FAQ - Frequently asked questions.

• What does Program do?

  Program is an end-to-end software and AI studio. We integrate AI into your business, build AI agents, develop custom software and SaaS platforms, build the operating systems a company runs on, unify fragmented data, and run the technical marketing and security behind it. One senior solution architect owns the whole problem, from the first decision to shipped product.

• What is a fractional CTO?

  A fractional CTO is a senior technology leader you engage part-time, for the architecture and the technical decisions, without the cost of a full-time hire. Program goes further than most: the fractional CTO also builds the system, not just advises on it. You get senior judgement and working software from one accountable person.

• Fractional CTO versus an agency or a full-time hire?

  A full-time CTO at $180k–$300k plus equity brings judgement, but directs the work rather than builds it. An agency brings capacity, but splits the work across a team you manage and goes quiet when the contract ends. A fractional CTO from Program is the third option: senior architecture, the AI decisions and the production software, from one accountable owner, scaled to what you need.

• How much does a fractional CTO cost?

  Fractional CTOs typically run from around $5,000 to $30,000 a month, or $150 to $500 an hour. Program does not publish a fixed retainer, because it depends on the pace and depth you need. Every engagement starts with a paid audit from $500, and the figure is set with you once the audit shows what is involved. Either way it is a fraction of a $180k–$300k full-time hire.

• Can one person build my software?

  Yes, and it is an advantage. One architect designs the system, integrates the AI and builds it, so the decisions hold together instead of falling between vendors. Behind the architect sits a senior bench, data science, design, motion and brand, plus a vetted partner network, brought in as the work calls for it, so capacity is never the ceiling. You still deal with one accountable owner. KiTT and Wiktis are two production platforms built exactly this way.

• Is working with a solo operator risky?

  Not the way Program is set up. You engage one accountable architect, not a single pair of hands. Behind that architect sits a senior bench and a vetted partner network, brought in as the work calls for it, so capacity is never the ceiling. You own the system and the IP, handed over clean and documented, the build is tested before it ships, and you follow it on a live dashboard the whole way. One person stays accountable, with the depth of a studio behind them.

• What is a solution architect, and why does it matter?

  A solution architect designs the whole technical system before it is built: the architecture, the stack, how the parts fit, and the path from idea to production. It matters because most builds fail in the design, not the code. Program puts a senior architect at the centre of every engagement, accountable for the result.

• Is Program a fractional CTO?

  Yes, among other things. Program acts as a fractional CTO and senior solution architect for companies that need senior technical leadership without a full-time hire, and goes further by building the systems too, not just advising on them. You get the architecture and the working software from one accountable expert.

• Can you integrate AI into an existing business?

  Yes. AI integration is core to what Program does. We wire AI into your real systems and workflows, not a standalone pilot, and build the AI agents that do the work, from the first use case through to autonomous and assisted agents running in production.

• Do you build AI agents?

  Yes. Program builds AI agents and agentic systems for businesses: autonomous and assisted agents integrated with your real tools and data, built to run in production rather than demo once. AI agent development and integration is a core service.

• How does the $500 audit work?

  Every engagement starts with a paid audit, from $500, scaled to the size of your operation and what you need built. You receive a full audit you own, a proposal, and a development timeline, whatever you decide next. It is a diagnostic you keep, not a sales call.

• What does it cost to work with Program?

  Every engagement starts with a paid audit, from $500. After the audit, the build runs on a monthly retainer scoped to the pace and depth you need, not a quota of hours. We set the figure with you once the audit shows what is involved, so you only commit when you can see exactly what you are getting. You invest in a result, not an hour.

• Are there additional costs?

  Two, and both are clear up front. First, you carry your own running costs, the things your software runs on: hosting, database, cloud storage and email. We set them up and can bill them through us, but they’re yours, the same as they’d be with anyone. Second, the base engagement is your lead architect and the build. If you want specialist depth on top, advanced data science, motion graphics, a complex data architecture that needs a dedicated data scientist, or high-end UI work, we bring in the right expert and quote it in your proposal. It’s there if you want it and have the budget, and left out if you don’t.

• What industries does Program work in?

  Program builds deepest where systems are hardest and data matters most: financial services and trading, energy and resources including gas, petrol and mining, events and exhibitions, agencies and the creator economy, and regulated betting and gaming.

• Do I own the software and the IP?

  Yes. You own the system and the intellectual property. Program designs, builds, tests and hands over a clean, production-ready system, and stays on only if you want ongoing work.

• Where is Program based, and do you work globally?

  Program is based in Australia and works globally. We build a personal relationship with every client and will come to you in person when understanding your organisation calls for it.