The Evolving Role of a CTO: My Journey from Startup to Growth

In the dynamic landscape of technology, the role of a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is as versatile as it is challenging. As the CTO and co-founder of a fintech startup, my journey has been a thrilling ride of numerous trials, triumphant victories, and endless learning opportunities.

The CTO in an Early-Stage Startup

In the nascent stages of a startup, a CTO has to don multiple hats. I vividly remember the initial days when I was not only the CTO but also the software developer, systems analyst, database administrator, and sometimes even the tech support.

At the helm of technology leadership in those days, my core responsibilities involved:

1. Setting the Technology Vision: Charting out the technology strategy was my prime responsibility. It involved identifying the tech stack, deciding on the software architecture (where I chose microservices over monolithic), and laying out a technology roadmap aligned with our business objectives.

2. Building the MVP: As the lead developer, I undertook the creation of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). It involved coding, testing, fixing bugs, and sometimes burning the midnight oil to meet deadlines.