Most software development firms describe what they build. 247 Labs is unusual in describing what they will not.
The Toronto-based company operates under a mission to support only projects that positively impact humanity, demonstrating leadership in global ethical development. In an industry where technical capability is generally offered to whoever pays for it, a firm that publicly limits its own market is making a meaningful statement.
A Toronto Firm With Real Scale
Founded in 2013, 247 Labs is an award-winning Canadian technology company specializing in custom software, AI-powered systems, web and mobile applications, and digital transformation. Led by CEO Azwar Khalid, the firm has grown to roughly 58 employees.
Over the past thirteen years, the company has completed more than 1,500 projects with a reported 98 percent satisfaction rate, serving leaders in healthcare, finance, insurance, education, and logistics. Its client list spans startups, SMBs, enterprises, and government organizations, and includes Motorola and the University of Toronto.
The firm also won the 2024 Global Recognition Award, adding external validation to that record.
One characteristic distinguishes 247 Labs from a large share of its competitors: the development team is based in Toronto rather than offshore.
The company emphasizes local senior developers and dedicated project managers, and the practical difference is significant. Clients work with people in their own time zone who understand the Canadian regulatory environment and can meet in person when a project requires it. For work involving healthcare data, financial compliance, or government requirements, that proximity is not a preference but a necessity.
Clients consistently identify communication as the strength that results from this. The firm guarantees direct, transparent communication with all team members and weekly updates on work in progress.
247 Labs delivers across an unusually complete range: AI development, custom software, web applications, mobile applications, e-commerce, ERP solutions, software integrations, DevOps and cloud services, automated testing, augmented reality, and blockchain.
Technical depth spans full stack, front end, back end, servers, and APIs, across Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. The firm also provides secure software development, penetration testing, and cloud security, and builds AI-powered agents aimed at improving efficiency, reducing manual workload, and supporting better decision-making.
Notably, 247 Labs also takes on failed projects and brings them back to life — a service few firms advertise, and one that requires genuine confidence.
Understanding Why Projects Fail
The company’s published thinking demonstrates hard-won judgement. Its position is that enterprise software projects rarely fail because of bad engineering; they fail because of underestimated complexity, skipped discovery, and compliance treated as an afterthought.
That analysis is worth taking seriously, particularly for smaller organizations. The instinct when budgets are tight is to compress discovery and start building. 247 Labs argues that this is precisely the decision that produces expensive failure, and its rescue practice supplies ample evidence.
Feedback across 247 Labs’ client base is unusually consistent with process discipline.
One client described a tight deadline met on schedule, with weekly meetings, chat availability whenever help was needed, and a detailed task and budget tracker keeping both parties aligned throughout.
Another engaged the firm to fix issues following an initial launch, describing a patient team that took time to understand the problems, resolved them satisfactorily, communicated next steps and foreseeable issues clearly, and went on to redesign the site to dramatically improve the user experience.
A third, working on an educational app for an entrepreneurship program, praised constant updates and input gathered at every stage of development. A fourth noted that the team understood their needs quickly, explained their approach, listened to suggestions, produced a design the client was delighted with, and priced the work reasonably.
A fifth described a team of high-level professionals with strong technical expertise who were engaging, collaborative, and patient listeners.
Budget trackers, weekly meetings, and available chat channels are not glamorous, but they are what separates a project that finishes from one that drifts.
247 Labs has been visible in supporting women in technology, publicly recognizing the contributions of women on its team and committing to an environment where their achievements are celebrated. In a sector with persistent representation gaps, that commitment supports both culture and access to talent.
The firm also publishes practical guidance for the sectors it serves, including analysis of what healthcare technology leaders need to understand to stay ahead, and what a software build that genuinely holds up looks like in practice. That material is written for decision-makers rather than developers, which makes it useful to exactly the audience least equipped to evaluate technical proposals on their own.
Canadian SMBs commissioning custom software face a genuine information asymmetry. They cannot easily evaluate technical proposals, verify progress, or judge whether difficulties reflect normal complexity or poor execution.
247 Labs addresses that asymmetry through transparency, local senior teams, weekly updates, visible budget tracking, and published thinking about why projects fail. Combined with thirteen years of operation and 1,500 completed projects, that is a substantial basis for trust.
Learn more at 247labs.com
About the CEO
For two decades, Azwar Khalid has been immersed in tech, building solutions for organizations. As CEO of 247 Labs, founder of several startups and businesses, he has led the delivery of over 1500 projects, including for renowned clients like Johnson & Johnson, P&G, Motorola, GM, IBM, the Canadian and Ontario Governments, as well as World Vision.
Azwar’s journey is guided by 5 ⭐ key pillars:
💡 HUMILITY: No matter how much you know, there is always more to discover.
🎯 INTENT: Starting with the right goals. Technology is just a means to a goal; having the right purpose ensures the tech will be useful.
👂 EMPATHIC LISTENING: Listening to my team and customers. Attentive listening is key to getting good results.
🛠️ EXPERTISE: Being technically capable, staying at the cutting edge of technology, and skilled technical craftsmanship.
🤝 HONEST RELATIONSHIPS: Nothing is worth it without collaborative effort and a win-win relationship that is full of integrity.
“The future of technology isn’t just about what we can build, it’s about what we should build. At 247 Labs, we believe AI and digital transformation should solve real problems, empower people, and create a lasting positive impact.”
— Azwar Khalid, CEO, 247 Labs
