# Darkstar Development > We build custom software, engineer data pipelines, and deploy AI solutions that turn your raw data into competitive advantage. Location: Harrisonburg, Virginia (Shenandoah Valley), United States. Serving organizations across Virginia and nationwide. Partners: Snowflake Partner (Snowflake Partner Network); Databricks Partner (Databricks Partner Program, listed in the partner directory at https://www.databricks.com/partners/partner-directory). Profiles: https://www.linkedin.com/company/darkstar-development-llc/, https://github.com/DarkstarDevelopment Darkstar Development is a technology consultancy built around a core belief: every business sits on untapped data potential. We turn that potential into real competitive advantage through custom software, data engineering, and AI. Our team combines deep expertise in data architecture, machine learning, and full-stack development. From building your data infrastructure to deploying production AI models, we partner with ambitious organizations to solve hard technical problems. We are based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley, and work with organizations across Virginia and throughout the United States. ## At a glance - Client retention: 100% - Projects shipped: 50+ - Response time: 24hr - Industries served: 10+ ## Services ### Data Engineering Transform raw data into actionable business intelligence with robust, scalable data infrastructure. - Data pipeline architecture - Real-time analytics - Data lakes & warehouses - ML-ready pipelines - ETL/ELT workflows - Business intelligence ### AI & Machine Learning Deploy intelligent systems that automate decisions, uncover patterns, and drive measurable outcomes. - Natural language processing - Computer vision - Predictive analytics - LLM integration - Model training & tuning - AI strategy consulting ### Custom Development Purpose-built software engineered for your specific business needs, built to scale. - Full-stack applications - API design & integration - Microservices architecture - Mobile applications - Cloud-native apps - Legacy modernization ## Snowflake and Databricks consulting ### [Snowflake consulting](https://darkstardevs.com/snowflake-consulting/) We design, build, migrate, and tune Snowflake data platforms, then stay through production. You work directly with the engineers doing the work. - Snowflake Partner - **Implementation & architecture**: A Snowflake environment set up right from day one, with an architecture that fits how your teams actually use data. (Account, role, and security design; Warehouse strategy and resource monitors; Governance: masking, tagging, and access policies; Secure data sharing) - **Migrations**: Move to Snowflake from SQL Server, Oracle, Teradata, Redshift, or Hadoop with a phased plan and validated data. (Assessment and migration roadmap; Schema and SQL conversion; Historical loads with data validation; Parallel runs and a planned cutover) - **Pipelines & modeling**: Reliable ELT into Snowflake and analytics-ready models on top, so reporting and AI work from the same trusted data. (ELT with Matillion, Fivetran, or custom pipelines; dbt models, tests, and documentation; Snowpipe and streaming ingestion; Dimensional models and BI-ready marts) - **Cost & performance**: Find where your credits go and cut spend without slowing anyone down. (Credit usage audit; Warehouse right-sizing and auto-suspend; Query and clustering tuning; Spend monitoring and alerts) **What does a Snowflake consulting partner do?** We plan, build, and run Snowflake data platforms: account and security setup, migrations from existing databases, ELT pipelines and data models, and ongoing cost and performance tuning. Darkstar is a Snowflake partner and handles the full path from first assessment to production support. **Can you migrate our existing data warehouse to Snowflake?** Yes. We migrate from SQL Server, Oracle, Teradata, Redshift, Hadoop, and other platforms. We start with an assessment and roadmap, convert schemas and SQL, load and validate historical data, and run old and new systems in parallel before cutover. **How do you reduce Snowflake costs?** We audit where credits are spent, right-size warehouses and auto-suspend settings, tune expensive queries and clustering, and set up monitoring with spend alerts so costs stay predictable. **Do you work with dbt and Matillion on Snowflake?** Yes. We build ELT pipelines with Matillion, Fivetran, or custom code, and model and test data with dbt. Our enterprise data warehouse for a resort management company runs on Snowflake and Matillion. **Should we choose Snowflake or Databricks?** It depends on your workloads and team. Snowflake is often the simpler fit for SQL analytics and BI; Databricks often fits heavy data engineering, streaming, and machine learning. We are partners with both, so we can recommend the right one, or a combination, without a platform bias. **Do you offer Snowflake consulting in Virginia?** Yes. Darkstar is based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and works with organizations across Virginia, in person when it helps, as well as remotely with clients throughout the United States. **Who will work on our Snowflake project?** Senior engineers from the Darkstar team. There are no hand-offs to a sales team or a bench of juniors: your first call is with someone who will be on your project. ### [Databricks consulting](https://darkstardevs.com/databricks-consulting/) We design, build, migrate, and tune Databricks lakehouse platforms, from governed data pipelines to production machine learning. You work directly with the engineers doing the work. - Databricks Partner - **Implementation & architecture**: A governed Databricks lakehouse with a clear structure your data engineers and analysts can build on. (Workspace and cloud setup; Unity Catalog governance and access control; Medallion (bronze, silver, gold) architecture; Cluster policies and environment standards) - **Migrations**: Move to Databricks from Hadoop, legacy Spark, or on-premises warehouses, or between Snowflake and Databricks. (Assessment and migration roadmap; Conversion to Delta Lake; Job and pipeline re-platforming; Validation, parallel runs, and cutover) - **Pipelines & modeling**: Batch and streaming pipelines that turn raw data into trusted, analytics- and ML-ready tables. (Lakeflow pipelines (formerly Delta Live Tables) and Spark (PySpark, SQL) pipelines; Structured Streaming ingestion; dbt on Databricks; Feature pipelines and MLflow for machine learning) - **Cost & performance**: Lower your DBU spend and speed up jobs without sacrificing reliability. (DBU usage audit; Cluster right-sizing, autoscaling, and job clusters; Photon and serverless where they pay off; Job tuning, monitoring, and spend alerts) **What does a Databricks consulting partner do?** We plan, build, and run Databricks lakehouse platforms: workspace and Unity Catalog setup, migrations, batch and streaming pipelines, machine learning workflows, and ongoing cost and performance tuning. Darkstar is a Databricks partner. **Can you migrate us from Hadoop or an on-premises warehouse to Databricks?** Yes. We assess your current platform, plan the migration, convert data to Delta Lake, re-platform jobs and pipelines, and validate results with parallel runs before cutover. **How do you reduce Databricks costs?** We audit DBU usage, right-size clusters and autoscaling, move scheduled work to job clusters, use Photon and serverless where they pay off, and tune slow jobs, with monitoring and alerts to keep spend in check. **Can you help with machine learning and AI on Databricks?** Yes. AI and machine learning are core to Darkstar. We build feature pipelines, track and deploy models with MLflow, and connect Databricks to LLM and AI applications. **Should we choose Databricks or Snowflake?** It depends on your workloads and team. Databricks often fits heavy data engineering, streaming, and machine learning; Snowflake is often the simpler fit for SQL analytics and BI. We are partners with both, so we can recommend the right one, or a combination, without a platform bias. **Do you offer Databricks consulting in Virginia?** Yes. Darkstar is based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and works with organizations across Virginia, in person when it helps, as well as remotely with clients throughout the United States. **Who will work on our Databricks project?** Senior engineers from the Darkstar team. There are no hand-offs to a sales team or a bench of juniors: your first call is with someone who will be on your project. ## How we work 1. **Discover & Assess**: Audit your data landscape, identify opportunities, and define a technical roadmap. 2. **Architect & Design**: Design data pipelines, AI models, and application architecture for your specific needs. 3. **Build & Deploy**: Agile development with continuous testing, integration, and production deployment. 4. **Optimize & Scale**: Monitor performance, retrain models, and scale infrastructure as your data grows. ## Selected work ### Enterprise Data Warehouse (Data Engineering) Built a centralized data warehouse for a resort management company, integrating 30+ source systems spanning retail, F&B, finance, property management, activities, and loan servicing into one analytics platform. Technologies: Snowflake, ETL, SQL, Matillion ### Computer Vision Alert Detection (AI / Machine Learning) Developed a computer vision system for a government client that performs real-time alert detection and monitoring, enabling faster response and better situational awareness. Technologies: PyTorch, Computer Vision, Python, Network Mesh ### AI-Powered Owner Portal (Custom Development) Built a client-facing chat agent for resort owners to check account information, reservations, and property details through a conversational AI interface. Technologies: Azure, Foundry, Anthropic, React ## Leadership ### Matthew Harris, Co-Founder & CEO Matt helps companies build secure, reliable data systems that support smarter business decisions. His career spans retail, manufacturing, enterprise software, and data leadership, giving him a practical perspective on how technology impacts real business operations. Expertise: Data Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Data Leadership, Enterprise Data Operations - Profile: https://darkstardevs.com/team/#matthew-harris - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewshaunharris/ - Podcast appearance: https://www.youtube.com/live/_8AYyqJNpAI ### Justin Carpenter, Co-Founder & CTO Justin works with organizations on AI, cybersecurity, data engineering, and modern infrastructure, helping them solve complex operational challenges with practical, secure technology that drives real business outcomes. He is especially passionate about the future of AI, data quality, and building systems organizations can actually trust. Expertise: AI, Data Engineering, Cybersecurity, Modern Infrastructure - Profile: https://darkstardevs.com/team/#justin-carpenter - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcarpen/ ### Zach Weller, Principal Data Engineer Zach works across data engineering, data modeling, and analytics, approaching each project as a business scientist focused on the questions the data needs to answer. He began his career in medical research before moving into analytics and data science, then into data engineering after seeing how much good infrastructure shapes the quality of every answer. Expertise: Data Engineering, Data Modeling, Analytics, Data Governance - Profile: https://darkstardevs.com/team/#zach-weller ## Values - **Innovation first**: Pioneering tomorrow's solutions today - **Client-centric**: Your success is our primary mission - **Excellence**: Uncompromising quality in every deliverable - **Reliability**: A trusted partner for mission-critical systems ## Technology we work with Python, TypeScript, React, Next.js, Django, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Databricks, Snowflake, AWS, Azure, TensorFlow, PyTorch, Docker, Kubernetes, Spark, Ollama, LangChain, Terraform ## Pages - [Home](https://darkstardevs.com/): services, approach, selected work, and contact - [Virginia](https://darkstardevs.com/virginia/): data engineering, AI, and software consulting in Virginia, from Harrisonburg, Virginia - [Leadership team](https://darkstardevs.com/team/): bios of the people behind Darkstar Development - [Snowflake consulting](https://darkstardevs.com/snowflake-consulting/): Snowflake consultants who design, implement, migrate, and optimize Snowflake data platforms: architecture, ELT pipelines, dbt and Matillion, data modeling, governance, and cost tuning. Based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, serving clients nationwide. - [Databricks consulting](https://darkstardevs.com/databricks-consulting/): Databricks consultants who design, implement, migrate, and optimize lakehouse platforms: Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, Spark and Lakeflow (formerly Delta Live Tables) pipelines, ML on Databricks, and cost tuning. Based in Harrisonburg, Virginia, serving clients nationwide. - [Contact](https://darkstardevs.com/#contact): start a project or schedule a consultation