Fractional Head of AI
Senior AI leadership for growth-stage companies, without the full-time headcount. Strategy, hiring, architecture, and hands-on builds, from an operator who is Head of AI at Healf, the #1 company on the Sifted 100 UK & Ireland 2026.
Most growth-stage companies cannot justify a full-time Chief AI Officer at Series B or C compensation. Most also cannot afford to wait 12 months for the right hire while the rest of the market compounds around them. A Fractional Head of AI closes that gap.
You get senior judgement, a stack that will not need ripping out in 18 months, hiring support for the full-time successor, and hands-on delivery on the highest-ROI builds. The retainer is structured monthly with a minimum quarterly commitment, so there is real runway for output rather than a slide deck.
What you get
Four responsibilities, one senior owner
AI strategy
A coherent AI plan mapped to board KPIs, not a list of tools. We cut the noise, sequence the bets by ROI, and build the narrative your investors and your team can both follow.
Architecture and stack
We pick the models, tools, and infrastructure. n8n for orchestration, the right frontier model for each job, vector stores where they matter, boring SaaS where they do not. Avoids the expensive rebuild in 18 months.
Hiring and mentoring
We help you hire the full-time Head of AI or senior AI engineers, sit on interview panels, and onboard them properly. The point is to make ourselves redundant. We leave you with a stronger internal team, not a dependency.
Hands-on delivery
Real production automations shipped. Customer support agents, document pipelines, internal tools, finance automation. At Healf this drove 85% daily AI tool adoption across the company. Output, not just oversight.
Current proof point
Head of AI at Healf, #1 on the Sifted 100 UK & Ireland 2026
Nihaar currently runs the AI function at Healf, a fast-scaling health and wellness e-commerce platform. 1,403% two-year revenue CAGR. The AI operational backbone he built is the foundation of the case study we publish publicly.
#1
Sifted 100 UK & Ireland 2026
1,403%
2-year revenue CAGR
85%
daily AI adoption
Common questions about fractional AI leadership
What does a Fractional Head of AI actually do?
Four things. Sets AI strategy against business KPIs so the board has a coherent story. Architects the systems, picks the stack, and avoids the expensive mistakes. Hires, onboards, and mentors internal AI talent so you are not dependent on us forever. And ships production automations hands-on so there is real output, not just a roadmap.
How many days a week is the engagement?
Typically 1 to 2 days a week, sometimes 3 during the first 90 days when the foundations need setting. We commit to a minimum of a quarter so there is time for real output, and we structure engagements around deliverables, not hours.
When should we hire fractional vs full-time?
Fractional makes sense when you need senior AI judgement but do not yet have the scope to justify a full-time Head of AI at Series B or C compensation. Typical fit: 50 to 300 person company, AI is important but not the core product, you want to move fast without betting on a single hire. Once AI is central to the product or you are past 300 people, hire full-time and we transition.
Who have you done this for?
Nihaar Udathu is currently Head of AI at Healf, the #1 company on the Sifted 100 UK & Ireland 2026 (1,403% 2-year revenue CAGR). He runs the AI function, architected the operational backbone, and hit 85% daily AI adoption across the team. Prior: Investment Executive at Arcus Infrastructure Partners, VC at Synthesis Capital, MA Economics from Cambridge.
What does it cost?
Engagements are structured monthly with a minimum quarterly commitment. Pricing depends on scope, days per week, and whether delivery is included or kept to strategy and oversight. We share transparent pricing after a 30 minute call when we understand the shape of the need.
How does this work alongside our internal team?
We work alongside your CTO, Head of Product, or Head of Data. We are additive, not replacing anyone. For companies that already have strong engineering leadership we focus on the AI-specific decisions they do not have time to own. For companies without that layer we take a broader role until you hire.
Book a 30 minute call
We walk through your AI roadmap, your team, and where a fractional Head of AI would have the highest impact. Transparent pricing shared on the call.