The work speaks for itself. So does the thinking behind it.
Columns & Pillars is an architecture-led technology firm. We build AI and cloud systems that connect technology to business outcomes — measurably, accountably, and without the overhead of a Big Four engagement.
Why Columns & Pillars exists
Most organisations don't fail at technology because they lack tools. They fail because their technology decisions aren't connected to their business goals — and by the time that becomes visible, the cost is already significant. Columns & Pillars Tech was founded to close that gap.
We combine cloud architecture expertise, AI integration capability, and real business acumen to deliver technology that actually works at scale — built on AWS, designed for your context, and owned through delivery.
Incorporated in England & Wales in August 2025. Based in Oxford, UK. Our first product, CivicGuardian AI, reached the Top 50 as a Finalist in the AWS Global 10,000 AIdeas Competition, Social Impact Category. NYM Services Limited, an Oxford-based health and social care provider, has agreed to participate in an initial pilot evaluation.
What we stand for
Directness
You'll always know where things stand, even when that's not what you were hoping to hear.
Accountability
We don't hand off and disappear. If something we designed isn't working, we stay engaged until it is.
Depth over breadth
We only take on work we can do at the highest level. We'd rather say no than deliver something mediocre.
Commercial realism
Architecture has to work financially. We factor in cost, timeline, and capacity — not just what's technically optimal.
Who's behind the work
Mohammed Bakare
Founder & Solutions Architect
Solutions Architect with over a decade of experience spanning cloud architecture, AI engineering, business development, and regulated environments. AWS Partner Network member. AWS AIdeas 2025 Top 50 Global Finalist. Background includes designing serverless RAG pipelines, building multi-agent AI systems on Amazon Bedrock, leading cloud migration initiatives, and architecting data lakehouse platforms on AWS and GCP. Previously held business development leadership roles across financial services in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa, including deal sourcing exceeding $500M in investment opportunities. Mentored 100+ aspiring cloud professionals through AWS Academy and OptimaIT Academy.
Columns & Pillars Ltd was founded on a simple principle: that mid-market businesses and public sector organisations deserve the same quality of architecture thinking that larger enterprises take for granted. Whether the challenge is a critical technology decision, a cloud transformation, or safeguarding vulnerable adults through AI, the standard of work should never depend on the size of the organisation.
Where technology investments break down
The cost of no architecture oversight
Organisations without SA oversight typically overspend 30–60% on cloud infrastructure, make integration decisions that create years of technical debt, and commit to vendor contracts they spend the next three years trying to escape.
The wrong hire for the moment
A senior Solutions Architect costs significantly per year. For most 50–500 person organisations, the need is strategic not operational — making a full-time hire the wrong solution at the wrong time.
The consultancy delivery problem
Traditional consultancies charge senior rates for junior delivery, produce reports rather than outcomes, and have no stake in implementation success. Columns & Pillars stays through delivery — not just the design phase.
See the work
The best way to understand what we do is to see what we've built.