It’s easier than ever to develop and introduce a new electronic device to the market. Don’t get this wrong, the work itself remains a complex undertaking that most likely involves a multidisciplinary team of engineers and designers, but of course, now you have easy access to those design engineering professionals, right from your laptops. You can find hundreds of product development companies and firms, offering their services to design and build new electronic devices at competitive rates with a promise of quality to boot. Design service firms are different from freelancing platforms or job boards.
However, there are a few exceptions where a freelancing platform also functions as an agency or project manager to bridge communication between the professionals and the clients. Take, for example, Cad Crowd; although the platform is primarily a freelance marketplace that specializes in the product design and engineering sector, you can post invitation-only contests and private projects, or use the platform to outsource engineering help on an ongoing basis.
Think of Cad Crowd as a one-stop shop for all your electronic device development service needs, where you’re spoiled with a selection of resources to improve your chances of developing a successful product. An electronic product needs at least two major assemblies: the PCB to manage power delivery as well as control or signal processing, and the hardware enclosure. Not everyone has the resources to bring a product idea to market, let alone handle the entire development process on their own. And that’s where design companies swoop in to offer assistance. Some of the finest of such companies are listed below.
1. Cad Crowd
Hailing from Canada and now with several offices in the United States, Cad Crowd is a leading freelance marketplace that sets itself apart from the competitors by focusing heavily on the design, engineering design services, and product development sectors. It’s a highly specialized platform that serves as a hub to connect clients with design and engineering professionals from all over the globe. Cad Crowd serves as both an agency and a project manager to ensure an ideal match between talent and roles and hassle-free collaboration throughout the project. Populated by hundreds of thousands of industrial design freelancers, Cad Crowd is among the most trusted platforms used by clients of all backgrounds, including everyday inventors and major corporations alike, to accelerate electronic device development.
Website: Cadcrowd.com
2. Synapse Product Development
A technology and engineering consulting firm offering robust product development services – takes pride in helping clients bring innovative consumer electronics, such as medical devices and IoT solutions, to market. Synapse is known for its unparalleled expertise in electrical/electronic engineering, embedded firmware, and hardware fabrication to transform abstract concepts into manufacturable products. A good number of electronic products in their portfolio implement advanced sensor integration, ultra-low power requirements, and high-frequency wireless connectivity. Clients range from tech startups to Fortune 500 giants. The company is part of Capgemini Invent, a design and innovation powerhouse that primarily focuses on developing intelligent hardware devices.
Website: Synapse.com
3. Softeq
Assuming your project has anything to do with IoT design services, robotics, wearables, machine learning, or blockchain, Softeq has just the right services to cater to your needs. The firm provides end-to-end custom software development (front-end, back-end, DevOps), embedded systems, digital transformation, and electronics device design, covering both PCB engineering and enclosure fabrication.
Website: Softeq.com
4. Cardinal Peak
A Colorado-based engineering firm- boasts a capable team with indisputable expertise in embedded software, cloud integration, and, of course, hardware engineering. Cardinal Peak specializes in developing IoT solutions (smart home products, connected devices, and other Internet-enabled products) and in designing audio hardware (as a member of the Qualcomm Advantage Network).
Its market scope encompasses such a broad range of industries as consumer electronics, robotics design, automotive, healthcare, security control, audio streaming, and even the aerospace industries. With a multidisciplinary team of experts behind every service, Cardinal Peak excels at end-to-end product development, from initial concept generation and feasibility studies to prototyping, certifications, and mass production.
Website: Cardinalpeak.com
5. Voler Systems
Located in Silicon Valley, alongside tens of thousands of other tech companies, has made a name for itself in the IoT, wearable product design, and medical device sectors, particularly in hardware and firmware engineering. Unlike the vast majority of tech startups in the area, however, Voler Systems has a long 40+ years of experience working on sophisticated projects involving crucial technologies such as wireless connectivity, advanced sensors, ultra-low-power management, and motion control. It offers a comprehensive range of services for electronic device projects, including FPGA, circuit design, prototype fabrication, and DFM. If your new electronic device is supposed to be battery-powered or equipped with gesture sensors and requires proper validation, Voler Systems is an easy recommendation.
Website: Volersystems.com
6. Arira Design
The primary fields of expertise of Arira Design are system-level design and PCB engineering services. The company employs a team of seasoned professionals with in-depth knowledge of high-speed circuitry, signal integrity, and complex power delivery. A collaboration with Arira reinforces your project with decades of combined firsthand experience in electronic hardware engineering, performance analysis, validation testing, and DFM practices. Their services cover such advanced industries as battery management systems, storage networks, IoT, telecommunication, and networking. Arira Design is a veteran in electronic device development, capable of handling complex requirements for successful commercial release.
Website: Ariradesign.com
7. Simplexity Product Development
You can get a full spectrum of electronic device design services from Simplexity, whose expertise covers mechatronics, power management, IoT, fluidics and microfluidics, and embedded motion solutions. The engineering firm’s core capabilities include robotics, automation, biotech, wearables, commercial equipment, and consumer devices. Backed by 20 years of experience in the business, it offers a turnkey product development service that encompasses everything from hardware design and system engineering to prototyping and the entire project management. Simplexity is easily among the top choices if you want to develop a complex and complete product rather than a specific part or component alone. The company has three offices in San Diego (California), Portland (Chicago), and Seattle (Washington).
Website: Simplexitypd.com
8. Brash
There isn’t much to say about Brash Product Development that hasn’t already been highlighted elsewhere. The firm offers four major services: Design, Engineering, Software, and Manufacturing. But most importantly, they can do it all exceptionally well. Brash was involved in the development of such sophisticated electronics as B-Temia biorobotic (which basically is a state-of-the-art exoskeleton), the BreathSuite inhaler add-on, the Intrex wearable, and the DOMONO smart camera, to name a few.
Website: Brashinc.com
9. Design 1st
One of Canada’s most recognizable hardware engineering firms, Design 1st has established a respectable place in the industry thanks to its comprehensive end-to-end product design service. A key to the firm’s long-standing reputation for quality is its ability to navigate the tricky balance between practical engineering (manufacturability, functionality, durability, etc.) and surface details like aesthetics and ergonomics. Design 1st places heavy emphasis not only on DFM services but also on DFA, with a holistic approach to concept development to improve cost efficiency. Powered by a cross-functional team of mechanical engineers, prototype fabricators, PCB designers, and firmware developers, Design 1st is among the true specialists in electronic product development all across North America.
Website: Design1st.com
10. Promwad
Here’s just a few of the services Promwad offers: hardware design (such as PCB schematic/layout and mechanical engineering for electronic device enclosures), embedded software development, FPGA, SoC, and manufacturing support. In short, all that you need to build an entirely new modern electronic device from scratch. Promwad is headquartered in Essen, Germany. Over the past two decades, Promwad has built a capable team of more than 100 CAD engineers and managers, with combined expertise in FPGA design, industrial automation, adaptive computing, telecommunications, and audio/video streaming. As for manufacturing capabilities, you’ll be pleased to know the firm offers both small-batch and large-volume production, whether you need specific components, enclosures, or fully assembled devices.
Website: Promwad.com
11. NYL Technology
Generative AI services make up a good chunk of what NYL Technology does, such as LLM and chatbots. Having said that, the firm doesn’t hold back when it comes to hardware engineering either. It provides a full-scale custom software development and is equipped with a cutting-edge rapid prototyping technology to turn your electronic device ideas into reality under one roof.
Website: Nyl.technology
12. Embevity
Although primarily known as a specialist in embedded system development, Embevity has no lack of expertise in electronic hardware design either. Much of what they do centers on delivering a comprehensive service across the entire device design cycle, which typically encompasses complex tasks such as feasibility studies, multi-layer PCB schematics, advanced FPGA design, enclosure engineering, prototype design services, and validation. Based in Poland, they’re currently a Nordic Semiconductor Design Partner, an AMD Embedded Partner, a Zephyr Ecosystem Vendor, and a Microchip Authorized Design Partner. It’s a pretty impressive achievement considering how Embevity’s core team consists of just 25+ professionals.
Website: Embevity.com
13. ELSYS Design
Headquartered in the heart of France and with branch offices all over the country, ELSYS is one of Europe’s major engineering firms specializing in electronic design services. The firm is currently an ARM Approved Design Partner and a member of the Intel Partner Alliance. Its range of expertise covers PCB design, FPGA, SoC, ASIC, embedded software development, mechanical engineering designers, IC layout, and analog mixed-signal verification. You can also tap into the firm’s “intervention” modes, which include consultancy as well as turnkey design service for small and mid-volume manufacturing. ELSYS even has a dedicated design center that basically allows you to hire the whole company to implement your own development methodology.
Website: Elsys-design.com
14. Ex Dynamics
Collaborating with an experienced firm affords you the much-needed peace of mind, which is often hard to find in a high-stakes project. It’s good to know that Ex Dynamics is willing to lend you the expertise of an interdisciplinary team with 60 years of combined experience in product development, manufacturing, and industrial design. The firm’s comprehensive electronic device development service covers the entire design process, from early conceptualization and feasibility analysis through physical prototyping, performance analysis, and compliance assurance. Furthermore, Ex Dynamics has in-house capabilities and the necessary facilities to implement an iterative approach to design verification.
Website: Ex-dynamics.com
15. Tessolve
Positioning itself as a semiconductor solutions provider, Tessolve’s work mainly revolves around chip design, analog & mixed signal engineering, and FPGA emulation. That being said, the firm also offers a respectable range of post-silicon services, including PCB design and manufacturing services, New Product Introduction (NPI), and volume production. It’s basically an in-house, end-to-end advanced electronic device development firm.
Website: Tessolve.com
16. AJProTech
It’s the company behind the design and development of the Nvidia Jetson Carrier Board, the Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Device, and the AcquaTap portable water generator, just to name a few. AJProTech takes pride in its straightforward way of product development that comprises in-depth feasibility research, rapid prototyping, enclosure engineering, embedded firmware and software, and PCB designers. It’s essentially a turnkey service, kicking off with problem identification and going all the way to mass production. The firm’s largest client base comprises startups and mid-sized companies seeking to accelerate time-to-market while keeping the design optimized for mass manufacturing.
Website: Ajprotech.com
17. Wizlogix
Most electronic devices, whether consumer-grade or those intended for use in professional environments, consist of an internal PCB and hardware enclosure. Thanks to the proliferation of rapid prototyping, it’s now easy to fabricate your own enclosure using a commercially available 3D printer; sometimes, you only need the PCB made by experts. In such cases, the Singapore-based design engineering firm Wizlogix makes for an excellent partner. It offers a full turnkey PCB design, fabrication, and assembly for various applications, including consumer electronics, automotive components, military equipment, etc.
Website: Wizlogix.com
18. Speck Design
Based in Silicon Valley with a strong background in UX and industrial design, Speck is well-known for its ability to create a seamless blend between excellent hardware quality and an intuitive digital experience. Their portfolio is the ultimate testament to an unquestionable expertise in transforming creative ideas into innovative electronic devices. And it’s not just consumer electronics; Speck is well-versed in navigating the complex landscape of robotics and medical technologies as well. Another one of the firm’s points of highlight is how the team takes the client onboard throughout the product development process, from concept generation to the actual engineering phase to performance analysis.
Website: Speckdesign.com
19. Smart Design
The guiding principle at Smart Design has always been to drive innovation by leveraging emerging technologies. The firm doesn’t clearly distinguish among its services, which primarily include mechanical engineers, product development, and industrial design. The idea behind the lack of compartmentalization is to ensure that every project receives equal attention across all fields of expertise, to build a product born of seamless integration across multiple branches of knowledge. Every electronic device design process is guided by DFM and DFA to reach the final prototype stage as soon as technical feasibility allows.
Website: Smartdesignworldwide.com
20. StudioRed
A clear-cut new product development firm- focuses on four major services to bring ideas into reality: industrial design, mechanical engineering, prototype fabrication, and UI/UX maturation. DFM starts early on in the design process, which means design efficacy (both for cost reduction and smooth transition into manufacturing) takes its place at the top of the priority list. Additionally, with in-house prototype fabrication capabilities, new concept design & product development services can proceed through rapid iteration regardless of complexity. StudioRed has been in operation since the early 1980s and now has extensive experience across consumer electronics, autonomous vehicles, medical devices, and robotics.
Website: Studiored.com
21. Very
While the core competency of Very lies in enterprise-level AI solutions, the firm is also capable of developing more conventional electronic devices, covering both hardware engineering and embedded software development. They have the expertise to build custom PCBs, develop firmware, design the enclosure, and provide manufacturing support, ensuring a seamless transition from the final prototype to a market-ready product.
Website: Verytechnology.com
22. Byte Lab
When looking for an electronic product development partner, chances are you focus the search mostly on firms based in North America and Western Europe in the hope of finding quality services. Byte Lab might just be the firm to change your mind. Based in Zagreb, Croatia, the firm played a significant role in the development of popular products such as Philips’ Connected Airfryer, sanSirro’s Qus-Smart Sportswear, Crossbox High Accuracy GPS Lap Timer, and Signify’s HVAC Control Module, among others. Byte Lab specializes in end-to-end electronic product development, including engineering designers and manufacturing services that transform ideas into reality and bring them to market.
Website: Byte-lab.com
23. Prevas
Throughout Prevas’ long 40 years of history, it has participated in the developments and launches of more than 8,000 products, both electronics and mechanical, or a combination of both. Employing a multidisciplinary team of diverse skill sets and backgrounds, the firm takes pride in its ability to handle the full spectrum of product development, including post-launch support.
Website: Prevas.com
24. Nuvation Engineering
The way Nuvation Engineering describes what they do is just about as straightforward as you can expect. The firm primarily deals with the design and development of electronic devices, turnkey-style. Included within the services are hardware engineering, embedded software/firmware development services, FPGA design, system architecture, certifications, and pilot builds. In other words, they have what it takes to learn about your ideas and turn them into tangible electronics. Nuvation is backed by enough engineering power to serve such industries as industrial automation, AI, telecom, data management, medical devices, imaging systems, energy storage solutions, life sciences, and consumer electronics.
Website: Nuvation.com
25. Lemberg Solutions
Although the firm doesn’t explicitly mention electronic device designers, it does offer an “embedded engineering” package that covers firmware development, FPGA programming, hardware fabrication, and rapid prototyping. Lemberg employs a sizable team of more than 200 engineering experts, and the firm itself has 15 years of experience in the business with an impressive 94% customer satisfaction rate.
Website: Lembergsolutions.com
26. Goddard Technologies
Assuming your idea of a new electronic product is a medical device, Goddard Technologies should be on the shortlist. The firm is well positioned to provide a full range of services, including electronic and mechanical engineering, industrial design services, prototyping, product validation, and eventual transfer to manufacturing. In fact, it also offers low-volume manufacturing, which often is the first right step to take immediately after the final production prototype is ready and approved, before moving to a bigger scale. In addition to specializing in medical device design, Goddard also develops life sciences products and industrial instruments.
Website: Goddardtech.com
27. Delve
A product development firm that does it all, Delve has just the right skills and facilities to be a reliable firm for clients looking to build medical devices, commercial or industrial equipment, and consumer electronics. As far as product development expertise is concerned, Delve hits the mark of a competent partner with skills in industrial design, embedded software, prototype fabrication, and electrical engineering firms. One thing that separates Delve from the competitors is the implementation of what’s known as “human factors engineering,” which basically puts into context the importance of safety (risk-mitigation) for products meant to be used not just by humans but also “on” humans. This is especially relevant when developing medical devices.
Website: Delve.com
28. Battelle
It might not be entirely accurate to define Battelle as an engineering firm. It’s more like a vast community of more than 1200 scientists and 3D engineers operating in eight state-of-the-art laboratories all across the United States. Battelle has a long history of working for the U.S. government on national security projects, medical technologies, and infrastructure. That said, the firm is no stranger to collaboration with private entities, including educational institutions, organizations, and industries. A partnership with Battelle can deliver nearly a century of engineering experience to your projects. Their capabilities span the full spectrum of product development, from in-depth technical research for feasibility to advanced electronic product certification.
Website: Battelle.org
29. Fidus
Everything about Fidus screams advanced electronic device development. They offer an extensive assortment of services, covering FPGA, embedded software, ASIC, PCB layout designers, mechanical engineering, thermal design, and signal integrity. You don’t even have to choose which services you receive, as the firm can provide all of them to support a full product lifecycle. Fidus is among the top-tier partners of major tech vendors such as Intel and AMD, known for pushing the boundaries of what’s technically possible while maintaining compliance with current standards.
Website: Fidus.com
30. Integra Sources
A turnkey electronic device design service- Integra Sources has both the engineering expertise and advanced equipment to handle even the most demanding product development projects. It doesn’t really matter whether the new product is a consumer electronics device, a medical instrument, or an industrial device; they can take you through the full development cycle, from research and development through prototyping to mass production.
Website: Integrasources.com
31. Tri-Star Design
Based in Massachusetts and with more than 30 years of product development experience, has long been a prominent name in robotics technology, medical device design, biosensors, consumer electronics, military products, and warehouse automation. They’re a turnkey engineering firm, providing a full range of services from concept generation to a ready-to-launch, certified product. In the context of electronic device development, this means comprehensive expertise in PCB design and rapid prototyping services, embedded software, advanced FPGA design, DFM, compliance qualification, and project management.
Website: Tristardes.com
32. Hemargroup
Say you’re running a startup or a small group of tech enthusiasts with a vague idea of an innovative electronic device, but still unsure about taking it to the next level. What you need is a reputable firm, but with startup-friendly processes where you can accelerate the research, design, and production timeline. Hemargroup, a Swiss-based engineering firm, might be the right partner in this situation. Keep in mind that most design firms in Europe do not provide full support to small businesses, startups, or individual clients for product developers. Hemargroup is one of the few willing to do so and even provides mass-production support, marketing, and logistics management.
Website: Hemargroup.ch
33. InTechHouse
Of all the services provided by InTechHouse, you’ll be focusing mainly on three departments for electronic device design: hardware engineering design and prototyping, embedded software development, and low-volume production. The firm separates itself from competitors by offering several collaboration models. You can hire the firm in its entirety to handle a project at a fixed rate, hire specific professionals as extensions of your existing team, or use the usual and flexible hourly rate for when it’s difficult to specify project cost from the get-go.
Website: Intechhouse.com
Takeaway
The development of a new electronic device involves not only electrical know-how, but also industrial design, firmware development, and mechanical engineering as well. It is, and has always been, an interdisciplinary project in which team members combine the expertise of their respective fields to build a device that’s both technically feasible and financially viable.
Sometimes the difference between a failed and successful product lies in the 3D design firm you hire to take on the development project. A capable firm should find no problem in navigating the fragile balance between quality and production cost, which ultimately determines the sales figure and profit. A qualified team of professionals can provide strategic guidance through the likely complex part sourcing, DFM approach, and regulatory compliance requirements.
How Cad Crowd can help
Of all the companies listed above, Cad Crowd earns the distinction as the only non-traditional design firm, thanks to its versatile hiring method. It’s a freelancing platform, alright, but a highly specialized one, to the point where the quality of service is just about identical to (if not better than) that of a full-blown design firm. Furthermore, you’re also provided with IP protection through an NDA and everything else related to patent applications. Cad Crowd bridges the gap between hiring a full-service design firm and 3D design freelancers, and in the process, delivers the best of both worlds in one go. Contact us for a free quote today.
MacKenzie Brown is the founder and CEO of Cad Crowd. With over 18 years of experience in launching and scaling platforms specializing in CAD services, product design, manufacturing, hardware, and software development, MacKenzie is a recognized authority in the engineering industry. Under his leadership, Cad Crowd serves esteemed clients like NASA, JPL, the U.S. Navy, and Fortune 500 companies, empowering innovators with access to high-quality design and engineering talent.
Connect with me: LinkedIn ✦ X ✦ Cad Crowd
