​You Don't Need a CTO (Until You Do)

​10 September | 13:00-13:30
Main Stage, Tech Open, Stockholm

​How far can a founder really get before they need real technical depth?

​Plenty of early-stage founders build their first product, land their first customers, and sometimes even raise their first round — all without a technical co-founder or an in-house engineering team. This panel looks at exactly how far that can take you, and where the shortcuts start costing more than they save.

​Moderator Amalia Berglöf is joined by engineers and technical leaders from across AI infrastructure and software development to unpack what founders can realistically prototype, outsource, or delay, and what starts to break once a company needs real infrastructure, data foundations, and engineering depth to keep growing.

​What we'll discuss
Together, we'll explore:

• ​How far no-code, low-code, and AI tools can take an early-stage product

• ​The warning signs that a company has outgrown its technical setup

• ​What "good enough" infrastructure looks like at different stages

• ​Build vs. buy vs. outsource: how founders should think about technical decisions

• ​When to hire a CTO, and when a fractional or contract solution is enough

• ​Common mistakes non-technical founders make when scaling their tech

​Expect an honest conversation filled with practical insights, real founder stories, and actionable advice for anyone building a tech product without a CTO in the room.

​Who should attend?
This panel is ideal for:

• ​Founders

• ​Non-technical founders

• ​Aspiring entrepreneurs

• ​Startup teams

• ​Product leaders

• ​Investors

• ​Anyone building or scaling a tech product without in-house engineering leadership

​What you'll gain
You'll leave with:

• ​A clearer sense of how far you can go before needing dedicated engineering depth

• ​Practical signals for when it's time to bring in technical leadership

• ​Insights into structuring early technical decisions

• ​Actionable advice for founders building without a CTO

​Moderator
Amalia Berglöf (Founder Crewcial)

​Speakers
Tommy Andorff (Neuro)
Alexander Martynau (Nvidia)
Anton Smith (Nebius)
Jonathan Ortheden (Compileit)

​This panel is part of Tech Open, the free open-air tech conference taking place during Nordic Tech Week in the heart of Stockholm.