About

Cognix Studio

A boutique engineering studio focused on solving real problems with clean, reliable software. No fluff — just craft.

HdW

Hannes de Waal

Founder & Engineer

Windhoek, Namibia

Working globally

I'm an engineer based in Windhoek, Namibia, building software for clients across Africa, Europe, and beyond. My work spans the full stack — from low-level embedded firmware to cloud-native payment infrastructure — which means I can engage with a problem at any level of the system, not just the surface.

My background cuts across fintech and payments, embedded systems and electronics, and enterprise software platforms. That breadth isn't accidental — it reflects a belief that the best engineers are curious about the whole system, not just their corner of it.

Cognix Studio is how I work with clients: small enough to stay focused and personal, deep enough to take on problems that matter. I take on a small number of engagements at a time so each one gets the attention it deserves.

How I Work

Three principles that guide every engagement, from first conversation to final deployment.

Domain First

Understand the problem deeply before writing code. The best technical solution is worthless if it solves the wrong thing. I spend time learning your domain — your constraints, your users, your business logic — before touching a keyboard.

Clean Engineering

Simple, maintainable systems that teams can own. I avoid clever solutions that only I understand. Code should be readable, well-tested, and structured so your team can extend it long after the engagement ends.

Ship Reliably

Every deployment is a promise to your users. I take that seriously — with proper testing, observability, and staged rollouts. Shipping fast matters, but shipping something that breaks trust costs far more than the time you saved.

The Name

Names should mean something. Here's what Cognix Studio means.

Cognix.

From Latin: cognitio

Knowledge. Understanding. The pursuit of knowing why something works — or doesn't. Good engineering starts with deep comprehension, not just execution.

Studio

A place of craft

A studio is where craft happens — intentionally, with care, by someone who takes pride in their work. Not a factory, not an agency. A space for making things well.

Working Globally

Based in Windhoek, Namibia — engineering for clients worldwide. Being in UTC+2 means significant overlap with European working hours and reasonable async cadence with the Americas.

I work primarily async — structured communication, documented decisions, and clear progress updates mean you're never left wondering what's happening. When synchronous sessions are needed, I make it work across timezones.

Timezone

UTC+2 (WAT / WAST)

Overlaps well with Europe; async for Americas

Communication

Async-first, sync when it matters

Slack, email, or your preferred tooling — I adapt to how you work

Clients

Africa, Europe, and beyond

Engagements across multiple continents and industries

Let's build something together.

If you have a hard problem and want an engineer who takes it seriously, I'd like to hear about it.

Get in touch