BLOCK71 Fractions: The Brutal Truth (Fractional vs. Full-Time)
Welcome to BLOCK71 Fractions.
Scaling a startup is a series of talent trades. Every founder eventually hits a wall where their "founding generalists" can no longer handle the complexity of the business. You need a CFO, a CRO, or a COO—but you are caught in the classic Founder’s Dilemma: Do you hire for the future you want, or the budget you have today?
We are putting together BLOCK71 Fractions, a three-part series designed to de-mystify the fractional C-suite model for startup founders.
We will explore the lifecycle of fractional leadership: from the initial hiring dilemma to managing the relationship and, eventually, the transition into a permanent C-suite.
The Strategic Talent Trade-off
Our first session dives into the "Brutal Truth" of hiring. We are bringing together seasoned operators and founders to compare the trade-offs between "renting" elite expertise and "buying" a full-time executive.
Whether you are stretching a Seed-stage runway or breaking through a Series A scaling wall, this panel is designed to provide you with a framework to decide which path is right for your current milestone.
The Scaling Dilemmas We’ll Tackle:
1. The Seed Stage Sprint: High Stakes, Thin Pockets
The Problem: You need 15+ years of experience to professionalize your finance or GTM, but you can’t afford the $200k+ salary or the 1-2% equity "tax" a full-time hire demands.
The Discussion: Is a "mid-level" full-timer better than an "elite-level" fractional? We’ll discuss how to get "SAGE" level leadership without bankrupting your cap table.
2. The Series A Roadblock: Complexity vs. Commitment
The Problem: Your startup is growing, but your operations are messy. You need someone to build the systems for Series B, but you aren't sure if the role is yet a 40-hour-a-week commitment.
The Discussion: Should you hire for "The Forever CXO" now, or use a fractional specialist to "pave the road" so your future full-time hire inherits a working machine?
💡 Event Details:
Date: 23 April 2026, Thursday
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Notified upon Acceptance
Speakers
Delbert Ty, Fractional CMO (ex-CMO of Coffee Meets Bagel)
Delbert is a veteran growth leader who currently helms several high-impact fractional roles across the ecosystem. After leading global marketing for Coffee Meets Bagel, Circles.Life, and Duracell, he transitioned into the fractional role to provide senior-level "brainpower" to multiple scaling startups simultaneously.
Jingjing Zhong, Co-Founder of Superbench (ex-MD, Helpling)
A seasoned operator with a track record of scaling platforms, Jingjing recently made a tactical hiring pivot that defies standard startup "wisdom." Moving away from the traditional full-time senior leadership model, she transitioned Superbench to a Fractional CTO structure. She will share the data-driven strategy behind that decision and how it has impacted her team's velocity and bottom line.
Zat Astha, Editor-in-Chief of The Peak Singapore
As the editorial lead for The Peak Singapore, Zat is an expert at asking the questions that cut through the noise. Known for his sharp wit and deep curiosity about the mechanics of business success, Zat will be steering the conversation to ensure we get past the "thought leadership" fluff and straight to the operational truths of building a modern C-Suite.
Organisers
BLOCK71
BLOCK71 is a global network of innovation hubs and startup communities, backed by National University of Singapore (NUS Enterprise). Across 11 cities in 6 countries—Singapore, Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Saigon, Nagoya, Tokyo, Suzhou, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Silicon Valley—BLOCK71 supports entrepreneurs with the space, resources, and connections they need to succeed. Learn more at block71.co.
Supported by
Aspire
Aspire is the all-in-one finance platform for modern businesses globally, helping over 20,000 companies save time and money with international payments, expense management, payable , and receivable management solutions - accessible via a single, user-friendly account.