HFT Startup Transforms Operations with Updated Systems

Overview

An HFT startup with proven strategies in a testnet environment needed to transform its prototype systems into production-grade infrastructure capable of institutional scale. The founding team had deep quantitative expertise but limited operational and infrastructure experience.

This engagement reflects our core model: retained technical governance that operates alongside existing engineering teams, providing architectural authority without replacing headcount.

The Challenge

The startup had a working strategy and seed capital — but their prototype system was built for research, not production. They faced a long list of critical unknowns: which co-location facilities to use, how to architect for sub-millisecond execution, which technology vendors to trust, how to design risk controls that would satisfy institutional prime brokers, and how to build an ops team. Every decision had downstream consequences they lacked the expertise to model.

Our Approach

• Strategy Discovery Session to map each infrastructure decision to P&L impact
• Co-location vendor assessment and negotiation across 3 facilities
• Full technology stack architecture: market data, connectivity, OMS, risk, monitoring
• Capital efficiency modeling to right-size infrastructure investment to AUM
• Team Structure & Hiring Design: defined 5 critical roles and skill profiles
• Monthly Architectural Review cadence from build through live trading launch

Outcomes