David Cook

About David Cook

I build and scale the engineering organizations that power high-growth SaaS companies. With a dual perspective as a CTO and Board Member, I help early-stage startups avoid common pitfalls and accelerate their journey from concept to market leadership.I specialize in preparing the technology organization for funding or acquisition while I lead companies through the four critical phases of the journey:1. Prep — defining the foundational processes and tech stack.2. Countdown — leading the company to a minimum viable product (MVP), testing the thesis, and realigning to pivots.3. Liftoff — scaling the organization through hypergrowth.4. Orbit — operating at scale with a world-class product.What I deliver- For Founders — A trusted partner to translate your vision into a shippable, scalable product. I help you build a world-class team and make the right technology decisions for the long term- For Investors & Boards — A clear line of sight into the technology organization. I de-risk your investment by ensuring technical due diligence, strong governance, and a predictable product delivery cadence- For Engineering Teams — Leadership and mentorship. I foster a culture of excellence, empowering and enabling engineers to create career-defining products.

Experience

1. Independent Board Member and Fractional CTO

   Shaed

   Jan 2025 — Present · Minneapolis, MN, US

   Assisting founders and venture finance to align strategies.• Collaborating with board members to drive innovation and growth.• Contributing to decision-making processes and providing valuable insights for strategic planning.• Providing guidance and insight on Information Technology topics.

Education

• University of Denver, University College

  MCIS-Certificate

  1984 — 1987

• London Business School

  MBA

  1992 — 1994

Skills

• Data Warehousing
• Subversion
• Soa
• International Business Leadership
• Oracle E-Business Suite
• Business Intelligence
• Saas
• Sql
• Agile
• Vmware
• Integration
• Oracle Sql
• Sentiment Analysis
• Software Project Management
• Oracle
• Requirements Analysis
• Cloud Computing
• Oracle Soa Suite
• M2m
• Exalytics
• Program Management
• System Architecture
• Exalogic
• Email Marketing
• Exadata
• Oracle Siebel
• C++
• Business Analysis
• C
• Oracle HR
• Oracle Aia
• Agile Methodologies
• Vendor Management
• Telecommunications
• Software Development
• IT Strategy
• Automated Regression Testing
• Oracle Brm
• Sdlc
• Tmf