A five-stage path,
de-risked at every step
No giant upfront contract and no open-ended retainer. We start with two free conversations, then price each stage in writing before the next begins — so you stay in control of the spend and free to stop at any boundary.
Big decisions, broken into small, reversible steps
Most firms want one big signature on one big contract. We don't. AI work carries enough uncertainty that betting the whole budget up front is the wrong move — for you and for us.
So the engagement comes in five stages. Each is small, priced before it starts, and ends at a natural exit. You only ever fund the next step once the last one has earned it.
The five stages
- 1Intro callFree
- 2Pre-discoveryFree
- 3DiscoveryFrom a fixed fee
- 4StrategyPriced upfront
- 5Implementation12-week blocks
Each one priced, each one optional
Intro call
A conversation, not a pitch. We learn your business and what's slowing it down; you learn how we think. If we're not a fit, we'll say so.
Pre-discovery
We dig a level deeper, then size and quote Discovery in writing — you never get a number invented on the spot, and you decide whether to proceed.
Discovery
We map where AI pays off across your operation, scored by impact, effort and risk. You leave with a prioritised use-case map — yours to keep, with or without us.
Strategy
We turn the map into an implementation plan a board can vote on: what to build, in what order, at what cost and return. Confirmed in writing before any build.
Implementation
We build and ship in 12-week blocks. Working software in your hands every couple of weeks, with the IP yours from day one.
Why this beats the usual way
The usual way
How most AI projects get sold.
- One big contract signed before anyone knows what works
- Open-ended retainers with no clear finish line
- A platform you rent forever and can't take with you
- Months of build before you see anything real
- Strategy bolted on afterwards to justify the spend
The ComplxAI way
How we run every engagement.
- Two free conversations before any money moves
- Each stage scoped, priced and agreed on its own
- Software you own outright, IP from day one
- Working software in your hands every couple of weeks
- Strategy first, so you never build the wrong thing
Principles, not promises
Every stage prices the next
You're never asked to commit to a number you haven't seen in writing. Each stage scopes and quotes the one after it.
Exit at every boundary
Stop at the end of any stage or any 12-week block, no penalty. We earn the next block by delivering this one.
Your IP from day one
Everything we build for you is yours from the first paid stage. No lock-in, no licence to claw it back.
Strategy before spend
We refuse to build first and justify later. If a project won't pay off, you hear it before you write a cheque.
What you walk away with — even if you stop
A use-case map
After Discovery: a prioritised, scored map of where AI pays off in your business — yours to act on however you like.
An implementation plan
After Strategy: a costed, sequenced plan a board can vote on — what to build, in what order, at what return.
Working software
After each build block: production software your team uses, documented and fully owned, ready to take in-house.
“The free conversations alone were worth it — we walked in braced for a sales pitch and walked out with a clearer plan than our last two consultants gave us combined.”
Common questions
about the process
Anything we haven't covered? The intro call is free.
Ask us directlyDo the first two stages really cost nothing?
Yes — the intro call and pre-discovery are free. They exist so we both know there's a real fit before any money changes hands.
How do you decide the price of each stage?
Pre-discovery sizes and quotes Discovery; Discovery and Strategy size Implementation. Every number is put in writing before that stage begins, so you always approve the price before any work — or money — starts.
What if we want to stop halfway?
You can. There's an exit at every stage boundary and every 12-week build block, with no penalty. You keep everything delivered up to that point.
How long does the whole thing take?
The two free stages happen within days. Discovery and Strategy are usually 2–4 weeks each, and build runs in 12-week blocks. Many clients have a first useful result within a couple of months.
Can we use the roadmap without you building it?
Absolutely. The Discovery map and Strategy plan are yours to keep and act on — in-house, with another partner, or with us.
Ready for the first conversation?
It's free, it's 30 minutes, and you'll leave knowing whether we can help.