Product Development From Concept to Mass Production.
One Team. Mechanical, Electrical, Firmware, Industrial Design.
No subcontractors. No handoff gaps. 35+ senior specialists who've worked together for years.
1000+ Successful Projects Since 1996
Medical devices. Consumer electronics. Industrial IoT. Connected products. In hospitals, on shelves, on factory floors.
Manufacturing Problems Found in Design, Not Production
Our integrated process catches tooling, tolerance, and assembly issues before they cost you 6 months and a retool. That's why clients come back.
meet design 1st
See the team and facility behind 1,000+ products.
Trusted by
Product Development Challenges We Solve
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electronics Design
- DFM Optimization
- Regulatory
High-speed Air-driven dental drill designed system, prototyped, tested, and custom manufacturing setup.
ProDrive Universal High-Speed Dental Drill System
Mechanical design + testing and regulatory + DFM
- Mechanical Engineering
- Prototype + Test
- DFM Optimization
- FDA + Health Canada
Award-winning 4K video production system, industrial design refresh to volume manufacturing.
ARC™ - Mobile Device Management Kiosk
Industrial design + mechanical + thermal management + DFM
- Industrial Design
- Mechanical Engineering
- Prototyping
- DFM Optimization
Magnetic self-coiling USB-C cable designed and launched in three months, now Amazon best selling USB-C cable
Lūp Cable - Self Organizing Magnetic Cable
Electronics + testing and regulatory + DFM
- Electrical Engineering
- Firmware
- DFM Optimization
- Regulatory
World’s first IoT sump pump alarm, designed and manufactured globally.
Liberty Pumps NightEye™ IoT Sump Pump Alarm
Electronics + firmware + IoT + industrial design + DFM
- Industrial Design
- Firmware + IOT
- Thermal Testing
- DFM Optimization
Top-selling toddler door sensor, from Arduino prototype to mass production.
Toddler Monitor Safety Door Sensor
Electronics + firmware + industrial design + app connectivity + DFM
- Industrial Design
- IOT + Bluetooth Integration
- Prototyping
- DFM Optimization
Products We've Developed
A sample from 1,000+ products developed since 1996.
Trusted by startups, OEMs, and Fortune 500 teams
We’ve been developing physical products since 1996. Here’s what that looks like.
1,000+
Products Developed
25+
Years in Business
Founded 1996, in Ottawa Canada
35
Senior Professionals
8
Disciplines
Industries we work in
- Medical Devices
- Industrial Equipment
- Consumer Electronics
- Cleantech & Energy
- Mining & Resources
- Telecom & IoT
- Robotics & Automation
- Transportation
Why Choose Us For Product Development
"We ended up with the best product in dentistry. FDA approval very, very fast. Design 1st came through."
David Turner
“I did extensive due diligence and Design 1st had the deepest bench of technical talent. Their broad range of commercialized products gave me confidence, and their prototype work helped us move from powder substrate to commercial product.”
Kurt Francis, CTO
Molecule · Ireland
“Design 1st took our Cobot from concept through final testing, handling electrical, mechanical, software, and manufacturing in one team. They developed our tank access system, finalized the swabbing robot, and responded quickly to every change.”
Richard Mineo, CEO and Founder
Swabbot· North Carolina
“We selected Design 1st because their team demonstrated the right creativity and technical understanding. Using advanced CAD and modeling tools, they addressed design challenges and delivered an easy-to-install, powerful marine hatch fan.”
Mike Tettenborn, Lead Engineer
Caframo · Ontario
Awards & Certifications
70+ Product Development Awards & Recognitions
Meet the Team
See how our integrated team develops products from concept to production.
James Henderson
How we've helped companies like yours
Meet the Team
See how our integrated team takes products from concept to production
James Henderson
Neurostimulation device redesign for FDA clearance
- Electronics + enclosure redesigned
- Transferred to contract manufacturer
Remote Drone Garage and Re-charging Station
- Complete development in under 12 months
- DFM for low volume production
IoT education platform with connected hardware
- Full electronics and firmware dev
- Deployed in institutions
Ready to Talk About Your Product?
Book a 30-minute call with our engineering team. No pitch deck. We’ll talk about your product, your timeline, and whether we’re the right fit.
what happens next
- We review your brief
- You receive an NDA + D1 overview
- 30-minute intro call
- Development plan with timeline and budget
Prefer to talk?
Tell Us About Your Project
We reply within 1 business day with an NDA and a next step.
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what happens next
- We review your brief
- You receive an NDA + D1 overview
- 30-minute intro call
- Development plan with timeline and budget