Michael D.

Australian, based in Singapore. I have over 20 years of commercial experience building and scaling software businesses, not just shipping code. I work with founders and CEOs as a part-time CTO. My focus is turning ideas into real products, getting them to market fast, and scaling teams and systems without burning cash or creating long-term mess. I have designed and built VC-funded B2B SaaS platforms used across 9 countries, from zero to paying customers. I have led engineering teams, owned product delivery, and worked directly with boards and investors. I have successfully raised multiple millions of dollars from venture capital firms in Singapore and the United States. I understand how investors think, how to tell a credible technical story, and how to avoid the common red flags that kill deals. Beyond SaaS, I have delivered software projects in highly regulated and complex environments including nuclear, automotive, and aerospace and defence, mainly across South East Asia. This means I am comfortable with risk, compliance, and systems that actually have to work. What I typically help with: Acting as CTO without the full-time cost - Translating business goals into product and engineering plans - Hiring, mentoring, and managing engineering teams - Making build vs buy decisions and avoiding over-engineering - Reviewing architecture and technical direction in plain English - Supporting fundraising, due diligence, and investor discussions - Fixing projects that are late, over budget, or going sideways I am hands-on when needed, but my real value is judgement. I help founders make fewer bad decisions, faster.