Chicago CTO Wanted: Build From Zero, Stay for the Exit

We’re two Chicago founders who’ve built and sold companies before. This time, we’re going even bigger—and we’re looking for a technical co-founder-type to join us now as our first internal hire.

We’ve been quietly building a new SaaS platform for over a year to disrupt a massive, broken, high-friction industry. We’re self-funded, fast-moving, and allergic to corporate bullshit.

This is a rare opportunity to build something that actually matters—with experienced founders, real capital, and a clear go-to-market path.

You’re Not Joining a Startup. You’re Building It.

We’re not hiring an engineer to punch tickets. We’re looking for a future CTO who’s hungry to shape product, culture, and trajectory from day one. You’ll work side-by-side with two proven operators:

• A visionary with a monster network and relentless creative energy

• A scale-minded operator who’s run multi-city teams and built companies from the ground up

We want someone who gets excited about:

• Being in the room where it happens

• Making smart technical bets

• Leading a team (but not right away—this starts as a roll-up-your-sleeves solo act)

• Thinking in systems, solving in code, and always, always shipping

We believe in autonomy with accountability. Flexibility with urgency. Chicago roots with national ambition.

Where You’ll Work

We’re building out of mHUB in Chicago, where the energy is real and the coffee is free. We show up in person because things move faster when you’re face-to-face.

You’ll start by helping us bring our MVP over the finish line with our external dev firm, then gradually take the reins and own the tech stack, infrastructure, and long-term roadmap. This role is hands-on, high-impact, and meant to grow into CTO.

You'll also have guidance from one of the sharpest engineering leaders in the country. You'll be working directly with our current fractional CTO who is a major player at one of the world's largest tech companies. 

The Stack (Currently)

• Frontend: Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Zustand

• Backend: Node.js (Nest.js), Express, JWT Auth

• Database: PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM

• Infra: AWS ECS/Lambda, S3, Redis, Amplify/Vercel

• Integrations: Stripe, Twilio, Zendesk, OptaPlanner

• Monitoring: DataDog, CloudWatch

• Bonus: We’re AI-curious and automation-obsessed

You don’t need to know it all. But you need to be able to figure it out fast and architect with scale in mind.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the design, build, and launch of our platform MVP

• Take over all technical vendor management and insourcing decisions

• Design and evolve our long-term tech stack and infrastructure

• Implement AI/automation tools that give us a real edge—internally and externally

• Own internal IT systems (think: automation, tools, analytics)

• Work closely with founders to set strategy and own technical execution

• Eventually build and lead a small, elite engineering team

Some travel to Los Angeles may be needed to see the market up close.

You Might Be a Fit If You…

• Have 5–10+ years of full-stack experience, preferably across multiple startups

• Have shipped, scaled, and supported a real product in the wild

• Have an obsession with speed, elegance, and systems thinking

• Aren’t afraid of infrastructure, DevOps, or wrangling messy problems

• See tech as a tool, not an identity

• Are curious about AI and automation, and eager to apply them practically

• Want to be in the business, not just coding for it

• Are ready to be CTO, not just eventually—but soon

Bonus points if you’ve touched marketplaces, consumer SaaS, or home services.

What You’ll Get

• Salary: Up to $100-$125K base depending on experience and equity desire.

• Equity: A meaningful stake with clear upside (conservative $5M+ potential at exit)

• Influence: You’ll help shape every major decision

• Community: Work out of mHUB in a founder-dense, high-energy space

• Trajectory: This is your CTO arc—come build it with us