Scott C.

OVERVIEW
I'm an Expert-Vetted (Top 1%) Fractional CTO and founder of Torchstack, an AI product studio. I help startups and mid-market companies make high-leverage technical decisions and ship real products.

100% Job Success on Upwork. 12 studio projects delivered. NVIDIA Inception Program member.

WHO AM I?
During my PhD training (AI x biomedical), I published 7+ papers in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications and secured $100K+ in NIH and DOE research grants. Since then, I've spent my career as a data scientist, software engineer, and technical lead - building AI/ML systems, deploying applications to production, and working with the latest and greatest in AI, including computer vision, large language models, and AI agents.

Results from that work: payment anomaly detection saving >$100K/year for a government AI system. Drug discovery timelines cut by 6+ months in biotech R&D. 15+ startups guided from concept to market and funded. Technical orgs built from scratch to 10+ engineers.

WORKING TOGETHER
I work two ways, depending on what you need:
• Advisory: You get me directly, 1:1. Technical strategy, data and software architecture, due diligence, investor prep, AI roadmap, and all. Best for founders with a team who need senior technical judgment to steer it. Typically 5-10 hrs/month at $120/hr.
• Build: I architect the solution and bring in vetted Torchstack specialists (engineers, designers, data scientists) who execute under my direct oversight. I stay your single point of contact. Team rates are $60-$100/hr, depending on role.

Most engagements start with a paid AI Strategy Assessment, which is a 2-week audit of your current systems with a prioritized roadmap. It's the fastest way for both of us to figure out what you actually need. Either way, I'm on every call, reviewing every deliverable, and owning the outcome.

FAQs
Q: What tech stack do you work with?
A: We're stack-agnostic, and we choose what fits your stage and budget. Examples of tech stacks used in past projects include AI/ML (LLMs, computer vision, predictive analytics), Python, React/Next.js, Node.js, AWS/GCP/Azure, microservices, and data infrastructure.

Q: What if we need to move fast?
A: I have a vetted team ready to go. We've delivered full builds from kickoff to launch, and we run sprints with weekly demos, so you can follow progress.

Q: What makes you different from other fractional CTOs? A: Three things: 1. I solve problems based on first principles, bringing in my research background and my previous experiences working with companies/startups. 2. I run an AI product studio, and we can go from strategy to shipped product without you managing additional contractors or vendors. 3. Our team balances using the latest-and-greatest in AI with internally-built processes that have been refined over each engagement, resulting in faster deliveries and higher quality outcomes.