{"path":"/cyber-lab/","title":"Cyber Lab: IT, Data and AI Engineering in Fort Worth | Vaquero Labs","url":"https://vaqueros.dev/cyber-lab/","markdown":"# Your lab for IT, data and AI engineering.\n\nWe build, connect and maintain the systems your team depends on: cloud infrastructure, identity, data foundations, APIs, MCP servers and AI workflows. Bring us a technical problem, and we’ll work with your team from the data tier through to a working solution.\n\nExplore our [full capabilities and downloadable tear sheet](https://vaqueros.dev/capabilities/) for custom agent tools, knowledge bases, security and independent systems reviews.\n\n[Let’s build →](https://vaqueros.dev/build/)[contact@vaqueros.dev](mailto:contact@vaqueros.dev)\n\nENGAGEMENT SNAPSHOT\n\nPreferred\n\nRetainer, from $5,000 a month\n\nAlso available\n\nProject, from $15,000 over three months\n\nProject hours\n\n$250 per hour\n\nHow it starts\n\nA short intake, then a call\n\nBased\n\nFort Worth, Texas\n\n[Let’s build →](https://vaqueros.dev/build/)\n\nWHAT THE LAB RUNS\n\n## Three benches, one data model underneath.\n\nBack-office IT & tech\n\nCloud, identity, devices, security, observability and the integrations that keep the company running. [Ask about IT →](https://vaqueros.dev/build/?for=it)\n\nData tier & semantic layer\n\nStorage and persistence design, data models and pipelines, and a semantic layer that gives every tool the same definitions. [Ask about data →](https://vaqueros.dev/build/?for=data)\n\nAPIs, MCP & AI products\n\nAPIs and MCP servers that open your systems to software and AI agents, and engineering support for the AI products built on them. [Ask about APIs and AI →](https://vaqueros.dev/build/?for=ai)\n\nHOW WE WORK\n\n## From the data tier up.\n\n-   ### Data tier first\n    \n    We start with storage and persistence: what gets recorded, where it lives and who owns it. Everything else is built on that.\n    \n-   ### Semantic layer\n    \n    One shared definition of your entities and metrics, so people, dashboards and agents read the same numbers.\n    \n-   ### API and MCP first\n    \n    Every capability is an API before it is a screen, and an MCP tool so AI agents can use it safely.\n    \n-   ### The best UI is no UI\n    \n    If a workflow can run on its own, it should. Where people do need a screen, it stays light and fast.\n    \n\nENGAGEMENTS\n\n## Retainer first. Projects when the scope is fixed.\n\nPreferred\n\n### Retainer\n\nFrom $5,000 a month\n\nOngoing advice and engineering support for your team. Built for work that is open-ended or still taking shape.\n\nFixed scope\n\n### Project\n\nFrom $15,000\n\nA defined outcome, scoped up front and delivered over at least three months. Project hours are $250 per hour.\n\nHOW IT STARTS\n\n## From first note to first decision.\n\n1.  01**Tell us what you need**A short intake form.\n2.  02**Talk**A fit call, booked on Cal.com.\n3.  03**Scope**A proposal with the model and price.\n4.  04**Start**Work begins alongside your team.\n\nQUESTIONS\n\n## Before the first call.\n\nRetainer or project?\n\nChoose a retainer for ongoing advice and engineering support, especially when the scope is still taking shape. Choose a project when the outcome is fixed and can be scoped up front.\n\nWhat does it cost?\n\nRetainers start at $5,000 a month. Projects start at $15,000 over three months. Project hours are $250 per hour. Scope and price are confirmed in a proposal after the first call.\n\nDo you work with our existing team?\n\nYes. Retainers are built around supporting the engineers, operators and vendors you already have.\n\nWhere are you based?\n\nFort Worth, Texas. We work with companies across North Texas.\n\n## Fort Worth first. North Texas impact.\n\nOur goal is a larger local share of the AI and information-age economy: more technical founders, products, intellectual property, revenue, ownership and skilled jobs, created in Fort Worth and compounding across North Texas.\n\n[Let’s build →](https://vaqueros.dev/build/)\n\n[Canonical page](https://vaqueros.dev/cyber-lab/)\n"}