What is AI integration in software architecture?

AI integration in software architecture involves designing systems that can seamlessly incorporate artificial intelligence components like RAG pipelines, machine learning models, and intelligent automation. This requires modular architecture, clean data flows, and scalable infrastructure.

How long does a software architecture project take?

Software architecture projects typically take 2-12 weeks depending on complexity. Simple systems can be architected in 2-4 weeks, while enterprise-scale AI-integrated systems may require 8-12 weeks for complete design and implementation planning.

Do you offer free consultations?

Yes, we offer free initial consultations to assess your project requirements and determine if our expertise aligns with your needs. Contact us to schedule your consultation with our senior architect André.

What makes Polyxmedia different from other consultants?

Unlike theoretical consultants, we have real production experience with billion-event systems. André has 20+ years of enterprise-scale development experience and has built systems handling billions of transactions. We focus on practical solutions that work.

Can we meet in person?

Yes, we can organize meetings as required in a mutual location in London or Guildford. If you need me to travel I need notice but get in touch and we can accommodate. We tend to find most things can be done over Google Meet saving everyone time and money which is what we're all after. We believe in being lean and whilst no issue with meeting, we encourage remote first approach because it's the most cost effective for serious operators.

How much does a Fractional CTO cost?

Polyxmedia offers Fractional CTO services at £185/hour or monthly packages: Strategic Advisory at £1,850/month (~10 hours), Growth Partner at £7,400/month (~40 hours), or Platform Leadership at £14,800/month (~80 hours). No long-term contracts required.

What is RAG and how does it work?

RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) combines a retrieval system with a language model. Your documents are converted to embeddings stored in a vector database. When users ask questions, relevant documents are retrieved and provided as context to the LLM, enabling accurate answers based on your specific data.

Why do 80% of AI projects fail?

Most AI projects fail due to: unclear business objectives, poor data quality, treating AI as magic rather than engineering, lack of production expertise, and unrealistic expectations. Success requires clear use cases, quality data, and engineers who have shipped AI to production before.

What is a Fractional CTO?

A Fractional CTO is a senior technical leader who works part-time with your company, providing strategic guidance, architecture decisions, and hands-on technical work without the cost of a full-time executive hire.

How much does a Fractional CTO cost?

Our Fractional CTO services start at £1,850/month for strategic advisory (~10 hours), £7,400/month for growth partner (~40 hours), or £14,800/month for platform leadership (~80 hours). Custom arrangements are scoped privately.

Who needs a Fractional CTO?

Fractional CTOs are ideal for scaling startups, non-technical founders, companies between CTOs, and established businesses modernizing legacy systems who need senior technical leadership without committing to a full-time hire.

Senior Technical LeadershipLimited availability

Fractional CTO Services

20 years of senior engineering experience without the £200k salary. Strategic guidance plus hands-on coding. Start this week, scale as needed.

Strategic Advisory

£1,850/month

~10 hours

Growth Partner

£7,400/month

~40 hours · Most popular

Platform Leadership

£14,800/month

~80 hours

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What You Actually Get

Not just advice... actual work that moves your business forward

Strategic + Hands-On

Architecture decisions backed by actual code. Not just diagrams, I'll build the critical parts myself.

•System architecture & technical roadmaps
•Hands-on coding for critical features
•Database design & optimization
•Performance bottleneck fixes

Team Multiplier

Code reviews, mentorship, unblocking your developers. Make your existing team 3x more effective.

•Code review & best practices
•Developer mentorship & unblocking
•Technical hiring & interviews
•Team process optimization

Platform Management

Infrastructure, DevOps, security, monitoring. Everything that keeps your system running and secure.

•Infrastructure architecture (AWS, Azure, etc.)
•CI/CD pipeline setup & optimization
•Security audits & fixes
•Monitoring & incident response

Business Technology

Vendor evaluation, build vs buy decisions, technical due diligence. Honest advice on what you actually need.

•Technology vendor evaluation
•Build vs buy recommendations
•Technical debt assessment
•Scaling roadmaps with real costs

Partnership Packages

Choose the level of technical leadership that fits your current needs

Strategic Advisory

£1,850/month

~10 hours/month

Architecture reviews, strategic planning, and technical guidance for key decisions.

What's Included:

•Monthly architecture & code reviews
•Strategic technical planning
•Technology vendor evaluation
•Build vs buy recommendations
•48-hour response time
•Slack/email access

Ideal For:

Technical founders who need strategic oversight

Growth Partner

£7,400/month

~40 hours/month

Strategic guidance plus substantial hands-on work. The sweet spot for most scaling companies.

What's Included:

•Everything in Strategic Advisory
•Hands-on coding for critical features
•Sprint planning & team unblocking
•Infrastructure & DevOps work
•Weekly strategy sessions
•24-hour response time

Ideal For:

Scaling startups (Series A-B) with growing technical complexity

Platform Leadership

£14,800/month

~80 hours/month

Comprehensive technical leadership. For companies executing major technical initiatives.

What's Included:

•Everything in Growth Partner
•Flexible async availability
•Team management & hiring support
•Major platform migrations
•Production incident response
•Priority response time

Ideal For:

Companies in rapid growth or major technical transformation

All packages include direct access to André (no account managers), flexible monthly adjustments, and the ability to scale up or down as your needs change.

Need a different shape of engagement? Custom and project-based arrangements are scoped privately.

The Economics

Why fractional makes sense for growing companies

Full-Time CTO

£150k-£250k/year

Plus equity, benefits, recruitment costs. 6-month hiring process. Might not be hands-on.

Best For:

If you need 40+ hours/week of technical leadership

Agency/Consultancy

£300-£500/hour

Junior developers at senior rates. Account managers filter everything. Minimum project sizes.

Best For:

If you enjoy paying for overhead and meetings

Fractional CTO

From £1,850/month

Actual problems I solve and realistic time/cost estimates

System keeps breaking under load

Performance audit, identify bottlenecks, fix critical issues myself, roadmap for team to execute

Timeframe:20-40 hours over 2-4 weeks

Typical Cost:£3,700-£7,400

Need to evaluate new technology/vendor

Technical assessment, proof of concept, honest recommendation with pros/cons and costs

Timeframe:10-20 hours over 1-2 weeks

Typical Cost:£1,850-£3,700

Team stuck on complex technical problem

Dive in hands-on, unblock them, document solution, prevent similar issues

Timeframe:5-15 hours same week

Typical Cost:£925-£2,775

Planning major platform migration

Architecture design, risk assessment, phased migration plan, hands-on critical components

Timeframe:40-80 hours over 2-3 months

Typical Cost:£7,400-£14,800

These are estimates. Some things take less time, some take more. You pay for actual hours worked, invoiced monthly. No surprises.

How It Actually Works

Simple engagement, no long contracts, direct communication

Initial Assessment

1 week

Understand your tech stack, team, problems, and goals. Free consultation to see if we're a fit.

Result:

Clear picture of what you need and realistic cost estimate

Choose Your Package

1 day

Select the package that fits your needs. Start with whatever makes sense. Scale up or down monthly.

Result:

Clear monthly cost. No long-term contracts. Adjust anytime.

Direct Communication

Always

Slack, email, video calls. Direct access to me, not filtered through account managers.

Result:

Fast decisions, no telephone game

Measurable Results

Weekly

Weekly updates on what was done, what was decided, what's next. No hiding behind busy work.

Result:

Clear visibility into what you're paying for

Need senior technical leadership?

I only take on a handful of fractional clients at a time to ensure everyone gets proper attention. Free consultation to see if we're a fit.

Limited availability. I keep my client roster small for a reason.

Book Free Consultation