Engagement model
Architecture Review
I tear the system apart on paper. You get a written architecture report, a risk map, and a roadmap for the rebuild. Fixed scope, fixed price.
Systems Build
Architecture to production. I own the design, write the critical path, and sign off on the system going live. Fixed scope, milestone-based.
Technical Partnership
Architect embedded alongside founders. Systems decisions, trade-off calls, technical leadership. Monthly retainer.
What I take on
Systems where a bad architecture decision costs money, users, or regulatory standing.
- algorithmic trading systems
- execution & risk layers
- financial infrastructure
- settlement & reconciliation
- crypto execution
- multi-exchange systems
- on-chain / off-chain bridges
- tokenized asset systems
Pricing
Architecture reviews from €25k. Systems builds €75k–€150k+. Technical partnership sized to the engagement.
Fixed-scope or retainer. No hourly rates. No day rates. No discovery calls about "what's possible." VAT not included.
Architecture reviews cost less than the bugs they find.
Filter
Green light
- Capital already moving. Architecture is the bottleneck.
- Execution failures have cost real money, not just sleep.
- Multiple systems need to agree on state and don't.
- Risk lives in layers no one currently owns.
- You can name the failure you're trying to prevent.
Don't email me
- You have an idea and need a technical co-founder
- You want a developer to implement your spec
- You need a pitch deck before you need a system
- Your product doesn't touch capital, risk, or execution
- You think €25k is expensive for architecture
- You're price-shopping systems work
How to engage
One email. Four lines:
- The system you're building or operating
- The specific failure mode or architectural question
- The stakes — capital, users, regulatory
- Timeline
I read every email. I reply when the fit is there. If you don't hear back, we weren't a fit — try someone else.
[email protected]Or, if the problem is clear: book a 30-min call.
Ignacio Montoya is a systems architect specializing in algorithmic trading infrastructure, financial systems, and digital asset platforms. Engagements range from €25k architecture reviews to €150k+ systems builds, plus ongoing technical partnership retainers.