article thumbnail

Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do?

Startup Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Tuesday, September 30, 2008 What does a startup CTO actually do? What does your Chief Technology Officer do all day? So what does CTO mean, besides just "technical founder who really cant manage anyone?" So I initially gravitated to the CTO title, and not VP of Engineering.

CTO 168
article thumbnail

Are You Putting Your Rock Star Customers To Work?

YoungUpstarts

Talented product developers. If you can harness the knowledge, natural enthusiasm, and peer influence of your very best customers — I call them “Rock Star” customers — they’ll market, sell, and help develop breakthrough products for your firm better than your internal resources can do, and often at a fraction of the cost.

Customer 154
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Lessons Learned: About the author

Startup Lessons Learned

(Maybe youd like to start with The lean startup , How to listen to customers , or What does a startup CTO actually do? ) He previously co-founded and served as Chief Technology Officer of IMVU. He is the co-author of several books including The Black Art of Java Game Programming (Waite Group Press, 1996).

article thumbnail

Lessons Learned: The hacker's lament

Startup Lessons Learned

As a last disclaimer, please consult the definition of the word hacker if youre not familiar with the controversies surrounding that term.) Its common to find a hacker at the heart of almost any successful technology company. Hire a CTO or VP Engineering. Thats the ultimate task for the companys technology leadership.

article thumbnail

Should You Co-Found Your Company With a Software Development Shop (2 of 2)?

David Teten

I’ve talked with a number of software development shops who are eager to get into the business of cofounding companies, i.e., getting product revenue and equity instead of just consulting revenue. Vlad is also the CEO at DarwinApps , a software development shop. They’re typically pursuing a foundry/studio model.

article thumbnail

Where is the best place to find a rockstar developer to bring it to life?

www.quora.com

Developer, engineer, CTO, or technical co-founder? Think instead about the set of capabilities the leadership at your company needs: Great network and reputation to get you intros to investors, partners, employees. Leadership and management ability. The leadership teams at my companies had a broad set of capabilities.