Where strategy meets the actual build.
Most consulting either stops at the slide deck or skips to the keyboard without ever asking why. Makai works the full span — from the executive conversation that frames the problem, to the engineers shipping the system that solves it.
We design AI and automation systems that survive contact with reality — governed, observable, and integrated with the way work actually flows.
- Agentic workflows — multi-step agents wired to your tools, with the right guardrails and human checkpoints.
- Document intelligence & RAG — turning unstructured knowledge into a searchable, queryable asset.
- Copilots & assistants — embedded into the apps and surfaces your teams already use.
- Process automation — eliminating swivel-chair work between systems with reliable, monitored pipelines.
- AI governance — model evaluation, data handling, and the boring guardrails that keep you out of trouble.
Transformation is rarely about new tech — it's about retiring the friction that's been quietly compounding for a decade. We focus on what actually moves the needle.
- Cloud migration & modernization — pragmatic moves to AWS, Azure, or GCP with cost discipline built in.
- Platform & architecture — internal developer platforms, service architecture, and the seams that let teams move independently.
- Data foundations — the warehouse, lakehouse, and pipelines that your AI ambitions actually depend on.
- Legacy decoupling — strangler-fig patterns and incremental migrations that don't require a 3-year freeze.
- DevEx & reliability — CI/CD, observability, and the operational backbone that lets you ship without fear.
The hardest part of transformation isn't doing the work — it's deciding what work to do. We bring senior, independent perspective when the stakes don't allow for guessing.
- Technology & AI strategy — multi-year roadmaps grounded in real constraints, not aspirational slideware.
- Architecture reviews — independent assessments of your platforms, data, and AI capabilities.
- Build vs. buy vs. partner — clear-eyed analysis when the right call isn't obvious.
- Vendor & tooling selection — RFPs, evaluations, and negotiation support.
- Fractional leadership — interim CTO/CIO support during transitions, fundraises, or M&A.
Some problems can't be slide-decked into submission. We embed senior engineers and program leaders into your team to actually build and ship — and to leave you with something you can own.
- Embedded engineering — senior practitioners working alongside your team, not above it.
- Program leadership — running cross-functional initiatives that span product, platform, and operations.
- MVP & rapid prototyping — going from concept to working software in weeks, not quarters.
- Production hardening — taking promising prototypes the last 80% to actually being live.
- Knowledge transfer — documentation, runbooks, and pairing built into every engagement.
Three ways to work together.
Most engagements start with a conversation. The shape comes after we understand the problem.
Compass
A focused 2–4 week engagement to clarify the problem, the landscape, and a credible path forward. Ends with a decision-ready plan.
Voyage
A multi-month delivery engagement where we ship the system, the change, or the capability — with your team alongside us, not behind us.
Harbor
An ongoing fractional advisory relationship — exec coaching, architecture review, and a sounding board for the calls that matter.
Not sure which one fits?
Most aren't. Reach out and we'll figure it out together.
Start the conversation