AI agent development company by Foxcomm, for London and UK businesses
Foxcomm is a London AI agent development company. We design, build and run AI agents that complete real work in your business: triaging tickets, preparing reports, chasing documents. We build on proven open-source tools, n8n, Docker, Paperclip, OpenClaw and Hermes Agent, with approvals, budgets and audit logs so your people stay in control.
n8nDockerPaperclipOpenClawHermes AgentMCP toolsISO 27001 accredited
Foxcomm agent workflow, illustrative example
09:02:10triggerNew ticket received: Outlook will not open
09:02:13agentClassified as Microsoft 365, priority normal
09:02:16toolsLooked up device and licence via MCP, read-only
09:02:19agentDrafted a reply using runbook step 4
09:02:22approvalEngineer approved the reply
09:02:25actionReply sent, ticket updated, run logged
An illustration of how an agent run is built and logged. Not a client record.
17+ yearsServing London businesses
24/7Helpdesk support
ISO/IEC 27001Information security
UK and EURemote and on-site delivery
Foxcomm services
Foxcomm AI agent development services
From the first conversation to a monitored agent in daily use, Foxcomm covers the whole AI agent development lifecycle, so you deal with one company.
Discovery and use-case selection
We help you choose one task worth automating, with clear value and clear limits, and agree what success looks like.
Custom AI agent development
We build agents around your process, using n8n, Docker, Paperclip, OpenClaw or Hermes Agent, whichever fits the job.
Integration with your systems
We connect agents to your apps and data through n8n workflows, APIs and the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
Security and governance
Least-privilege access, approval steps, spending limits and an audit trail, set up before an agent goes near live systems.
Hosting and deployment
Agents run in isolated Docker environments, on your own infrastructure or in the cloud, with local models where data must stay in-house.
Support and monitoring
We run, update and improve your agents alongside the rest of your IT, with the same helpdesk you already use.
The basics
AI agents explained: what agentic AI actually is
A chatbot answers. An automation follows fixed rules. An agent works towards a goal across several steps, using tools, and knows when to ask a person.
Chatbot
Answers questions
Useful for drafting and search, but it waits for you to ask and cannot act in your systems.
Automation
Follows fixed rules
Reliable for predictable work, but it breaks when the input changes and cannot judge a new situation.
Agent
Pursues a goal
Plans the steps, picks the right tool, checks its own work and hands over to a person when it should. This is what Foxcomm builds.
The stack
Our AI agent development stack
Each tool does a different job. Foxcomm chooses, combines and secures them around what your business needs.
n8n
The visual layer: connect agents to your apps and see every step they take.
ExploreDocker
Where agents run safely: isolated environments, local models and controlled tool access.
ExplorePaperclip
How a team of agents is managed: roles, goals, budgets, approvals and an audit trail.
ExploreOpenClaw
How agents reach your people: one assistant across the chat apps you already use.
ExploreHermes Agent
An autonomous agent that remembers, builds skills and improves the longer it works.
Exploren8n, Docker, Paperclip, OpenClaw and Hermes Agent belong to their respective owners. n8n is a trademark of its owner. Foxcomm is an independent IT services company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
01 · n8n
n8n: the visual layer that connects agents to your apps
Agents are only useful when they can reach your systems, and only trusted when people can see what they did. n8n gives you both on one canvas that a non-developer can read.
Visual builder, code when needed
Build workflows on a visual canvas and drop into code whenever a step needs it.
500+ integrations, any API
n8n lists 500+ native integrations, any API over HTTP, and MCP so agents and coding assistants can connect.
See every decision
Works with any model. Watch runs live or open a past run to see what the agent decided and why.
Human approval built in
Add approval steps and set rules around what the AI is allowed to do.
Self-host or use the cloud
Run it on-prem or with Docker so data stays in your environment, or use n8n’s hosted version. The source is on GitHub.
Controls for larger teams
n8n lists SSO via SAML and LDAP, RBAC, audit logs, log streaming to a SIEM and Git-based version control. We confirm which plan you need.
How Foxcomm helps: design the workflows, connect your systems, add approval steps and access control, and run n8n alongside the rest of your IT. n8n is fair-code licensed, so we check the licence terms against how you plan to use it.
02 · Docker
Docker: a safe place for agents to work
Agents that can act on your systems need boundaries. Foxcomm uses Docker to give them a contained place to run, and a single file to describe the whole stack.
- Isolated sandboxes. Docker Sandboxes provide isolated environments for running coding agents locally or in the cloud.
- Local models. Docker Model Runner runs language models on your own hardware and exposes an OpenAI-compatible API.
- Controlled tools. The Docker MCP Catalog and Toolkit connects agents to external tools through the Model Context Protocol. Docker labels the Toolkit as beta, so we test it carefully before it touches production.
- One file for the stack. Docker Compose describes the agent, its models and its tool gateway together, so it can be rebuilt, reviewed and rolled back.
# Illustrative: a minimal agent stack in Docker Compose services: agent: build: . models: llm: endpoint_var: MODEL_URL model_var: MODEL_NAME environment: MCPGATEWAY_ENDPOINT: http://mcp-gateway:8811/sse depends_on: [mcp-gateway] mcp-gateway: image: docker/mcp-gateway command: --transport=sse --servers=duckduckgo use_api_socket: true models: llm: model: ai/gemma3:4B-Q4_0 context_size: 10000
Based on the structure in Docker’s own agentic AI guide. A production build adds secrets handling, networking and monitoring.
03 · Paperclip
Paperclip: run a team of agents like a company
One agent is a tool. Several agents need management. Foxcomm deploys Paperclip to give them an org chart, goals, budgets and a human board that stays in charge.
- Org chart. Agents have roles, titles and reporting lines, and tasks trace back to a company goal.
- Heartbeats. Agents wake on a schedule, when assigned a task, or when someone mentions them.
- Budgets. Each agent has a monthly budget. It gets a warning at 80% and pauses at 100%, unless the board overrides it.
- Board approval. By default, hiring a new agent needs approval from the human board.
- Tickets and audit log. Work is tracked as tickets, with tool-call tracing and an append-only audit log.
- Bring your own agent. It works with Claude, Codex, Gemini, Cursor, Hermes, OpenClaw, Pi and OpenCode. It is MIT licensed and self-hosted.
How Foxcomm helps: install Paperclip, connect your agents, set budgets and approval rules, and monitor it alongside the rest of your IT.
04 · OpenClaw
OpenClaw: an assistant that lives in your chat apps
Most people will not open a new tool. Foxcomm deploys OpenClaw to bring the agent to where your team already talks, from one gateway on your own hardware.
- One gateway, many channels. Slack, Microsoft Teams, Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Signal, iMessage and a web chat, handled by a single process.
- Skills. Add abilities through skills, including ones from its ClawHub skills hub, or write your own.
- Your choice of model. Providers include Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini and Ollama for local models.
- Control UI. A browser dashboard for chat, configuration and sessions.
- Runs in Docker. Docker is one of its supported install methods, which suits how we isolate it.
Powerful means it needs boundariesAn assistant that acts on your behalf is a security question, and OpenClaw’s documentation covers trust, sandboxing, access control and prompt injection for that reason. We run it in isolation, limit what it can reach and review every skill before it is installed.
05 · Hermes Agent
Hermes Agent: an agent that improves with use
Built by Nous Research, Hermes Agent runs on a server and keeps learning. It remembers past work and turns what it learns into reusable skills. Foxcomm deploys and secures it for you.
Memory that lasts
Agent-curated memory and cross-session recall, so it does not start from zero each time.
Skills it builds itself
It creates skills from experience and improves them as it uses them.
20+ platforms, one gateway
Reach it from the command line, Slack, Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Signal, email and more.
Scheduled automations
Built-in scheduling for recurring jobs such as reports and checks.
Subagents
It can delegate parts of a task to subagents and bring the results together.
MCP and any model
MCP support, and providers including Nous Portal, OpenRouter, OpenAI or any compatible endpoint.
Where it runs: Hermes Agent supports six terminal backends. We usually choose Docker for isolation.
LocalDockerSSHDaytonaModalVercel Sandbox
Compare
Which one fits your business?
Most Foxcomm projects combine two or more. This is how they differ.
| Tool | Best for | Runs on | What we set up |
|---|---|---|---|
| n8n | Visual workflows that connect agents to your apps, with approvals | Self-hosted or n8n’s hosted version | Workflows, integrations, approval steps, access control |
| Docker | Isolation, local models and controlled tool access | Your servers, workstations or cloud | Compose stack, sandboxes, MCP gateway, secrets |
| Paperclip | Managing several agents towards company goals | Self-hosted, local or remote | Roles, budgets, approvals, audit log |
| OpenClaw | An assistant in the chat apps your team already uses | Your own hardware | Channels, skills, model providers, hardening |
| Hermes Agent | Long-running autonomous work that improves with use | A server, VM or serverless | Memory, skills, schedules, terminal backend |
Governance
Governed by design
An agent should never be a black box with the keys to your business. Every Foxcomm build has the same guardrails.
ISO/IEC 27001Cyber Essentials PlusMicrosoft Solutions Partner
Accreditations apply to Foxcomm as an organisation, not to the third-party tools.
Humans approve what matters
Anything risky, such as sending, paying or deleting, waits for a person.
Budgets and limits
Spending and usage are capped, with warnings before the limit.
Least privilege and isolation
Agents get the access they need and no more, inside contained environments.
Full audit trail
Every action is logged, so you can see what happened and why.
Your data, your choice of model
Local models are available where data must stay in-house.
Why Foxcomm
Why choose Foxcomm as your AI agent development company
Many AI agent development companies build a demo and leave. Foxcomm is an IT company first, so we build agents that are secured, supported and run properly after launch.
A London IT company with 17+ years’ experience
We look after the systems your agents will work with, from Microsoft 365 to cloud and cyber security.
ISO/IEC 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus
Our own security accreditations shape how we build, host and handle your data.
Independent of any one tool
We recommend the right tool for each job, including n8n, Docker, Paperclip, OpenClaw and Hermes Agent, and tell you when an agent is not the answer.
Human control by design
Approvals, budgets and audit logs are part of every AI agent development project we deliver.
UK and EU delivery
We deliver AI agent development remotely and on site for organisations across the UK and EU.
FAQ
AI agent development company: your questions answered
What does an AI agent development company do?
An AI agent development company designs, builds, secures and runs software agents that complete multi-step tasks for your business, such as triaging support tickets or preparing reports. Foxcomm also connects the agents to your systems, adds approvals and spending limits, and supports them after launch.
How long does an AI agent development project take?
It depends on the task. We start with a short discovery to choose one task with clear limits, then build a pilot in a sandbox before anything touches live systems. We agree scope, timeline and running costs before work begins.
What is agentic AI development?
It is building AI agents that complete multi-step tasks in your systems, not just answer questions. An agent chooses tools, checks its own work and asks a person when it should. We design, build, secure and run them for you.
Do you only use n8n, Docker, Paperclip, OpenClaw and Hermes Agent?
No. Foxcomm picks the right tool for each job, and these five are where we have focused. For Microsoft 365 environments we also build with Microsoft Copilot Studio, covered on our Data and AI page.
Can agents run on our own infrastructure so our data stays in-house?
Yes. Docker Model Runner can run language models locally, and OpenClaw and Hermes Agent can use local or hosted models. Paperclip is self-hosted. Foxcomm chooses the setup around where your data is allowed to go.
Is OpenClaw safe to use in a business?
Only when it is set up carefully. OpenClaw’s own documentation covers its trust model, sandboxing, access control and prompt injection, because an assistant that can act on your behalf needs real boundaries. We run it in isolation, limit what it can reach and review any skill before it is installed.
How do you stop an agent doing something costly or wrong?
With layers: least-privilege access, human approval for risky actions, budgets and limits, and an audit log of every action. Paperclip, for example, gives each agent a monthly budget, warns at 80% and pauses the agent at 100%.
How much does agentic AI development cost?
Discovery and pilots are quoted at a fixed scope. Running costs such as model usage and hosting depend on the tools and the volume of work, so we agree budgets with you up front. Request a quote and we will price it around your goals.
Do you support organisations outside London?
Yes. We support organisations across the UK and the EU, with remote delivery and on-site visits where needed.
Related services
Looking for an AI agent development company?
Tell Foxcomm which task you would like off your team’s plate. An engineer will suggest a safe first step for your AI agent development project.