nikkio

Software Engineering · Since 2008

We build software you won’t have to redo.

Rework is the real cost of software: most budgets die on the second build of the same system. So we deliver on a written estimate, warrant every deliverable for 180 days, and commit to response times you can hold us to. All in writing, for 18 years.

Standing policy

The estimate is the price. If we got it wrong, that’s our problem to absorb.

Written into the terms of every engagement, alongside a 180-day defect warranty and committed response times.

Selected clients

See the work
  • Healthcare

    Duke Health

  • Healthcare

    CEO Roundtable on Cancer

  • Association

    The Aluminum Association

  • Association

    American Forest & Paper Association

  • Healthcare

    IAVI

  • Healthcare

    Penn Center for Public Health

  • Education

    Bart Ehrman Blog

  • Education

    LAU New York

  • Education

    University of Pennsylvania Law Review

  • Education

    Master of Public Health, U. of Pennsylvania

  • Energy

    Xcel Energy

  • Other

    Lift Up Virginia

  • Other

    IMC Construction

  • Government

    Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp.

  • Other

    Vertical Aviation International

  • Association

    MCAA Events

  • Association

    MEP Conference

Years in business, founded 2008
18
On-estimate record, written into our terms
100%
Defect warranty on every deliverable
180-day
Years the core team has worked together
15+

Three stages, each with something we put in writing.

Not a methodology. Just the sequence every engagement follows, and what you’re owed at each step.

  1. 01

    Scope

    A written estimate you can hold us to.

  2. 02

    Build

    Senior engineers, no rotation.

  3. 03

    Hand off

    Warranted for 180 days, yours to run.

We publish our terms because we can.

The usual worry about hiring a small firm is risk. So we moved the risk to our side of the table, and wrote it down. These four commitments are standing policy, not a negotiation.

On estimate
100% on-estimate record. We don't bill past an estimate. Ever.
180-day warranty
Defects in delivered work fixed free for 180 days, treated as priority.
Response times
2 business days standard · 1 business day urgent · 4 business hours critical.
Net 30, no deposit
No deposit to start. No retainer to hold a slot. Standard Net 30.

What people ask before hiring a small software firm.

  • What happens if a project runs over the estimate?

    You don't pay for the overage. We have a 100% on-estimate record across 18 years, and estimates ship with their assumptions and scope boundaries written down. So if we got it wrong, that's our problem to absorb, not a change order to negotiate.

  • Isn't a small firm riskier than a large agency?

    The usual risk with a small firm is key-person dependency. The usual risk with a large one is that the senior people who won the work are not the people who do it, and the team rotates mid-project.

    We answer the first directly: the same core group of engineers has delivered together for 15+ years, and every engagement is backed by a 180-day warranty and response times we commit to in writing. You get the people you met.

  • Are you local, or do you work with clients anywhere?

    Both. We're based in Cary, North Carolina, in the Research Triangle, and a good deal of our healthcare work has been close to home; Duke Health is twenty minutes away. We've also delivered for Xcel Energy, the University of Pennsylvania, IAVI, and PIDC Philadelphia, so distance has never been the constraint.

    If you're in the Triangle and want someone who can sit in the room, we can do that. If you're not, most of the work is remote and always has been.

  • What's covered after launch?

    Defects in delivered work are fixed at no additional charge for 180 days post-launch, and warranty issues are treated as priority rather than dropped into a queue. Ongoing support and maintenance beyond the warranty window is available but never required. We don't build systems you need us to keep operating.

  • How quickly will we hear back from you?

    Standard inquiries within 2 business days, urgent within 1 business day, and critical within 4 business hours. Acknowledgment always lands inside the committed window even when full resolution takes longer, so you're never wondering whether the message arrived.

  • Do you require a deposit?

    No. Standard Net 30 terms, no deposit, no retainer to start. Check, ACH, credit card, and PayPal accepted.

  • Can you work alongside our existing engineering team?

    Frequently, and it's often the better arrangement. The goal isn't to replace your engineers; it's to take the work they don't have capacity for, or bring in depth they don't have in-house yet, and leave the team stronger than we found it. Documentation, runbooks, and knowledge transfer are deliverables, not afterthoughts.

  • What does an engagement typically start with?

    A 30-minute conversation about what you're building and what's making it hard. If there's a fit, we follow with a written estimate that lays out scope, assumptions, and cost. There's no charge for either, and no obligation to proceed.

Still deciding? Start with a 30-minute conversation.

No estimate required, no obligation to proceed. Tell us what you’re building and what’s making it hard, and we’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right fit.

Get in touch

Have a project worth getting right?

Tell us what you're building and we'll respond within two business days. Most engagements start with a 30-minute conversation.