I plan for what goes wrong, so your project doesn’t.
Hi, I’m Naresh, a forward-deployed engineer and fractional CTO with over 20 years of experience turning complex requirements into systems that work, and leading distributed teams to deliver them. My journey began during my undergraduate engineering degree in Chennai and has taken me through Fortune 500 companies and small teams across three continents. Today, I build and run platforms for founders, race directors and nonprofits, hands-on with AI agents.
Endurance is my second job: I run ultramarathons and cycle across continents to help combat human trafficking. It’s taught me to stay calm when things go wrong, and that how we do anything is how we do everything. More about me
Selected work
All work
Big’s Backyard Ultra
708 affiliated races in 82 countries, grown from one race in a Tennessee backyard, on a platform I build and run.
2020 – now
GVRAT & CRAW
19,600+ runners signed up in 2020 for a virtual race planned for 2,000. I built the race system solo during COVID, then a 30,167-mile team relay around the world that ran for four years.
2020 – now
Tunnel Hill 100
A complete rebuild of the race website for one of ultrarunning’s fastest courses. In the race director’s words, it’s “lightning fast now.”
LexStop
A website for a St. Louis attorney who helps property owners in Missouri and Illinois appeal excessive tax assessments, built around a free property-tax review.
How can I help?
- Hire me for techNo technical owner in-house? I start with a short assessment, build what’s needed, then keep it running.
- For the endurance worldVirtual race platforms, results and tracking maps, race websites and athlete sites, from someone who races too.
- Partner on impactTechnology and AI for nonprofits, foundations and CSR teams.
- Book a talkResilience, preparation and finishing what you start. About 50 talks in three countries.
- Hiring?Forward-deployed engineer, fractional CTO and technical program roles. Read my résumé.
What people say
“Naresh has left empty shoes here, no-one has been able to fill. He is exceptional in leading complex projects and strong minded teams through technology QA/UAT cycles.”
“In short order he totally rebuilt the site with a fresh look that’s both exciting and appealing to viewers. It contains more information but is lightning fast now.”
When there’s no right tool, I find one.
Silk Road Mountain Race, Kyrgyzstan. A torn tyre, the nearest town 250 km away, and no repair kit. I booted the tyre with my sailcloth wallet and rode about a hundred miles through the Tian Shan to the finish. The race called me its MacGyver.
That’s how I work on projects too: plan for what can go wrong, and when something still does, find a way to finish.
More about meHave a project, an event or a cause?
Tell me what you’re trying to do. I’ll tell you honestly how I can help, or who can.
Start a conversation