Koen Vanderkimpen is a Computer Science Engineer and Research Consultant at Smals who bridges the gap between practical software application and AI research. He evaluates innovative cloud technologies and architectural patterns—such as Event-Driven Architecture—that help the organization build robust, scalable systems.Recently, his focus has shifted to the intersection of agentic AI and legacy code, using LLM’s to "time travel in the terminal" and modernize outdated, critical systems. A strong believer in applied research, Koen continuously evaluates new tools and best practices, bringing a grounded approach to AI-assisted coding and architectural refactoring.Koen works at Smals, an association of over 300 public institutions in Belgium, delivering shared IT services and acting as their joint in-house ICT organization, offering skills, best practices, economies of scale, and software re-use. For over 85 years, Smals has supported social security and healthcare institutions with innovative IT and infrastructure services.
Agentic Engineering & Tooling