About
I like turning small ideas into software people can actually use.
I'm Niels, an iOS and product engineer based in Amsterdam. I work as a Senior iOS Engineer and Tech Lead at TicketSwap, where I help build the iOS app, shape the architecture, mentor developers, and keep our mobile work moving.
Outside work I make my own apps for Mac and iPhone. Some are practical tools, some are experiments, and some start as a very specific thing I wish existed. I like the whole loop: noticing an idea, shaping it down, building it natively, polishing the details, and putting it in front of people.
How I got here
I did not start out as a developer. I worked in online communication, then mobile QA, then got the chance to help when my team needed an extra hand on iOS. I learned Swift, got help from good colleagues, and found out that building software suited me better than only testing it.
That route still affects how I work. I care about product decisions, edge cases, release quality, and the small moments where software either feels obvious or gets in someone's way.
What I care about
Small scope
I would rather make one idea feel finished than keep adding reasons to open a settings screen.
Native craft
I like apps that feel at home on Apple platforms: fast, quiet, and considerate in the details.
Useful experiments
A side project can be playful, but it still has to become something a real person can understand and use.
One of those projects was LeesSimpel, built with a team in 24 hours at AI Hackathon Amsterdam. It turns dense Dutch government letters into plain language and won the Most Mind Blowing Award. That project is a good example of the kind of software I enjoy: clear problem, focused interface, immediate usefulness.