CPO or CTO – Which Should Come First?

CPO versus CTO

When a non-technical founder starts a new venture there’s a lot to think about.  Their priority is often building the product. Whether it’s an MVP or a beta release, until potential customers have something tangible to interact with, it’s nearly impossible to determine if you’ve achieved product-market fit. But who should lead this effort? Should you hire a Chief Technical Officer (CTO) or a Chief Product Officer (CPO)?  

Which to hire first? 

Many founders think the obvious answer is to hire a technical expert or a CTO. Founders often either recruit an expensive CTO or promote an engineer to the role, even if they lack the qualifications or experience. This approach is further encouraged by investors, who traditionally like to see a technical co-founder or CTO as part of the founding team. 

But is hiring a CTO always the right answer? Not necessarily.  

Why Consider a CPO First? 

Before diving into the details, let’s clarify.  There’s significant overlap between the roles of CEO, CTO, and CPO, and having one title doesn’t necessarily preclude someone from contributing effectively to another role. However, focusing on product management over technical development in the early stages can prevent wasted time and resources. 

CTOs are typically concerned with the technical underpinnings of the product: 

• What’s the right tech stack? 

• How should the platform be hosted? 

• Where is the code stored and how do we track versions? 

• How efficient is the software? 

• What features are required? 

These considerations are undeniably important, but a skilled engineer can often handle them. Especially today with the array of tools available for hosting, no code software, delivery and support.  What’s missing from this technical focus is a deeper understanding of the customer: 

• Who will use the product? 

• How will they use it? 

• What problem does it solve? 

• How much will they pay for it? 

• How do we promote and sell it? 

• How do we deliver and support it? 

This is where a CPO shines. A CPO’s role extends beyond defining what features to build—they prioritize customer requirements, validate that delivered features meet real user needs, and ensure those features deliver measurable value. They also ensure the product is sustainable financially and can meet its revenue and cost goals.  

The Smarter Play? 

A strong CPO, working alongside a competent engineering team, can offer a more holistic approach to product development. Instead of diving headfirst into technical decisions, a CPO-led team starts by understanding customer pain points, designing solutions that address them, and testing early prototypes to gauge market interest. This ensures the team builds the right product, not just a technically sound one. 

While every startup has unique needs, hiring a CPO first can help you focus on what matters most: delivering value to your customers. Once you’ve established product-market fit and gained traction, you can then bring in a CTO to scale and refine the technology.