technology Leadership
In today's landscape, technical leadership is inseparable from AI strategy. A Fractional CTO must navigate the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem and identify practical applications that drive business value. Tom specializes in applied AI engineering and AI product integration, helping teams move from experimentation to production. He can guide the setup of AI-native software development lifecycles, incorporating tools like AI coding agents, implementing quality gates, and establishing automation that boosts developer productivity.
This strategic guidance extends beyond AI to encompass full-stack architecture, design systems, and scalability. Having led frontend at Fream and the design system rebrand at Printify ahead of its merger, he understands how to build robust, scalable foundations. His work supports platforms serving millions of users, such as the 10M+ merchant network at Printify or the 32,000+ businesses on the Websoul marketing automation platform.
For founders, this means having an expert who can audit your current tech stack, recommend modernizations, and architect systems that are secure, performant, and ready to scale. He provides technical due diligence for funding rounds, creates clarity from complexity, and ensures your technology decisions support both immediate milestones and long-term vision.
Building and Scaling Engineering Teams
A critical function of a Fractional CTO is to build and scale the engineering organization itself. Tom draws on his experience as a Staff Software Engineer at Croissant, where he worked in a close CEO/CTO partnership, to help establish effective engineering cultures, processes, and team structures. He focuses on developer experience (DevEx), CI/CD pipelines, test automation, and mentorship frameworks that empower teams to deliver high-quality software consistently.
He assists in defining roles, creating hiring plans, and conducting technical interviews to attract and retain top talent. His background includes leading and collaborating with distributed teams of various sizes, from the ~60 frontend engineers at Printify to founding the SaaS fintech platform at Websoul. This hands-on experience with team dynamics and productivity makes him adept at diagnosing bottlenecks and implementing improvements that get teams moving faster.
Furthermore, he offers corporate training and team upskilling, particularly in AI adoption and modern engineering practices. By mentoring your existing team, he builds internal capability and knowledge, ensuring the organization becomes more self-sufficient over time. This investment in your people is a cornerstone of sustainable technical leadership.
From Product Discovery to Reliable Delivery
Tom's approach is rooted in product engineering. He believes that great technology serves a business and its users. As a Fractional CTO, he engages deeply in the product discovery process, working with founders, product managers, and designers to translate complex requirements into actionable technical plans. His nearly two decades of experience span industrial ERP systems at Insoft Serwis, conversion-focused UX at Fream, and large-scale SaaS platforms, giving him a unique perspective on what it takes to ship software that delivers real value.
He emphasizes building maintainable, user-focused products. This involves establishing clear development workflows, setting up monitoring and observability, and ensuring that quality and accessibility are baked into the process from the start. His work is always geared towards reducing risk and increasing the predictability of delivery, which is paramount for early-stage companies where runway and reputation are on the line.
This end-to-end ownership model means he stays engaged through launch and beyond, helping to iterate based on user feedback and performance data. He ensures the product not only launches but evolves in a sustainable way, avoiding technical debt that could hinder future growth.
Why Choose a Remote Fractional CTO Based in Poland
Opting for a remote Fractional CTO based in Poland offers distinct advantages for international teams. Tom's location in the EU provides a significant overlap with both European and UK business hours, as well as practical overlap with US East Coast teams. This facilitates synchronous collaboration for meetings, workshops, and pair programming when needed, while also allowing for productive asynchronous work. The remote model grants you access to top-tier technical leadership without geographical constraints, often at a fraction of the cost of a full-time, on-site executive in major tech hubs.
His deep experience working with global brands like DeLaval, GE Healthcare, Unilever, and Bunge, as well as public sector institutions like Ordnance Survey and the Silesian University of Technology, demonstrates his ability to navigate diverse corporate cultures and compliance requirements. He brings this polished, professional approach to every engagement, acting as a credible representative of your technology function to investors, partners, and clients.
Furthermore, his background includes technical writing and public speaking, which translates into exceptional communication skills. A Fractional CTO must articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, and Tom's ability to create clarity is a key asset. He can produce the documentation, presentations, and strategic reports needed to align your entire organization around the technology vision.
When a Remote Fractional CTO is a Good Fit
This engagement model is an excellent fit if you are a founder or executive who needs seasoned technical leadership but isn't ready for a full-time CTO hire. It's ideal for startups building an MVP, companies undergoing a technological modernization, or teams looking to integrate AI strategically. It's also perfect for established businesses that need interim leadership during a transition or specific, high-stakes projects. If you value a hands-on, product-focused partner who can provide both strategy and execution from a remote, flexible base, then Tom's Fractional CTO services are designed for you.