Why Work With Me?
25+ Years of Experience
Leading technology innovation across startups and Fortune 500 companies (GM, Qualcomm, Illumina).
Proven Expertise
SaaS product development, engineering leadership, cross-team collaboration, and security/compliance management.
AWS Cloud Computing
Deep expertise in Terraform (IaC), Kubernetes, Docker, CI/CD, and AWS cost optimization.
Access to a Deep Talent Network
Access to top-tier UX/UI designers, software developers, business analysts, DevOps engineers, and QA staff to augment your team as needed.
Strategic Technology Advising
I provide executive-level guidance on scalable technology strategies, helping startups and SMBs build and grow their SaaS platforms efficiently. I assist in defining product/market fit, technology roadmaps, and infrastructure planning to support business goals.
Fractional CTO Leadership & Advisory
I serve as a fractional CTO, offering hands-on leadership in product development, cloud architecture, security, and AI/ML integration. I work with founders, executives, and investors to align technology decisions with business objectives.
Talent Acquisition & Team Scaling
I streamline the hiring and team-building process, identifying key roles, crafting job descriptions, and managing recruitment for engineering leaders, developers, DevOps, and UX/UI designers. I also provide strategic guidance on offshoring, remote work, and scaling cross-functional teams.
Cloud & DevOps Strategy
I specialize in AWS infrastructure, Terraform automation, Kubernetes, and Serverless architectures, ensuring companies have a cost-efficient, scalable, and secure cloud strategy. I also implement CI/CD pipelines and DevOps best practices to improve software delivery efficiency.
AI & Data Strategy
I help businesses leverage AI and machine learning to extract insights from unstructured data, automate workflows, and enhance customer experiences. Whether through AI-powered chatbots or intelligent data processing, I bring AI-driven efficiency to product development.
Security & Compliance Consulting
I assess and strengthen security postures, ensuring compliance with HIPAA, SOC 2, and industry best practices. I implement IAM policies, encryption standards, and incident response strategies to minimize risks and protect customer data.
API & Third-Party Integrations
I specialize in AWS infrastructure, Terraform automation, Kubernetes, and Serverless architectures, ensuring companies have a cost-efficient, scalable, and secure cloud strategy. I also implement CI/CD pipelines and DevOps best practices to improve software delivery efficiency.
Technical Due Diligence & Budgeting
I help businesses leverage AI and machine learning to extract insights from unstructured data, automate workflows, and enhance customer experiences. Whether through AI-powered chatbots or intelligent data processing, I bring AI-driven efficiency to product development.
Leadership Development & Team Coaching
I assess and strengthen security postures, ensuring compliance with HIPAA, SOC 2, and industry best practices. I implement IAM policies, encryption standards, and incident response strategies to minimize risks and protect customer data.
Lou Sacco
Early Beginnings in Technology
My journey in technology began at 13, programming games on a Commodore 64, sparking a lifelong passion for building and problem solving. After earning my engineering degree, I joined EDS, where I completed their rigorous Systems Engineering Development program before pursuing my master’s in Computer Science at the University of Michigan.
Career Growth and Industry Experience
A chance experience at an IBM conference brought me to San Diego, where I eventually moved and built my career working with startups and Fortune 500 companies like Qualcomm and Illumina. I’ve led teams, navigated digital transformations, and worked on groundbreaking projects, but what I love most is the process of solving complex challenges and bringing ideas to life.
Innovating in Healthcare Technology
Most recently, as CTO of DaisyHealth, I helped create a SaaS platform that improves healthcare access through telemedicine and AI-driven solutions for a fraction of the cost to underserved communities. Along the way, I’ve stayed engaged with the tech community through 7CTOs San Diego and the AWS CTO Fellowship, where I connect with peers, mentor emerging leaders, and share insights on technology and leadership.
Passion for Building and Innovation
At my core, I’m a builder — of technology, of teams, and of strategies that drive real impact. I thrive on collaborating with innovative minds, tackling ambitious projects, and helping companies navigate the ever-evolving technology landscape.
What Colleagues Say
Annie Chaiyakul
Vice President, IT
I have had the pleasure of working with Lou over a four-year period. Lou has a very deep technical software development and devops knowledge which he has used to architect and deliver some innovative solutions. Throughout the four years, Lou took on more scope and expanded his leadership knowledge beyond software development to enterprise content management, collaboration, productivity, and e-discovery, where he was intuitive and very successful. He also has a great ability to solve complex problems and provide great guidance to his team. Lou is very collaborative and a great team player. He listens to his customers well and exceeds customers' expectations.
Robert Suarez
Executive Director, IT
Lou is one of the most talented developers I've had the chance to work with. He is constantly striving to deliver immense customer value through the innovative use of modern and leading edge technologies. Lou often looks for and implements very efficient and technology forward solutions to business challenges and is never afraid to take calculated risks. I had the opportunity to work with Lou in a variety of facets from a trusted development partner, to a fellow leader in the organization. In both areas I found Lou to excel both technically and professionally. Lou is well regarded as a leader both amongst his peers and by his team and always takes a "can do" approach when working cross functionally. I would highly recommend Lou for any technical or leadership position!
Mike Sofen
Senior Data Architect
Lou is a gem among gems - exquisitely skilled and adept at software application design and engineering, and equally adept in technology leadership, guiding his teams in successful development and deployments. The morale of his direct reports was as high as I've ever seen and this was due to his light touch as a leader, coupled with his technical prowess. I worked with Lou at Illumina across nearly 4 years of hilarious high tech hijinx. We sat across a cube aisle from each other for a couple years and I still smile at all the times he carefully laid verbal traps that I blindly walked into, to the extreme entertainment of everyone around us. That well-developed humor brightened the days when deadlines or tough slogging were weighing on staff, and I sorely missed it when I migrated to the operations side of the company.
Will Chan
Cofounder and VP of Engineering at Acorn Labs
Lou was the Director of Solutions Architecture and DevOps at Illumina when I first interacted with him as a customer of Rancher. Although we had only met a few times initially, Lou came across highly knowledgeable, technical, and pragmatic in the conversations we had about Rancher. He was so invaluable in his feedback that we quickly invited him to our Rancher Advisory Council to help shape our roadmap. His influence can be widely seen in the development of Rancher throughout the years. Lou has been a joy to work with and definitely a person that you can bounce ideas off of. Highly recommend!
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Whether you're looking for a strategy session, exploring partnerships, or simply want to chat about tech, I'm here to connect.
Contact Me