Put AI agents to work

Forward Deployed Engineering. Your AI solution runs in production in your environment, and your team carries it forward.

Forward Deployed Engineering: we work directly in your systems and with your team, build the AI solution where it has to run, and hand it over in production – accountable for the outcome, not for billed hours.

  1. Workshop
  2. Setup
  3. Sprint
  4. Build & Support

Fixed price after scoping · proposal within 48 h

Reviewed: November 2026

Forward Deployed Engineering

A Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) is a software engineer who embeds in the client's organization, writes production code there and is accountable for the result. The model originated at Palantir in the early 2010s; in 2026 OpenAI, Anthropic and Google Cloud are building their own FDE teams for enterprise customers.

Most AI projects don't fail because of the model but because of the environment: data access, permissions, processes that grew over years, and nobody in-house with the time to carry a pilot into operations. Forward Deployed Engineering starts exactly there. Instead of translating requirements into tickets and delivering from a distance, the engineer works in your repository, your ticket system and your communication channels, talks directly to the business team and builds the solution against real data. At Context Studios, the founder leads every engagement personally; specialists join when needed, and your point of contact stays the same. Work happens remotely, on site by arrangement – for example for the kick-off, workshops with the business team or go-live. An engagement typically runs 4 to 12 weeks and can be extended. We deliberately counter the known weaknesses of the model – dependence on one person and solutions only their builder understands: the code is yours from the start, decisions are documented, and your team works alongside so it can carry the solution forward after handover.

Who it's for

For companies with a concrete AI use case – an agent, a knowledge search with sources, a process automation – where the real work sits in their own systems, data and workflows. For IT teams that lack AI experience, and for business units whose pilot never got past the demo.

Key Features

  • Hands-On
  • Integrated
  • Production-Ready
  • Collaborative
  • Transparent processes
  • Documented
  • Claude
  • OpenAI
  • Gemini
  • MCP
  • TypeScript
  • Python

We select the optimal tech stack for your specific requirements

How we work on it

  1. Workshop
  2. Setup
  3. Sprint
  4. Build & Support
(01)

Sprint

Four weeks on one goal, with something that runs at the end.

4 weeks · fixed price after scoping
(02)

Build & Support

We build the project out and stay alongside you once it is live.

after scoping, ongoing · fixed price after scoping; support billed monthly

Included

(01)

Embedding in your team and tools (repository, ticket system, communication)

(02)

Scoping the use case with a measurable acceptance criterion

(03)

Building the AI solution in your environment, against real data

(04)

Go-live with monitoring and approval checkpoints

(05)

Documentation, handover and onboarding of your team

Not included

(01)

Training a custom AI model

(02)

Permanent staffing or temporary agency work

(03)

Running costs for AI services and infrastructure

How it runs

(01)

Embedding & scoping

Access, conversations with business and IT, a review of your systems; afterwards it is clear what will run in production at the end and how we measure it.

W1
(02)

Building in your systems

Development in your repository in short cycles, regular check-ins with users, specialists as needed.

ongoing
(03)

Go-live & handover

Go-live with monitoring, documentation and onboarding of your team; if a sensible next step is due, the engagement can be extended.

end
(01)What is a Forward Deployed Engineer?
A Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) is a software engineer who works embedded at the client, writes production code there and is accountable for the result. The model comes from Palantir; in 2026 OpenAI, Anthropic and Google Cloud built their own FDE teams. Context Studios offers the same principle for mid-sized companies, led by the founder personally.
(02)How is this different from freelancers or classic consulting?
Consulting delivers recommendations, a freelancer works through tasks by the hour. A Forward Deployed Engineer is accountable for an agreed result: at the end, the use case runs in production in your environment. That includes clarifying requirements directly with the business team instead of waiting for finished tickets.
(03)Do you work remotely or on site?
Both. Day to day we work remotely in your tools. We come on site by arrangement, typically for the kick-off, workshops with the business team and go-live. How many on-site days make sense is set out in the proposal.
(04)How long does an engagement last?
Typically 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the scope of the use case. If a sensible next step follows, the engagement can be extended. Every engagement ends with a handover after which your team can carry the solution forward.
(05)Who actually works with us?
Founder Michael Kerkhoff leads every engagement personally. If the project needs additional specialists, for example for data engineering or frontend, they join and are coordinated through him. Your point of contact stays the same for the entire engagement.
(06)Who owns the code, and how do you avoid dependency?
The code is written in your repository from the start. With full payment you receive the exclusive right of use to everything developed specifically for you (clause 5 of our terms). We document decisions as we go, and your team works alongside, so the solution does not depend on one person after handover.
(07)What does Forward Deployed Engineering cost?
There is no public price, because scope and duration depend on the use case. After a scoping call you receive a proposal for a clearly described result. If you first want to check whether a use case is worth it, start with one of our AI workshops.

Ready for your project?

Talk to us for 30 minutes with no obligation, or write to us directly.

Fixed price after scoping · proposal within 48 h