Trusted by U.S. companies across EdTech, HealthTech, SaaS, logistics and compliance software
HelloCollegeProntoReahardAsserta HealthDynamoidABAKiSA-jour-net
4.9/5 on Clutch
12 verified reviews

Our Engineering Manifesto

AI does not fix fragile codebases. It exposes them

Legacy code without documentation. Risky releases. Limited test coverage. Unclear specifications. Then companies add AI and expect speed. We fix the foundation first — and the rest follows.

Our mantra

We stabilize your code, accelerate delivery, and unlock AI — in that order.

01 / Stabilize

Make change safe

AI-assisted refactoring and targeted test coverage where the team works most often. We reduce release risk before touching anything new.

02 / Accelerate

Ship without raising risk

Senior engineers using AI-assisted workflows under disciplined review. Predictable delivery on top of clean foundations.

03 / Unlock AI

Build AI safely

Production-grade AI features built on tested code — not prototypes that fail to reach production.

Our flagship offer

The 14-Day Engineering Sprint

Every new engagement starts with a 14-Day Engineering Sprint. Depending on your need, we either assess your codebase risk or deliver a working milestone against an agreed specification.

Track A

14-Day Engineering Assessment Sprint

For CTOs facing legacy code, technical debt, or uncertainty about where to invest.

  • ✓Codebase risk map (high-risk modules, hotspots, coupling)
  • ✓Technical debt diagnosis with prioritized impact
  • ✓Test coverage gap analysis on active development areas
  • ✓Quick wins available within 30 days
  • ✓12-month execution roadmap with cost estimates
  • ✓Optional small proof-of-concept

Output is diagnostic and strategic. No production code shipped during this track.

Track B

14-Day Delivery Milestone Sprint

For teams with a defined feature, module, or refactor that needs to ship.

  • ✓Agreed written specification (Day 5 sign-off)
  • ✓Working software milestone delivered by Day 14
  • ✓Tests and engineering documentation included
  • ✓Demo and walkthrough with your tech lead
  • ✓Decision plan for next phase
  • ✓If we don't meet the spec, you don't pay

Guarantee applies to the agreed written specification, scope, acceptance criteria, and delivery timeline.

How We Work

Four phases. Fourteen days. One clear outcome

Whether it's an Assessment or a Delivery Sprint, the rhythm is the same. Disciplined, senior-led, AI-assisted.

Day 0–2: Diagnose

Understand codebase, roadmap, constraints, and business risk through a structured discovery call.

Day 3–5: Specify

Define the sprint scope, success criteria, risks, and the deliverable for your sign-off.

Day 6–12: Execute

Senior engineers work on the agreed assessment or milestone using AI-assisted workflows under disciplined review.

Day 13–14: Demonstrate

You receive the findings or working milestone, documentation, and a recommended next step.

Not sure which track fits?

Book a 20-minute Engineering Bottleneck Review with a senior engineering expert. We'll help you decide — risk-free.

What we do

Four ways we plug into your team

From one-off sprints to embedded engineering teams. Always senior, always spec-driven, always AI-assisted.

14-Day Engineering Sprint

Risk-free entry point to diagnose bottlenecks or deliver a defined milestone in 14 days.

See both tracks

AI-Assisted Legacy Modernization

Make legacy code safer to change through documentation, refactoring, testing, and incremental modernization — without freezing the roadmap.

How it works

Embedded Nearshore Engineering Teams

Senior Costa Rica-based engineers that integrate into your workflow as an extension of your team — reducing delivery pressure without adding management overhead.

When this works

AI Product Feature Delivery

Production-grade AI features built with specifications, tests, and engineering discipline — not prototypes that fail to reach production.

See our approach

Proof, not promises

Real clients. Real outcomes. Verified on Clutch

Every story below is documented in a verified Clutch review. We do not invent numbers.

EdTech · SaaS Startup

HelloCollege launched its MVP and reduced projected servicing costs

ProblemTight-budget startup needed to launch an MVP and replace manual processes with scalable software.

Pernix approachFlexible Pernix team built custom integrations, full MVP, and ongoing maintenance with apprentice-supported senior engineering.

OutcomeMVP delivered. Helped reduce projected servicing costs. Ongoing partnership.

CEO / Founder · 5★ on ClutchView on Clutch →

HealthTech · Payments

Asserta Health: senior Ruby on Rails capacity that adapts at startup speed

ProblemHealthcare payments platform needed senior engineering capacity that could adapt to fast-changing priorities.

Pernix approachEmbedded senior Ruby on Rails engineers across front-end and back-end. Multiple seniority levels available for complex architecture decisions.

OutcomeMulti-year partnership. Sustained delivery capacity. Director of Engineering: "They will definitely help you achieve your objectives."

Director of Engineering · 5★ willing to referView on Clutch →

Automotive · Compliance Software

Reahard: legacy rescue and new release for a mission-critical compliance app

Problem.NET / C# compliance app with bugs in current version and a complex new release needing third-party integrations.

Pernix approachMaintenance + new release in parallel, navigating outdated third-party vendor systems alongside the client's team.

OutcomeSteady delivery despite external blockers. Client IT Architect: "I'll be sad when this project ends. Pernix has been a big win."

IT Solutions Architect · 5★ across the boardView on Clutch →

AR/VR · Machine Learning

Dynamoid doubled their delivery capacity with full-stack and ML expertise

ProblemSmall AR/VR development firm needed to take on more projects with a small core team.

Pernix approachFull-stack web development (React, iOS), supplemented with machine learning and language-processing work.

OutcomeEffectively doubled team output. Multi-year partnership. CEO: "We can do twice the work. They're very capable."

CEO · 5★ on ClutchView on Clutch →
Read all 12 verified reviews on Clutch →

Engineering Resources

Plain-English answers to the questions CTOs actually ask

Clear definitions of how Pernix approaches AI-assisted engineering, legacy modernization, and spec-driven delivery.

Read

How to modernize legacy software without stopping your roadmap

The incremental approach used to rescue legacy code while shipping new features in parallel.

Read

AI-assisted refactoring: how to raise test coverage safely

Why test coverage comes before speed. The playbook for raising it without breaking production.

Read

Nearshore AI engineering teams: when they work, when they fail

Honest analysis of nearshore vs offshore vs in-house — including when Pernix is the wrong choice.

Read

Spec-driven development for AI-assisted software delivery

Why AI without specifications fails. How spec-driven workflows produce reliable AI-assisted code.

Checklist

AI software development partner: evaluation checklist for CTOs

17 questions to ask any AI engineering partner before signing — including red flags to take seriously.

Glossary

Plain-English AI Engineering Glossary

Definitions of agentic engineering, AI-ready codebase, spec-driven development, and more.

What clients say

They came for nearshore. They stayed for the discipline

Selected reviews verified on Clutch. We chose three that show different angles.

Delivery angle

They're by far the best outsourcing partner I've ever worked with. The team consists of diligent workers who don't hesitate to give suggestions and alternative solutions.

President & CEO

Funeral Home Software Company

★★★★★
Verified Clutch review →

Technical depth angle

It's clear that Pernix really stands behind their work. The team brings a lot of initiative — they don't blindly execute, they apply thoughtfulness and experience.

Erik Minty

Co-founder & CTO, ABAKiS Solutions · EdTech / HealthTech data

★★★★★
Verified Clutch review →

Long-term trust angle

The team is savvy with Agile. We haven't had any issues with their abilities to jump in and adapt to our client needs.

Rob De Voto

CEO, A-jour-net · Multi-year partnership

★★★★★
Verified Clutch review →

About Pernix

16 years of disciplined engineering. From Costa Rica to the world

Pernix was founded in 2009 by engineers committed to building a software craftsmanship culture in Latin America. From day one, the vision was clear: grow professionals, share knowledge, craft quality software with purpose.

Today, we are a 100% Costa Rican company exporting talent and solutions to the United States and beyond. We do not do bureaucracy. We solve real client problems with long-term relationships, stable teams, and continuous investment in our people.

Essential Costa Rica certifiedApprenticeship ProgramCIO Magazine featuredGoodFirms verified★ 4.9/5 on Clutch
Pernix Solutions engineering office in Tres Ríos, Costa Rica
Essential Costa Rica certified
Essential Costa RicaInnovation · Sustainability · Excellence · Origin

Inside Pernix

Stable teams. Lower turnover. Better continuity

Our investment in apprenticeship and long-term team stability means clients do not constantly restart with new developers. They work with engineers who stay, learn the codebase, and compound knowledge over time. For your business, that means lower risk and faster compounding delivery.

Get in touch

Let's talk about your project

Email Carlos directly. Tell him about your codebase, your delivery goals, and where you're stuck. He personally reviews every conversation.

✉ Email Carlos at csirias@pernix-solutions.comCarlos personally responds within 24 hours. No automated funnel.