6-Month Minimum · 2 to 3 Days/Week
Fractional Chief AI Officer
An experienced AI operator embedded in your leadership team. Not a consultant who visits quarterly. Not a vendor selling software. A hands-on executive who sits in your operating rhythm and drives measurable transformation.
$25,000 to $40,000 / month
Who it's for
CEOs and Operating Partners who know AI matters but don't have the internal leadership to execute. You need someone who can own the AI agenda at the executive level, evaluate tools, build teams, set governance, and deliver ROI, without the risk and timeline of a full-time executive hire.
Ideal for PE-backed companies in the $20M to $500M range where speed matters and the operating partner wants a trusted pair of hands inside the portfolio company.
What you get
- Embedded in your leadership rhythm 2 to 3 days per week
- AI strategy tied to your P&L, not abstract frameworks
- Vendor and tool evaluation with operator-level depth
- Internal AI team recruitment, training, and certification
- Governance framework, risk posture, and data policy
- Executive reporting and board-ready AI progress updates
- Direct ownership of AI initiative portfolio and ROI tracking
- Planned transition to a permanent hire when you're ready
Engagement Details
- Commitment
- 2 to 3 days per week, 6-month minimum
- Investment
- $25,000 to $40,000 / month
- Led By
- Ivan Madrigal, Founder & Managing Principal
- Exit Plan
- Structured transition to permanent hire or internal team
Why not just hire a full-time CAIO?
You should, eventually. The fractional model lets you define the role, build the function, and prove the value before you commit $350K+ in total comp to someone you haven't tested in your operating context.
When you're ready to hire permanently, we help you write the job spec, evaluate candidates, and transition cleanly.
How It Compares
Full-Time CAIO Hire
$350K to $500K+ total comp
12-month search, unproven in your context, locked in before you know what you need
Management Consultancy
$50K to $100K/month
Junior associates doing the work, strategy decks without execution, no operator credibility
Fractional CAIO (Synaptic Systems)
$25K to $40K/month
Founder-led, embedded in your operating rhythm, accountable to outcomes not billable hours
Get an AI executive without the executive search
Start with an executive conversation. We'll assess your current state, define what the first 90 days look like, and determine if a fractional engagement is the right fit.
Discuss Fractional CAIO