Skaftos

We build automation and AI systems that survive contact with reality.

Production systems. Clear ownership. Automation first — AI only where it earns its keep.

If your problem is clear, your constraints are known, and the system matters — we build. Not demos. Not experiments. Not "let's try AI and see". We design and ship systems that people actually rely on.

This path works best when:

The business goal is explicit
The process already exists (even if it's manual)
Success and failure can be defined
Someone internally owns the outcome
Automation or AI is a means, not the goal

If most of this feels true, building is likely the right next step.

If not — starting with a short system review usually saves months.

What you actually build

Automation & Workflow Systems

Replacing manual steps with deterministic, reliable workflows. APIs, internal tools, data pipelines, back-office logic.

Example: Order handling, onboarding flows, internal approvals

AI-Assisted Capabilities

Language, classification, search, summarisation — only where judgment or scale demands it. AI supports decisions. It does not quietly make them.

Example: Email triage, document analysis, internal knowledge search

System Integrations

Connecting tools that were never meant to talk to each other — safely. CRMs, inboxes, databases, legacy software, internal services.

Example: CRM sync, data warehouse pipelines, API bridges

Internal Software & Operational Tools

Custom systems built for how your company actually works — not how SaaS demos assume you work.

Example: Admin dashboards, workflow tools, reporting systems

How you build

Automation before AI

Rules are cheaper, faster, and safer. AI is added only when rules stop working.

Human-in-the-loop where risk exists

If a mistake can cost money, trust, or compliance — a human stays accountable.

Production thinking from day one

Logging, error handling, ownership, monitoring. No 'we'll harden it later'.

Clear scope and stopping points

We define what success looks like — and when to stop building.

Bias toward simplification

Sometimes the best improvement is deleting half the system.

Process
Base
Auto
Layer 2
AI
Optional
Human
Always

AI is not at the base. Humans are not optional.

What you deliberately do not build

We don't build:

×AI features without a clear job to do
×Systems that replace accountability with 'the model decided'
×Over-engineered architectures for unclear problems
×One-off hacks that no one wants to maintain
×Anything that skips understanding how work actually happens

If this sounds restrictive — it is.

That's how systems remain usable six months later.

Engagement shapes

Direct build engagement

For teams with clear goals and stable processes.

Audit → build

When assumptions need validation or risk is high. Often faster in the long run.

Improve & refactor

For existing automation or AI that feels fragile, expensive, or opaque.

We'll tell you which path fits — and why.

If you're confident in what needs to be built, we can discuss execution.

If there's uncertainty — validating first is usually the smarter move.

Short diagnostic. Paid. No obligation to build.