Case study

Fractional CTO – Strategic cloud transformation & go-to-market management

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With a European SaaS platform provider

A fractional CTO helps SaaS companies navigate cloud transformation: from analyzing existing architecture to creating a prioritized migration roadmap and developing a GTM strategy. This enhances scalability, time-to-market, and growth opportunities.

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Company

A leading European provider of industry-specific B2B software with a focus on the digitization of core operational processes.
The company operates a modular software platform that models critical business processes across multiple countries and is used by both medium-sized and larger organizations.

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Business sector: SaaS/B2B software
Business model: Platform software (subscription-based)
Region: Europe, with international expansion initiatives
Company size: Upper mid-market
Situation: Fast-growing software company with a heterogeneous IT landscape

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Challenge

The company was in a strategically crucial phase in the development of its platform.
Parts of the existing software architecture were historically on-premise or built in a hybrid manner and increasingly posed an obstacle to scalability, international expansion, and time-to-market.

At the same time, competition from cloud-native providers was intensifying, while investors and management were expecting a clear roadmap for:

the transition to a cloud-first architecture,
the further development of the product and platform strategy and
the refinement of the go-to-market approach

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At the same time, the engineering team needed to be empowered not only to deliver technical cloud capabilities, but also to integrate cloud practices into their processes and culture.

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Objectives

The goal of the interim mandate was to drive the transition of the software platform from an architecture that was primarily on-premise to a scalable cloud model in a structured manner, all while creating the foundation for sustainable growth.

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Specifically, the mandate involved:

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Promoting and structuring the platform’s cloud transformation
Developing a consistent product and go-to-market strategy for cloud-based offerings
Coaching and training the engineering team on cloud methods, tools, and practices

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Implementation

The interim manager appointed by Atreus stepped into a key transformation role on short notice and worked closely with management, product, and engineering leads.

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Strategic cloud approach

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Analysis of the existing architecture and definition of a cloud-enabled target architecture
Development of a prioritized cloud migration strategy, including implementation planning

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Product & go-to-market development

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Technological evaluation of current product modules’ compatibility with cloud computing
Generating product and GTM plans for cloud-native offerings
Close coordination with commercial and product teams for market launch

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Engineering support

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Coaching engineering teams in cloud standards, DevOps processes, and toolchains
Introduction of scalable development and deployment processes
Establishment of governance and quality standards for cloud development

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Alignment of organization and leadership

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Regular communication with senior management
Support prioritising initiatives based on business impact and feasibility

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Accomplishments

Short-term results

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Clearly defined cloud target architecture and migration roadmap
Transparent prioritization of transition initiatives
Enhanced decision-making capabilities for management thanks to robust technology and product foundations

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Medium-term effects

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Successful implementation of initial cloud-native modules
Significantly shortened development and deployment cycles
Clear product and go-to-market logic for cloud offerings

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Long-term added value

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Increased scalability and future-proofing of the platform
Better conditions for international expansion
Strengthening the competitive position in the SaaS market
Establishment of lasting cloud expertise within the organization

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