Twenty-five years is a long time in technology. What began as a small Chicago office with a handful of engineers has grown into a global engineering company with teams across Europe and Latin America, trusted by clients in financial services, healthcare, and beyond.
The milestones along the way tell a story that engineering leaders will recognize: learning how to scale, shifting delivery models, navigating global crises, and now, re-tooling everything around AI and data.
From Chicago Roots to a Global Footprint
The first office in downtown Chicago was the hard school of entrepreneurship—signing a lease, making payroll, learning that running a business is different from writing code. That foundation carried Forte into its first expansion in Minsk, Belarus, followed by a recruitment hub in Chernivtsi, Ukraine.
Those early moves weren’t strategic masterplans; they were responses to real client needs. But they built a core DNA: people first, quality always, and the courage to grow internationally. Many of the engineers who joined in those years are still with Forte today.
The Turning Point: Outcomes Over Hours
2017 marked a shift. Forte acquired Agile Unicorn, and with it came a new philosophy: outcome-based engineering. Instead of measuring success by hours billed, delivery became tied to product value and client results.
This mindset change turned into muscle memory. Within two years, Forte was executing as a product-driven organization, with engineering leaders inside the company pushing for the same pragmatism and foresight clients demand in their own teams.
Growth Across LATAM and Europe
Client demand soon pulled Forte into Latin America. Argentina and Colombia became hubs for high-caliber engineers, integrated into global delivery models. Today, over 130 people work across the region, building and maintaining systems for Fortune 500 and mid-market clients alike.
The Ukraine office, opened first as a recruitment center, expanded into QA and software development. Even under the strain of war, those teams showed resilience that shaped Forte’s identity. The response—relocation programs, solidarity, and a new office in Poland—kept delivery steady and culture intact.
Quality as a Growth Lever
The merger with Utopia Solutions in 2022 reinforced Forte’s reputation as a quality-first company. Chief Quality Officer Lee Barnes and his team expanded the firm’s expertise in testing and engineering leadership. That same year, Mikael Carlsson joined as CEO, bringing a more structured approach to planning and strategy while keeping the entrepreneurial drive alive.
Where We Are Now
Forte enters its 25th year with consistent growth across clients and verticals. NPS climbed from 73 to 74.5. New wins in healthcare, data, and financial services are scaling fast—Civica is on track to become a top-five client within 12 months. Guideline recently named Forte its sole supplier for engineering talent.
The focus areas are clear:
- Custom software remains the core.
- Data engineering has become a growth engine.
- AI is now embedded in delivery, operations, and strategy.
The New Era: AI and Data at the Core
Forte’s AI strategy rests on three pillars:
- Built-for-purpose products – Clients own what we build. We avoid vendor lock-in and design for production, not demos.
- AI-augmented engineering – Tools like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and Windsor are standard, boosting speed and quality across delivery teams.
- AI for operations – Every process, from backlog grooming to security audits, is being re-evaluated through an AI lens.
Underpinning it all is data engineering. As CTO Lucas Hendrich puts it: “Bad data in, bad AI out. Data is the foundation of everything we’re building.” Governance, architecture, and implementation are treated as one lifecycle, not separate initiatives.
Guardrails and Trust
With AI, security is not optional. Forte applies three principles to every engagement:
- Protect client data with authorized, secure tools.
- Validate and test AI outputs before they reach production.
- Use AI ethically, with transparency and accountability.
This balance—pushing forward with AI while keeping controls tight—is what allows clients to trust delivery at scale.
What This Means for Engineering Leaders
For Engineering Leaders, the implications are practical:
- Faster product cycles – AI tools cut time from design to production without compromising quality.
- Lower total cost of ownership – Outcome-based models align investment with results, not effort.
- Resilient delivery – Distributed teams in North America, Europe, and LATAM ensure continuity through volatility.
- Strategic partnership – Forte is not a staff-aug vendor; it operates as a long-term engineering partner.
Looking Ahead
The next chapter will be defined by how engineering organizations adapt AI to real production environments. At Forte, the focus is on helping clients do exactly that—turn proofs of concept into reliable systems, powered by solid data foundations and built for long-term value.
The past 25 years were about scaling a company. The next 25 will be about re-imagining what engineering looks like when AI is part of every process.
If you’re evaluating how AI and data engineering fit into your roadmap, Forte offers free evaluations and consulting sessions. Reach out to explore what an outcome-based partnership could look like for your team.
