AI consultant in Melbourne who builds, not just advises
I'm Hamish Mackellar. I help Melbourne businesses with up to 200 staff work out where AI will actually move a number, then build it with their team. Start with a free 30-minute conversation, or a fixed-price assessment.
100% Australian Owned. All Data Hosted in Australia. Based in Melbourne CBD.
Recent work, with the numbers
Three of the systems Synap has built and put into production for Australian businesses.
An AI document workflow reads dense source documents and field imagery and drafts structured findings. A named engineer approves every finding before it goes out.
Read the case studyJob creation, assessor allocation, SMS dispatch and payment reconciliation moved from spreadsheets into one custom platform. 554 jobs created automatically from the first three uploads, with 24 staff now working in it.
See the projectA grounded assistant for customers and healthcare practitioners, answering from three websites of approved product and clinical content. Every answer cites its source, with zero recorded hallucinations.
See the project
Who you'll be talking to
Hamish Mackellar, founder of Synap AI. 25 years in software, from Australian health tech platforms that handle sensitive patient data under strict compliance, to cloud architecture on Google Cloud and AWS.
You deal with me directly, from the first conversation through to the build. No account manager, no handover to a junior team. My office is at 220 Collins Street, and on-site days in metropolitan Melbourne are part of the retainer.
A big part of the job is telling people the AI project they're excited about isn't worth doing, and pointing them at the one that is.
Connect with Hamish on LinkedInThree ways to start
Pick the step that suits where you are. None of them commits you to a retainer.
The free AI Playbook
The briefing I'd give you over coffee: where AI is paying off for Australian businesses, and where it isn't.
Get the playbook30-minute conversation, free
Bring the AI brief you were handed. You'll leave with a clear view of the one or two places AI would move a number for your business, and what to leave alone.
Book a timeAI Readiness Assessment
A structured look across your business with results in 7 days, and a prioritised plan you can act on. From $950 plus GST.
See the assessmentHow an engagement works
Whether it's a single project or an ongoing retainer, the work runs in three phases across marketing and sales, operations, finance and HR.
Discover
Gather the data. Map the current state across the relevant problem areas. Find the highest-impact opportunities, and the gap between what is actually happening and what leadership thinks is happening.
Design
Turn findings into prioritised work pathways. Decide what to build, what to defer, and what to not do. Specify the architecture, governance, and the capability transfer plan for each piece.
Implementation
Build, test, deploy, measure. Move the operational metrics. Iterate as evidence comes in, and transfer capability to your Melbourne team as the work progresses.
Want the full methodology, engagement options and pricing? See the Fractional AI Advisor page.
Why Melbourne businesses choose Synap AI
A Melbourne-based AI consultant, on the ground when it matters, with the judgement to tell you what not to build.
On-site in the Melbourne CBD
Standard and Intensive retainers include on-site days at your office. On-site within metropolitan Melbourne is part of the fee, with no travel billing.
Data stays in Australia
Australian owned and operated, with data on Australian servers. We work in sectors with sensitivity and audit requirements comparable to financial services.
You own what gets built
Code, data and hosting sit in your own environment. Capability transfer is deliberate, so your team learns alongside the work and you are not left dependent on us.
Outcomes over activity
Success is movement on the operational metrics leadership already cares about. Licences distributed and pilots completed are not evidence of value.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about working with an AI consultant in Melbourne.
Both, depending on what you need. Some clients start with a single project, such as a document automation or an internal assistant. Others want ongoing senior judgement on a monthly retainer, closer to a part-time Chief AI Officer. Either way you get someone who builds as well as advises, and the capability stays with your team.
Monthly retainers run from $1,200 per month plus GST for smaller organisations up to $15,500 per month plus GST for larger ones, priced on your staff count and the intensity of the engagement (8, 16, or 24 hours a month). On-site days within metropolitan Melbourne are included. The AI Readiness Assessment starts at $950 plus GST. See the full pricing matrix.
Book a free 30-minute conversation at synap.au/book. Pick a time and it's confirmed straight away. Bring whatever AI brief you've been handed and we'll work out whether, and where, AI is worth doing for your business.
Synap AI is at Level 8, 805/220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD, VIC 3000. On-site advisory days within metropolitan Melbourne are included in the retainer, and we also work remotely across Australia.
Yes. Synap AI is Australian owned and operated, data stays on Australian servers, and we work in sectors with data sensitivity and audit requirements comparable to financial services.
Got handed the AI brief? Let's talk.
Book a free 30-minute conversation. Bring the brief you were handed, and we'll work out where AI moves a number for your business, and where it doesn't.
Book a 30-minute conversation See pricing and methodologyBased in Sydney? See AI advisory in Sydney.