Foster Made
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Foster Made does
Foster Made is a privately held, bootstrapped boutique digital agency founded in 2005 by Shawn Maida in Richmond, Virginia. The firm designs and builds MACH-first (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) composable digital products for three primary verticals: B2B technology companies, associations and member-based organizations, and commerce/retail brands. Service offerings span Composable Architectures, Headless Commerce, Content Platforms and DXP, Search and Discovery, Digital Asset Management, Authentication and Identity, Platform Migration and Modernization, UX/UI Design, and Research and Discovery. Project engagements typically range from $50,000 to $1,000,000+, delivered through a discovery-led methodology, with named retainer-style relationships supplementing project work.
The agency's technical stack is built around certified partnerships with Algolia (search), Cloudinary (DAM), Stytch (authentication), Craft CMS, Contentful, Netlify, Shopify, and Symfony, alongside JavaScript/React/Vue/Angular front-end expertise. AI capabilities are implemented through partner platforms rather than developed in-house, including Algolia NeuralSearch for hybrid semantic retrieval, RAG-based search interfaces, Google Cloud speech-to-text for voice search, and named client solutions such as Aura AI for ICSC and AtlasGPT for healthcare (developed with Atlas Meditech and Fabriq).
Foster Made operates without external institutional funding, with ownership concentrated among founder Shawn Maida (CEO and Partner) and Paul Santos (Partner, Director of Operations). The named team of approximately 14 senior practitioners aligns with the firm's boutique, senior-only delivery model. Marquee clients include ICSC (10+ year relationship), INTA, ILTA, Edelman, HireRight, Alcoholics Anonymous, Edmentum, Tri Pointe Homes, Maxio, Ochsner Health, and The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. Distribution is exclusively domestic (United States) and runs through direct sales driven by content-led thought leadership via The Journal blog.
Foster Made firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Foster Made
- Legal name
- Foster Made LLC
- Website
- https://fostermade.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Foster Made industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Agency Services
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Developer Experience (DevEx) Tooling & Productivity Engineering (BPAEAKAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ingest, Indexing & Proxy/Mezzanine Generation (MPAHAGAH)
Keywords
Where Foster Made is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Foster Made business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Services - Project Engagements: Custom digital design and development projects ranging from $50k to $1M+. Includes composable architecture builds, UX/UI design, platform migrations, search implementations, and custom software development. Projects are scoped through discovery phases and delivered on fixed-scope or time-and-materials basis.
- Retained Services: Ongoing client relationships providing continuous support, optimization, and development services for existing projects. Includes retained services for technology maintenance and iterative improvements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Small projects starting at $50k |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Mid-market engagements |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Large enterprise projects |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Major enterprise implementations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Foster Made product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Foster Made is a boutique digital agency that designs and builds MACH-first (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) composable digital products for B2B technology, association, and commerce clients. The firm delivers custom engagements spanning composable architecture, headless commerce, content platforms and DXP, search and discovery (Algolia), digital asset management (Cloudinary), authentication (Stytch), platform migration, UX/UI design, and research and discovery services. Engagements are project-based with budget ranges from $50,000 to $1,000,000+, supported by retained service agreements for ongoing optimization.
Product overview
Foster Made is a boutique UX/UI design and development digital agency offering a portfolio of MACH-first composable architecture services. Their core offerings include: Composable Architectures, Headless Commerce, Content Platforms & DXP, Search & Discovery (powered by Algolia), Digital Asset Management (powered by Cloudinary), Authentication & Identity (powered by Stytch), Platform Migration & Modernization, UX & UI Design, and Research & Discovery. These services are delivered as consulting and implementation engagements rather than a unified SaaS product, with specific solutions like AtlasGPT and Aura AI developed for particular client implementations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MACH Architecture Services MACH-first composable architecture implementation service enabling brands to build flexible digital products that adapt quickly to changing business needs using microservices, API-first design, cloud-native deployment, and headless architecture.
- Composable Architectures Strategic consulting and implementation for building composable enterprise architectures that go beyond API connections, aligning technology with organizational goals and supporting future evolution.
- Headless Commerce Flexible storefront implementations delivering omnichannel selling capabilities and seamless content integrations, leveraging Shopify, Shopify Plus, and BigCommerce alongside headless architecture.
- Content Platforms & DXP Modern headless CMS platform implementations using Contentful, Craft CMS, ExpressionEngine, and WordPress that transform how organizations create, manage, and deliver content across channels.
- Search & Discovery Expert-led Algolia search and discovery implementations featuring AI-powered NeuralSearch (hybrid semantic and keyword), personalization, recommendations, federated search across multiple content sources, and RAG-powered natural language interfaces.
- Digital Asset Management Cloudinary-backed digital asset management solutions that optimize media delivery and provide intelligent asset handling, image and video optimization, and visual experience improvements for ecommerce and content platforms.
- Authentication & Identity Modern composable identity and authentication implementations using Stytch, providing passwordless login, MFA, SSO, email magic links, and secure session management for client applications.
- Platform Migration & Modernization Transition services that move organizations from legacy or monolithic platforms to modern composable architectures while maintaining business continuity, including CMS replatforming and business systems integrations.
- UX & UI Design User-centered design services leveraging modern UX and UI principles and research-driven methodology to deliver attractive, intuitive interfaces that maximize organizational results for clients.
- Research & Discovery Formal discovery engagements to understand organizational challenges and opportunities through stakeholder workshops, technical audits, and requirements gathering, enabling accurate scoping of subsequent design and development work.
- Retained Services & Ongoing Support Ongoing client relationships providing continuous support, optimization, and development for existing Foster Made projects, delivered as retained managed services for technology maintenance and iterative improvements.
Quantifiable outcome
- Custom grant-making system for Pew Center for Arts & Heritage saved staff hours of administrative work previously required
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Foster Made
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Foster Made technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
AI capability10 records
Feature7 records
Foster Made partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CloudinarycoreCloudinary partnership for digital asset management workflows, fast optimized media delivery, and simplified asset management. Foster Made implements Cloudinary for DAM solutions and visual experience optimization, particularly for Shopify stores and commerce clients.
- Atlas Meditech and FabriqminorHealthcare AI collaboration for AtlasGPT project. Foster Made teamed up with Atlas Meditech and Fabriq to deliver AI-powered healthcare solutions.
- StytchcorePartnership with Stytch for composable authentication solutions. Foster Made implements passwordless authentication, MFA, session management, and secure login experiences using Stytch's platform for clients including ICSC.
- NetlifycoreNetlify partnership for front-end deployment, JAMstack implementations, and composable architecture builds. Part of Foster Made's recommended technology stack for B2B tech companies.
- AlgoliacoreCertified Algolia partner specializing in search and discovery implementations. Six years of partnership with dozens of implementations across commerce, associations, and technology platforms. Services include AI-powered neural search, end-to-end implementation, platform integration, personalization, and relevance optimization. Foster Made positions Algolia as central to their search practice.
- Craft CMScoreEnterprise partnership with Craft CMS for delivering powerful content publishing systems that empower marketing teams. Foster Made has extensive Craft CMS implementation experience including migration projects.
- ContentfulcoreAgency partner for Contentful's headless CMS platform. Foster Made offers expertise in implementing and optimizing Contentful for seamless digital content creation and delivery as part of their composable architecture approach.
- ShopifycorePlatform partner for building and optimizing ecommerce experiences, streamlining storefronts, integrations, and workflows to drive sales and growth. Foster Made has extensive Shopify implementation experience for commerce clients.
- SymfonycoreTechnology platform for large-scale, enterprise systems including complex booking, ecommerce, data collection, and membership management. Foster Made has used Symfony to build systems serving 80,000+ active members.
Scale indicators3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Foster Made competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Huge: Large digital experience agency delivering strategy, design and engineering across commerce and brand experiences. Overlaps with Foster Made's composable/UX work but at significantly greater scale.
- R/GA: Global digital agency offering strategy, design, technology and marketing across a broad portfolio. Comparable in capability set but at much larger scale than Foster Made's boutique model.
Direct peers
- Playground: Digital product studio delivering design and engineering for enterprise platforms. Comparable size, craft positioning and end-to-end project model to Foster Made.
- Code and Theory: Digital-first creative and product agency delivering design, content and platform engineering for enterprise and commerce clients. Comparable service mix and customer profile to Foster Made, at larger scale.
- Work & Co: Boutique digital product studio known for high-craft digital product design and engineering. Comparable to Foster Made's boutique, senior-talent-only model and project-based engagements for enterprise clients.
- Instrument: Independent digital experience agency specializing in brand, design and platform engineering for enterprise and commerce clients. Directly comparable service mix to Foster Made.
- Section: Composable agency network specializing in MACH/composable architecture implementations and content platforms. Highly comparable to Foster Made in focus area (MACH, headless, composable), though typically larger and partnership-network based.
- MetaLab: Boutique digital product design and engineering studio. Comparable to Foster Made's boutique positioning and end-to-end design + build delivery for enterprise clients.
- Cyber-Duck: UK-based digital agency delivering UX, design and development for enterprise clients. Comparable boutique, multi-disciplinary agency model to Foster Made, with overlapping service lines.
- Ustwo: Digital product studio with design, engineering and venture capabilities. Comparable boutique, product-led approach to Foster Made's composable builds.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Foster Made social profiles
Digital presenceFoster Made financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Foster Made leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Foster Made funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Foster Made M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Foster Made
What does Foster Made do?
Foster Made is a boutique digital agency that designs and builds MACH-first (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) composable digital products for B2B technology, association, and commerce clients. The firm delivers custom engagements spanning composable architecture, headless commerce, content platforms and DXP, search and discovery (Algolia), digital asset management (Cloudinary), authentication (Stytch), platform migration, UX/UI design, and research and discovery services. Engagements are project-based with budget ranges from $50,000 to $1,000,000+, supported by retained service agreements for ongoing optimization.
Is Foster Made a public or private company?
Foster Made is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Foster Made founded?
Foster Made was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Foster Made based?
Foster Made is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Foster Made make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Professional Services - Project Engagements are the primary driver. The others are retained Services.
Who are Foster Made's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Huge and R/GA. Direct peers are Playground, Code and Theory, Work & Co, Instrument, Section, MetaLab, Cyber-Duck and Ustwo.
Does Foster Made have an API?
No public API is recorded for Foster Made.
What industry is Foster Made in?
Foster Made's product category is Digital Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAKAM, Developer Experience (DevEx) Tooling & Productivity Engineering, with a secondary code of MPAHAGAH, Ingest, Indexing & Proxy/Mezzanine Generation. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7371.