Extension RoundHRTech

Fractional CTO for Extension Round HRTech Startups

Navigate the unique challenges of building a HRTech company at Extension Round. Expert technical leadership that understands both milestone achievement and HRTech-specific requirements.

Typical Funding

$2M - $20M+ extension to existing round

Team Size

10-100+ people (varies by stage)

Revenue

On growth trajectory but slower than planned

Runway

Extending to 18-24 months total

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What HRTech Companies Need at Extension Round

Technical Priorities

Navigate HRTech-specific technical challenges at Extension Round
Implement industry-standard HRTech architecture
Meet Extension Round investor expectations for HRTech companies
Balance feature velocity with HRTech compliance requirements
Build technical foundation for next funding stage

Industry-Specific Focus

Applicant tracking
Payroll integration
Performance management
Employee engagement
Compliance

Why HRTech at Extension Round is Different

HRTech companies at Extension Round face a unique combination of challenges. While Extension Round companies focus on milestone achievement, HRTech adds complexity through GDPR requirements, Applicant tracking technical needs, and industry-specific competitive dynamics. Our fractional CTOs understand both dimensions and help you navigate this intersection efficiently.

Challenges We Solve for Extension Round HRTech Companies

Extension Round Challenge

Need to extend runway without appearing to be struggling to investors

Extension Round Challenge

Engineering velocity not where it needs to be to hit next round milestones

HRTech Challenge

Applicant tracking at Extension Round scale

HRTech Challenge

Payroll integration at Extension Round scale

Technical Leadership Gap

Finding CTO-level expertise who understands both Extension Round dynamics and HRTech regulations/requirements

Resource Constraints

Balancing HRTech compliance requirements with Extension Round budget and timeline constraints

HRTech Compliance at Extension Round

HRTech compliance is critical at Extension Round. We help you achieve and maintain necessary certifications while scaling your engineering organization.

GDPR

SOC 2

Stage-Specific Compliance Priority

Maintain and expand compliance certifications. Consider additional frameworks like SOC 2 for global expansion.

HRTech Benchmarks for Extension Round

Tech Budget

Reduce by 15-30% while maintaining or improving output

Typical monthly tech spend at Extension Round

Team Size

10-100+ people (varies by stage)

Engineering team size for Extension Round

Time to Market

6-12 months

Typical development cycle at Extension Round

What Investors Expect from Extension Round HRTech Companies

Technical Requirements

HRTech-appropriate architecture and security measures
Compliance roadmap for GDPR
Scalable tech stack proven in HRTech companies
Clear technical roadmap aligned with Extension Round milestones
Strong engineering team or hiring plan

Key Metrics

Product velocity: Consistent feature releases
HRTech user engagement and retention metrics
System reliability: 99%+ uptime for production systems
Security posture: Zero critical vulnerabilities
Technical efficiency: Cost per user or transaction

Our Approach for Extension Round HRTech Startups

Stage Expertise

Deep understanding of Extension Round dynamics: Milestone Achievement, Efficiency Improvement.

Industry Knowledge

Proven experience with HRTech compliance, tech stacks, and best practices.

Network Access

Connect with vetted HRTech engineers, advisors, and technical partners.

Success Story

Series A SaaS company, 35 people, raised $8M Series A, raising $4M extension to reach Series B milestones

Challenge

Series A raised 18 months ago with plan to raise Series B at $15M ARR in 24 months. At month 18, company at $8.5M ARR (below plan) with 6 months runway. Market conditions made Series B difficult. Investors approved $4M extension but wanted to see improving execution and efficiency. Engineering team of 18 delivering but inefficiently. CTO focused on product, not enough on efficiency and optimization.

Solution

Fractional CTO engaged as strategic advisor focused on efficiency and milestone achievement. 30-day assessment identified opportunities: 1) Infrastructure costs $22K/month, optimized to $9K/month through FinOps (59% reduction), 2) Implemented sprint process with clear metrics improving velocity 35%, 3) Consolidated tools reducing costs $4K/month, 4) Addressed critical technical debt blocking enterprise features, 5) Established engineering metrics and quarterly OKRs, 6) Improved hiring bar and onboarding reducing time-to-productivity, 7) Created technical content for Series B positioning. Ongoing strategic guidance to CTO and CEO.

Result

Grew from $8.5M to $17M ARR in 12 months with improved unit economics. Technical burn reduced from $185K/month to $145K/month despite adding 4 engineers (better efficiency). Engineering velocity improved 35% through better processes. Infrastructure costs reduced 59% through FinOps. Shipped enterprise features supporting upmarket motion. Successfully raised $22M Series B at strong valuation citing improved execution. Engineering metrics praised in due diligence. Team engagement improved from 7.1 to 8.2 despite pressure of extension period.