Balaji Hariharan
I build production AI agent systems that enterprises trust
From multi-agent orchestration and LLM gateways to governance frameworks and MCP protocol servers — I design, build, and ship the complex AI infrastructure that moves agentic AI from prototype to production.
About
I'm an AI Solutions Architect and LLM Infrastructure Engineer who builds the systems that make agentic AI work in production — not demos, not wrappers, but the governance, security, cost controls, and orchestration layers that enterprises need before trusting autonomous agents with real workflows.
As the founder of ShackleAI, I designed and built an 11-microservice agent platform from scratch: an LLM gateway with multi-provider routing and PII scrubbing, a credential vault with AES-256 encryption and auto-rotation, RBAC+ABAC governance with kill-switches, and an orchestrator that decomposes natural language into executable multi-agent pipelines using CrewAI and OpenClaw.
My open-source contributions include an MCP memory server (1,440+ weekly npm downloads) and a Python async agent framework on PyPI with 2,000+ tests at 97% coverage, per-call cost tracking across 100+ LLM providers, and 37 built-in tools.
I developed a rapid AI-accelerated development methodology — automated GitHub issue management, AI-driven sprint execution, and a 17-agent Claude Code ecosystem that ships production code at lightning speed: 18 iterations in 3 days, 252 commits across the platform in 11 active days, 7 PyPI releases. This isn't just building AI — it's using AI to build AI, faster than any traditional team.
18+ Years Before AI Agents
From RPA to AI — I led the first wave of enterprise automation as Managing Director at Softomotive (acquired by Microsoft, became Power Automate). Now I'm building the second wave: autonomous AI agents with governance, security, and enterprise trust built in.
Enterprise Clients
Domain Expertise
Projects
Production systems I have built — from AI agent platforms to open-source developer tools.
ShackleAI Platform
The Operating System for AI Agents — 11 microservices, 142 API routes, 367 issues closed, 142 PRs merged, 1,836 CI/CD workflow runs. LLM Gateway, Credential Vault, Agent Governance, Orchestrator, and MCP-native tool infrastructure.
@shackleai/memory-mcp
Open-source persistent memory for AI coding tools. The first MCP-native memory server with semantic search, offline embeddings, and zero-config setup. Used by Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf developers worldwide.
ShackleAI Agent Framework (PyPI)
Enterprise-grade async-first Python agent orchestration on PyPI. 37 built-in tools, per-call cost tracking across 100+ LLM providers, PyArmor-protected releases. 2,000+ tests at 97% coverage across 117 test files.
WhatsApp AI Chat Platform
RAG-powered WhatsApp AI assistant for small businesses. Semantic search over business catalogs and FAQs, automated payment flows via Razorpay, action token parsing for escalation and order management. 10 development phases completed.
ShackleGuard
"Lighthouse for AI Agents" — AI agent security and red-team testing platform. Automated prompt injection detection, jailbreak testing, PII leakage scanning, hallucination measurement, and EU AI Act compliance reporting. Currently in design phase.
Skills & Expertise
Deep specialization in agentic AI systems — from architecture and LLM engineering to the operational layer that makes agents production-ready.
Agent Architecture
LLM Engineering
AI Operational Layer
AI-Accelerated Development
Platform Engineering
Languages & Frameworks
My 17-Agent AI Development Team
Custom-built Claude Code agents I designed and operate — each specializes in a domain, collectively shipping production code 24/7
Work With Me
Whether you need an AI architect for your enterprise, a technical co-builder for your startup, or a specialist for a complex agent project — here's how I can help.
Enterprise & Corporate
AI agent platform architecture, LLM gateway design, governance frameworks, and production deployment strategy for enterprise teams.
CTOs, VPs of Engineering, AI Directors
AI Startups & Founders
Technical co-building, architecture review, and hands-on engineering for startups building agentic AI products — from zero to production.
AI Founders, Technical Co-founders
Complex AI Projects
Multi-agent orchestration, MCP server development, LLM pipeline engineering, RAG systems, and custom agent frameworks as a freelance specialist.
Teams needing senior AI engineering
Rapid AI Development
I use an AI-accelerated iteration methodology — automated GitHub issue management, AI-driven sprint execution, and a 17-agent ecosystem that ships production code at lightning speed. 18 iterations in 3 days, 252 commits in 11 days.
Teams that need to move fast
Training & Workshops
Hands-on workshops on building production agent systems, MCP protocol, LLM infrastructure patterns, and AI-native development workflows.
Engineering teams, Bootcamps, Conferences
Advisory & Consulting
AI strategy consulting, technology due diligence, agent architecture reviews, and vendor-neutral guidance on LLM infrastructure decisions.
Executives, Investors, Product Leaders
Full-Time Roles
Open to Staff/Principal AI Engineer, AI Platform Architect, or Head of AI Infrastructure roles at companies building serious agent systems.
Recruiters, Hiring Managers
Latest Posts
Deep dives into AI agent architecture, MCP protocol, and building production AI systems.
From RPA to AI Agents: Why I Left Enterprise to Build Agent Infrastructure
After 18 years in enterprise automation — including leading Softomotive (acquired by Microsoft) — here's why I'm all-in on AI agent infrastructure.
17 AI Agents Shipping Code 24/7: My Claude Code Ecosystem
How I built and operate a 17-agent development ecosystem that ships production code around the clock — architecture, patterns, and lessons learned.
How I Built an MCP Server from Scratch
A deep dive into building @shackleai/memory-mcp — a persistent memory server for AI coding tools with 1,440+ weekly npm downloads.
Journey
Key milestones in building AI infrastructure.
Founded ShackleAI
Started building the Operating System for AI Agents
Launched Memory MCP
Published @shackleai/memory-mcp on npm — now 1,440+ weekly downloads globally
Built Agent Framework
Python async-first orchestration on PyPI — 2,000+ tests, 97% coverage, 37 built-in tools
Shipped Chat Platform
WhatsApp AI assistant with RAG — 10 development phases completed
V2 Platform Pivot
Integrated OpenClaw + CrewAI for browser automation and multi-agent workflows
AI-Accelerated Development
Built 17-agent ecosystem — 928+ commits, 142 PRs merged, 1,836 CI/CD runs, 367 issues closed
Let's Talk
Whether you're hiring for an AI infrastructure role, need a freelance specialist for a complex agent project, looking for a technical co-builder for your AI startup, or want to bring hands-on AI workshops to your team — I'd love to hear from you.
contact@balajihariharan.com