Everything to do with software
First and foremost, we build software - in fact, we do pretty much everything that has to do with software.
1043 Labs architects, engineers, and maintains custom, state-of-the-art software systems for technology companies large and small. Our speed, efficiency, and technical superiority give competitive advantage to our clients and partners.
The truth is, we can do pretty much any task associated with the software business. Talk to us some time - or better yet, work with us on a project - and you'll see what we mean. Here are some things we're especially good at:
Enterprise-grade Big Data infrastructure deployments. There are many talkers in this realm, but few walkers. We specialize in Big Data Streaming and Analytics platforms, so reach out to us if you need to process high-volume data streams in near-real time, or run analytics on mountains of historical data, or both! To take one example, we've carved out a particular niche in social media analytics: capture, store, analyze, enrich, score, and visualize social media data streams, and do it in near-real time - a Big Data problem of the first order.
We use the phrase "enterprise grade" with some frequency. This is not to imply that we only work on, or prefer to work on, large enterprise scale projects. Rather, it means we bring enterprise grade expectations to every project, large or small. Enterprise grade implies bombproof security, reliable performance, high availability, robust user role and authorization subsystems, pre-architected scalability - all delivered on time and budget to modern, professional standards. Every time. No exceptions. Even our rapid prototyping projects - which we execute at current commercial speeds - include robust authorization, continuous integration, and secrets management features that would satisfy the technical requirements of a typical financial services provider.
Our cloud-centric architectural and back-end expertise pays big dividends here. Mix in some 1043 Labs full-stack and front-end specialists, and we can deliver fully-baked SaaS systems on schedules few shops can match.
SaaS deployments (and cloud computing more generally) have come to dominate the online experience of most everyday computer, tablet, and handheld users. In the rush to deliver SaaS systems - and the waves of SaaS developers required to build them - longstanding engineering principles are often left by the wayside, even as Big Data platforms and other mission-critical applications routinely include SaaS delivery objectives. At 1043 Labs, we use state-of-the-art tools and technologies, but deliver enterprise-grade security and stability. This is a common aspiration - and easy enough to say - but it's quite rare in practice. Few teams can combine the ability to keep pace with rapidly evolving SaaS and cloud-based tool sets, with enterprise-grade delivery expertise. We do exactly that at 1043 Labs.
Every software development project is an exercise in serial problem solving, and finding a reliable plug-and-play technical team solves many problems. From market guidance, to product management, to fundraising pitch support, to "CTO + Engineering in a box," we can provide technical guidance at every step along the path from start-up to commercial operation.
Some clients need little more than a temporary boost in engineering brainpower. Others have a technical officer of some sort, but need to fill out an engineering team. Still others have a semi-technical or non-technical CEO and require a complete technical team, top to bottom. In all cases, 1043 Labs resources come bundled with the right level of technical leadership. Where appropriate, we can even help you assess your own technical staff, augment your staff, or help you vet and assemble your own technical team.
We're in the software business, where enterprise-caliber software systems will always be the bedrock. However, critical ancillary functions include managing, documenting, presenting, and explaining software architecture. In fact, at certain points in a sales or investment cycle, these "extras" may be more important than the (unfinished) system itself. We excel at diagramming and explaining (and scheduling!) our architectures, and our consulting services extend to investor strategy and support, fundraising and market definition being key considerations for most young companies.
Every project shares this goal: an enterprise-grade system constructed to modern standards (of security, stability, elegance, etc.). On any project, we begin assembling a secure, scalable, and productive development environment from before the word "go."
Frequently, our "DevOps first" approach is already evident during pre-contract ramp-up discussions. On the client or prospect's behalf, we routinely begin assembling a scalable development environment coincident with early project scoping and costing discovery. The newly rising infrastructure incorporates diverse 1043 Labs tools and resources, and it may include some client-preferred tools or client-side human resources as well. We typically establish dedicated cloud accounts, followed quickly by logging, monitoring, and communication tools (we favor Slack, Loggly, PagerDuty, and GitHub, among many others...).
On most projects, we also have a good early idea about the target technology stack, and begin assembling those pieces as well. Once under contract, we move immediately to harden the young platform with security, authorization, and continuous integration subsystems, all tied into a shared Slack installation that unifies the various team members, internal and external. You may notice that we also use the word "family" a lot; among their diverse benefits, rigorous DevOps infrastructure and well established best practices help unite the extended family - and a happy, high-functioning family is a beautiful thing to see!
"1043 Labs was a sponsor for the 2015 TeKOne Boston startup investment forum held at the Union Club in Boston. The members of 1043 Labs actively participated as mentors, consultants, and judges for our startup pitch sessions. They were not only knowledgeable in their subject matter, but also fun to work with. The TeKOne board members look forward to future collaboration with 1043 Labs." - Lydia Schroter, Program Co-Chair and Board Member