Architecture reviews
An assessment of your current or planned system — strengths, risks and the changes that would make the biggest difference.
Consulting & advisory
A second opinion from people who build.
Clear, independent advice on what to build, buy, fix or leave alone — architecture, AI adoption, vendor proposals and technical due diligence, before money is committed.
ArchitectureAI strategyTechnical due diligenceRoadmapsVendor selection
Overview
The cheapest time to fix a technology decision is before it is made.
Many expensive technology problems start as reasonable-sounding decisions: a stack chosen because it was popular, a vendor chosen because the proposal looked impressive, an AI project started because competitors were talking about theirs. An independent view before committing is one of the cheapest ways to avoid them.
Our advice comes from building. We design and ship web platforms, APIs, mobile apps, cloud set-ups and AI assistants, so our recommendations are grounded in what actually works — and what it costs to run afterwards.
We keep it practical: a clear framing of the decision, options laid side by side with their trade-offs, and a written recommendation you can act on or share with your board, investors or team.
Who it’s for
- Non-technical founders choosing how to build their product
- Leaders weighing an AI initiative or vendor proposal
- Investors and acquirers who need a technical view of a company
- Teams planning a rebuild, migration or scale-up
What we deliver
What you get
AI strategy and readiness
Where AI can genuinely help your business, what data you need, what it will cost to run and how to pilot it safely.
Vendor and proposal review
A plain-English read of quotes and technical proposals: what is missing, what is inflated and what to ask.
Technical due diligence
A structured look at a product’s code, infrastructure, security and team for investors or acquirers.
Technology roadmaps
A phased plan linking business goals to technical work, with realistic sequencing and budgets.
Fractional technical leadership
Ongoing senior guidance for teams without a CTO: hiring, reviews, priorities and vendor management.
Signs you need this
This is for you if…
- You have a quote for a big build and no way to judge it.
- Your board or investors are asking about your AI plans.
- The team disagrees on whether to rebuild or refactor.
- You are about to invest in or acquire a technology company.
- You are a non-technical founder choosing a stack or an agency.
- Technology spend keeps rising without clear results.
Tech stack
Areas we advise on
Build
Web platformsMobile appsAPIsSaaS architecture
AI
RAG assistantsModel selectionAI cost controlEvaluation
Operations
Cloud hostingDevOpsSecurity postureData protection
Business
Build vs buyVendor selectionTeam structureRoadmaps
How we work
From question to confident decision.
Frame the decision
What you need to decide, by when, and what a good outcome looks like.
Gather evidence
Interviews, documents, code or proposals — whatever the decision depends on.
Analyse options
Two or three realistic options with costs, risks and trade-offs laid side by side.
Recommend
A clear recommendation in writing, presented to you and your stakeholders, with next steps.
Proof
Where our advice comes from
AI
RAG and model routing, built not just discussed
Our AI advice is grounded in shipping assistants like the one on the Fort Kovant website and a cost-aware routing agent that cut model costs by 80% in testing.
Scale
High-traffic platforms
Our founder led the architecture of a Laravel e-commerce platform designed for around 300,000 requests a day.
Ways to work
Pick the model that fits the work.
Fixed-scope packages
Clearly defined deliverables at a fixed price — ideal for websites, audits and well-understood builds.
See packagesCustom quote
For bespoke products and platforms: a short discovery, then a written proposal with milestones and a fixed or capped price.
Request a quoteMonthly retainer
Ongoing support, maintenance and improvement with a guaranteed response time and a set number of hours each month.
Discuss a retainerHourly / daily
Flexible time-and-materials help for troubleshooting, code reviews, consulting and team augmentation.
Book timeQuestions
Frequently asked questions
Can’t see your question? Ask us directly — you’ll get a straight, practical answer, even if it’s “you don’t need us for this”.
Are you independent of the vendors you recommend?
Yes. We do not take commissions from software vendors or hosting companies. If we recommend ourselves for the build, we say so openly and you are free to take the advice elsewhere.
What does a typical engagement look like?
Anything from a single advisory call to a fixed-scope review with a written report, or a monthly advisory retainer for ongoing decisions. We agree scope and deliverables up front.
Can you help a non-technical founder?
Yes — that is one of the most valuable uses of advice. We explain options in plain language, help you write a clear brief, and review proposals so you can hire with confidence.
What is technical due diligence?
An independent check of a company’s technology before investment or acquisition: code quality, architecture, security, scalability, dependence on key people and technical debt. It helps you price risk and plan what happens after the deal.
Should we be using AI?
Possibly, but not everywhere. The best first projects are specific, measurable and use data you already have — like answering repeat questions or extracting information from documents. We help you find those and avoid expensive experiments that go nowhere.
Will you tell us if our current approach is fine?
Yes. Sometimes the best advice is to keep what you have and fix two things. We are paid for the quality of the advice, not for recommending more work.
Have something in mind? Let’s scope it.
Tell us what you’re building, or what’s broken. We’ll come back with questions, a suggested approach and the simplest sensible next step — no obligation.