How We Work

No black boxes.
No surprises. No lock-in.

Enterprise buyers spend months evaluating AI vendors because the process is opaque. Here's exactly how we work - every phase, every deliverable, every pricing model.

Fixed pricing
You know the cost before we start. No hourly surprises, no scope-creep billing.
NDA before we talk
We sign an NDA before you share any proprietary information.
100% code ownership
Every line of code is yours from day one. No license, no lock-in.
Honest scoping
If the problem doesn't need AI, we tell you. Three times last year, we talked clients out of unnecessary AI projects.

The Process

From first call to production - step by step

Every engagement follows the same five phases. The durations vary by project; the structure doesn't.

Phase 01

Discovery Call

30 minutes - free

We talk through your problem, your tech environment, your data, and your timeline. No sales pitch. An AI engineer (not a salesperson) is on the call. By the end, you know whether we can help and what approach makes sense.

Clear understanding of your use case
Initial technology recommendation
Honest assessment of feasibility
Rough effort and timeline estimate
Phase 02

Technical Scoping

3-5 business days

We write a Technical Scoping Document: architecture decision record, data requirements, integration points, risk register, and a week-by-week delivery plan. You see the blueprint before any code is written. We sign an NDA before we start this phase.

Architecture Decision Record (ADR)
Data and integration requirements
Risk register with mitigation strategies
Fixed-price project proposal
Phase 03

Build Phase

Typically 4-12 weeks

We build in two-week sprints with working deliverables at each milestone. You get Slack/WhatsApp access to your engineer throughout. No 'black box' development - you see progress in real time. Every sprint ends with a demo and a written milestone report.

Bi-weekly demo of working software
Written milestone report after each sprint
Direct Slack access to your engineer
Change request process with impact assessment
Phase 04

Deployment & Handover

1-2 weeks

We deploy to your infrastructure (or ours), run final QA, and document everything. The handover package includes: full source code, architecture docs, runbook, evals baseline, and a Loom walkthrough video. Your team can own and maintain the system from day one.

Full source code (100% yours)
Runbook and operational documentation
Evals baseline and monitoring setup
Loom walkthrough - every decision explained
Phase 05

Ongoing Support

Optional - SLA-based

We offer retainer-based ongoing support: model monitoring, performance optimization, feature development, and incident response. This is structured as a monthly SLA, not ticket-based. Most enterprise clients retain us for 3-6 months post-launch.

Defined SLA with response time commitments
Monthly performance and health reports
Model drift monitoring and alerts
Priority incident response

Engagement Models

Four ways to work with us

Different problems need different structures. Choose what fits - or mix and match.

Fixed-Scope Project

Best for: Well-defined problem, specific output

You define the outcome. We scope the build. One price, one delivery date. Best for MVPs, specific AI features, RAG systems, or automation pipelines with clear inputs and outputs.

Fixed price agreed upfront4-12 weeks typical

Retainer / Fractional Team

Best for: Ongoing development or CTO-as-a-Service

Embed a Xenqube engineer or technical lead with your team on a monthly basis. Full access to AI/ML, full-stack, security, and Web3 expertise. Ideal for startups scaling their engineering, or enterprises running multiple AI workstreams.

Monthly retainer3-month minimum

51-Hour MVP Sprint

Best for: Validate fast, decide before committing

Idea to deployed prototype in 51 hours. Strict scope, fixed price, full ownership. Many sprint clients continue into a full project - with no obligation. Perfect for testing a hypothesis before a larger investment.

From $3,000 / ₹2.5L51 hours

Enterprise Advisory

Best for: AI strategy, due diligence, architecture review

A Xenqube technical lead for your board presentation, AI strategy session, vendor due diligence, or architecture review. Independent technical opinion - no vendor bias, no upsell pressure.

Half/full day ratesFlexible

Still have questions?

Send us a message or book a 30-minute call - no pitch, no commitment. An engineer picks up and walks through your specific situation.