Chief Technology Officer

The Vision

Are you a hands-on CTO, VP Engineering, Founding Engineer or Senior Software engineer with a proven track record building complex products? Do you fancy an adventure in Europe, working in the exciting field of EdTech?

We are seeking a technical co-founder to join our early-stage startup as Chief Technology Officer. This is a unique opportunity to build a unique solution with world wide reach from the ground up while having significant equity and decision-making power.

The Appy Learning Company Ltd was launched to leverage new technologies to help young children learn languages, but are now looking at a much wider potential landscape. We aim to create a solution which will bring together a number of stakeholders to create an amazing EdTech experience for parents and children,

We are at an inflection point, ready to seek seed funding and scale our innovative solution in the EdTech space.

The Opportunity

As a Founding CTO, you will be instrumental in fundraising efforts and work with the founder to pitch to investors.

Should we succeed, you will be have the autonomy to shape the product, build a first version, and drive our overall technology strategy.

This is not just a technical role?it's a chance to shape a company's future as a key stakeholder in an inspiring and contructive space, EdTech, projected to take off thanks to AI.

Key Responsibilities

Pre-fundraising you will:

• Help to refine the product vision and pitch deck for investor presentations
• Design and develop the initial MVP to demonstrate product-market fit and secure funding
• Create a compelling technical narrative and roadmap that resonates with investors
• Lead fundraising conversations related to technology

This will be remote, and not paid.

Post fundraising, you will be responsible for leading and scaling our technology team, overseeing the development of our platform, and driving our overall technology strategy.

• Build & scale: architect, build, and scale a robust powered platform leveraging cloud technology and API ecosystems
• Security: Implement best practices for infrastructure, data security, and DevOps.
• Fullstack development leadership: Lead hands-on development across the stack (React, Node.js, Python, PostgreSQL, AWS)
• Is comfortable with llms and will know how to integrate them into our product lines where appropriate
• Recruit, mentor, and inspire a high-performing technical team.

You will be expected to relocate to the UK or another location tbd in Europe.

Ideal Qualifications

A must:

• Experience: 7+ years in software development, with experience leading projects or teams
• Experience working in a world class software company
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field (advanced degrees a plus)
• 3+ years of engineering leadership experience
• Technical Expertise: Strong skills in fullstack development and cloud infrastructure
• Experience building products from concept to market launch
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

Nice to have

• Previous startup experience, especially in founder or early-stage technical leadership roles a plus, but anyone ready to make the jump is welcome
• Demonstrated success in raising capital or supporting fundraising efforts would be great of course, but not essential
• Network in the venture capital or angel investor community also valued but not essential

What We Offer

• Significant equity position vesting over 4 years, with additional milestone-based incentives. Exact terms to be agreed, and will reflect experience and ability to secure funding.
• Competitive founder salary once initial funding is secured
• Opportunity to build and lead a world-class engineering organization
• Direct influence on company strategy, culture, and product direction
• Potential for substantial financial upside through future funding rounds and exit opportunities

Ideal Candidate Profile

Beyond technical skills, we're looking for someone who:

• Has strong independent problem solving drive
• Has a track record of innovating
• Is comfortable with the uncertainty of early-stage ventures
• Can inspire confidence in investors, team members, and customers

Next Steps

If you're excited about building something extraordinary and have the technical acumen to help us succeed, we would love to connect. Please send your resume, LinkedIn profile, and a brief note about why this opportunity interests you.