FACTA for Startups
Your investors will ask about AI. We make sure you have a real answer — before the next board meeting.
And a working system to back it up.
THE SITUATION
The Situation You’re not alone.
You’re weeks away from a board or investor meeting — and AI is about to come up.
A partner sends a casual message:
“We should talk about your AI strategy.”
And the truth is uncomfortable:
Founders don’t lose credibility because they lack AI. They lose it because they can’t explain — or demonstrate — a real plan.
THE BAD OPTIONS
The bad options you’re trying to avoid
All expensive in their own way. All slow. None are built for early-stage execution.
Hire a full-time CAIO
- ✓3–6 months to recruit
- ✓Burns 18–24 months of runway
- ✓High-risk hire this early
Figure it out internally
- ✓Opportunity cost on core product
- ✓No clear owner
- ✓Board still isn’t convinced
Hire a traditional consultant
- ✓Strategy decks, no production
- ✓Little accountability after delivery
- ✓You still need execution
None of these are designed for early-stage startups. That’s why this problem keeps resurfacing.
THE REAL COST
The real cost isn’t the hire.
AI-native startups consistently command:
The real cost isn’t $400K/year. It’s the valuation premium you’re leaving on the table by not being AI-ready.
THE FOURTH OPTION
A fourth option: FACTA
Fractional CAIO leadership + production execution — without the cost, delay, or long-term risk.
We work alongside founders to:
No slides. Just shipped systems — at startup speed.
WHAT YOU GET
What you actually get
Practical deliverables founders can use in investor conversations — and in production.
Board-Ready AI Leadership
✓Clear AI roadmap tied to business outcomes
✓Metrics investors understand (ARR impact, efficiency, defensibility)
✓Real answers to technical and strategic questions
Production Systems (Not Demos)
✓First AI system live in 4–8 weeks
✓Built to show traction, not hype
✓Foundation your team can extend
A True Startup Partner
✓Flexible, fractional engagement
✓No long-term lock-in
✓We grow with you from pre-seed to Series B
Board-ready narrative. Production-ready systems.
COMPARISON
Full-time CAIO vs FACTA
A faster, lower-risk way to get board-ready AI leadership — with real systems shipped.
Annual Cost
Full-Time CAIO
$400–600K
FACTA
$30–96K
Equity
Full-Time CAIO
0.5–2%
FACTA
None
Time to Start
Full-Time CAIO
3–6 months
FACTA
This week
Commitment
Full-Time CAIO
Multi-year
FACTA
Month-to-month
Board-Ready Narrative
Full-Time CAIO
Eventually
FACTA
By week 4
60–80% cost savings · 10× faster to impact
BY STAGE
Right-sized AI leadership by stage
Pick the scope that matches your runway and board pressure. Start lean. Upgrade when it’s justified.
- 🌱 Pre-Seed (Raising $500K–$2M · 1–5 people)$2,500/month
Outcome
Walk into investor conversations with a credible AI story.
Offer
AI Advisor
Typically includes
Start at Pre-Seed✓Bi-weekly strategy calls
✓AI opportunity assessment
✓Investor deck AI narrative
✓Async Slack support
✓Quick-win identification
- 🚀 Seed (Raised $2–5M · 5–15 people)$5,000/month (3‑month minimum)
Outcome
Show real AI progress before your next board meeting.
Offer
AI Strategist
Typically includes
Start at Seed✓Everything in Advisor tier
✓Hands-on system design
✓First production AI system (4–8 weeks)
✓Engineering team mentorship
✓Quarterly board support
PRODUCTS
The products FACTA has already shipped
Not hypothetical case studies — the real systems, self-hosted and in production today.
HOW IT WORKS
How we get to production in 4–8 weeks
A tight process designed for founder time, real constraints, and board-level clarity.
Day 0 — Free Strategy Call
30 minutes. No deck. No sales script. Just your situation and our honest take.
Week 1 — Deep Dive
Discovery, roadmap, and recommendations. You decide if we proceed.
Weeks 2–4 — First Ship
Production system live. Real AI creating real value.
Week 4+ — Board Ready
Clear roadmap, metrics, and confidence for investor conversations.
Founder time required: — ~2–3 hours total
FREE STRATEGY CALL
The free strategy call — 30 minutes
No pitch. No deck. Just your situation, the real constraints, and a clear next step.
We’ll cover:
✓Your current situation and AI goals
✓Quick-win opportunities we see
✓Realistic timelines and investment
✓Whether FACTA is actually the right fit
You’ll leave with:
✓At least one actionable insight
✓A clear view of your options
✓An honest assessment of your AI readiness