Promise Ekoriko
Founder & Principal Engineer at Prodevel
Fifteen years shipping production software for UK startups and universities. Now focused on fractional CTO work and rescuing AI-generated codebases that break in production. Writer of Founder's Notes on LinkedIn.
About
Promise Ekoriko is the founder of Prodevel, a London software consultancy that helps founders build, fix, and lead technology without hiring a full-time CTO on day one.
Over 15 years he has led delivery on 100+ projects — from pre-seed MVPs to live platforms used by universities and growing companies. He still writes production code and reviews every engagement personally.
Today his practice centres on two lanes: fractional CTO leadership for non-technical founders, and AI code rescue for vibe-coded apps that fail once real users arrive. He also writes Founder's Notes on LinkedIn, a series for founders under pressure to think and ship more clearly.
Credentials
- 15+ years shipping production software in the UK
- 100+ projects delivered for startups, universities, and growing businesses
- Fractional CTO and AI code rescue practice lead
- Writer of Founder's Notes on LinkedIn
Recent writing
- Startups & MVPsFractional CTO Cost UK: What You Get for £1,500 to £6,000 a Month
What a fractional CTO costs in the UK in 2026: retainer tiers, day rates, equity hybrids, and the fully loaded cost of a full-time hire, with a table to compare them.
- Startups & MVPsNon-Technical Founder? How to Tell If Your Dev Agency Is Telling You the Truth
You cannot read the code, and your agency sets its own deadlines. Here are the warning signs, the questions that cut through jargon, and how to verify what you are being told.
- Startups & MVPsYou Raised a Seed Round and Have No CTO. Now What?
You closed the round with an agency-built product and no technical leadership. Here are your three realistic options, what each costs, and what to do in the first 90 days.
- Startups & MVPsYour Startup's First Technical Hire: Developer, Tech Lead, or Fractional CTO?
Founders often hire a title when they should hire for the work. How to tell whether your startup needs a senior developer, a tech lead, or technical leadership, with UK costs for each.
- Startups & MVPsFractional CTO vs Interim CTO vs Technical Consultant: Which One Do You Need?
Three job titles that sound alike and cost very differently. What each one actually does, what they cost in the UK, and which fits your situation.
- Startups & MVPsHow to Interview a Fractional CTO: 12 Questions That Separate Operators from Talkers
Most founders have never assessed a CTO, and the people selling fractional leadership interview well. Twelve questions that produce answers you can verify, compare, and check.
- Startups & MVPsWhat Investors Actually Ask in Technical Due Diligence (and How to Prepare)
A UK founder's guide to technical due diligence: the questions reviewers ask about architecture, code, security, and IP, the classic fail points, and a realistic preparation timeline.
- Digital StrategyMost Startups Don't Need a CTO. They Need Someone to Say No.
Early-stage startups rarely fail from a lack of technical vision. They fail from accumulated yeses. The scarce skill is not a title; it is judgement with the standing to refuse.