Transforming ideas into reality is no simple feat, especially when it comes to crafting innovative products that capture users’ attention. That’s where the best industrial design companies shine. These firms marry creativity, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of user needs to develop products that are as functional as they are beautiful.

From sleek consumer electronics to life-saving medical devices, the top industrial design companies have the skills and experience to bring even the most ambitious visions to life. 

In this article, we’ll introduce you to 10 of the most impressive industrial design firms making waves in 2024. Whether you’re a startup looking to disrupt an industry or an established brand seeking to stay ahead of the curve, these companies have the talent and track record to help you achieve your goals.

Table of Contents:

1. StudioRed
2. Whipsaw
3. Bould Design
4. Speck Design
5. Frog
6. NewDealDesign
7. Box Clever
8. Ammunition
9. Lifestyledesign
10. Delve

10 Top Industrial Design Companies

We’ve rounded up the best industrial design companies that can take your product from concept to consumer sensation. Whether you need to design a new gadget, update your product line, or create a unique user experience, these top industrial design studios have the skills and experience to make your product dreams a reality. 

1. StudioRed

    

 

Industries: Consumer products, smart home products, Biomedical, Automation, Commercial and industrial

Target audience: Executives, product managers, directors of innovation, and other decision-makers in Fortune 500 companies

Production scale: Low-volume to million-unit production runs

StudioRed, a pioneering industrial design firm nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, has been crafting innovative and economically viable solutions for over four decades. With an impressive portfolio spanning over 4,500 projects, StudioRed has established itself as the partner of choice for businesses seeking to transform bold ideas into market-defining products.

What sets StudioRed apart is its holistic approach to product development. The firm’s multidisciplinary team of designers, engineers, and creators collaborates closely with clients, ensuring every aspect of the product lifecycle is carefully considered. From concept to manufacturing, StudioRed’s expertise encompasses industrial design, ergonomics, user experience (UX) design, graphical user interface (GUI) design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping.

Unlike many other firms, StudioRed boasts in-house mechanical engineers and industrial designers. For most projects, they manage the entire process from concept through to manufacturing, resulting in tangible products. Many firms outsource their mechanical engineering, but StudioRed handles it internally.

StudioRed’s highly collaborative culture between industrial designers and mechanical engineers allows them to streamline the development process, maintain better quality control, and efficiently bring innovative products to market.

Clients consistently praise StudioRed for its exceptional professionalism, structured approach, and ability to bring ideas to life. The firm’s commitment to shepherding clients from blank slates to market leaders is validated by enduring partnerships with industry titans.

A deep empathy for stakeholder needs allows StudioRed to balance technical and creative demands while eliminating blind spots. This reliability has earned exceptional loyalty, with 90% of new clients returning and 95% of returning clients collaborating on three or more projects.

With a proven track record of successful product launches and over 200 international design awards, StudioRed continues to shape the future of product design. As a trusted advisor, the firm guides clients through the unknown challenges of product development, ensuring each project achieves enduring value and market success.

2. Whipsaw

    

 

Whipsaw is a renowned industrial design consultancy based in San Francisco. Whipsaw has spent over two decades creating award-winning product solutions across industries like consumer electronics, housewares, medical devices, robotics, and more. With a client roster featuring top brands like Google, Nike, Samsung, and Uber, Whipsaw’s influence is evident in over 1,000 successful product launches.

The firm’s design philosophy centers around crafting intuitive experiences that connect emotionally with end users. Whipsaw’s creations exhibit a signature blend of beauty, functionality, and simplicity — qualities that have earned it over 300 major design accolades. Its human-centered approach, multidisciplinary talents, and commitment to design innovation have solidified Whipsaw as one of the world’s preeminent industrial design practices.

3. Bould Design

    

 

Bould Design is an industrial design studio that specializes in crafting innovative and successful products through user-centric design. The studio focuses on four key principles: function, simplicity, quality, and character, aiming to create products that are both functional and beautiful.

With a process that emphasizes collaboration and communication, Bould Design has worked with a wide range of clients, from startups to multinational corporations, and has consistently produced designs that earn high praise from users and critics alike. Its capabilities extend beyond industrial design to include branding and identity, packaging design, product visualization, and engineering support, ensuring Bould Design’s clients receive comprehensive solutions that bring their products to life.

4. Speck Design

    

 

Speck Design, a Silicon Valley-based industrial design company, has been at the forefront of product design and strategy for nearly 30 years. The firm stands out for its ability to integrate innovation, aesthetics, and functionality, creating products that impact everyday life across homes, hospitals, and offices.

Speck Design’s diverse expertise allows it to tailor solutions throughout the innovation process, from ideation to manufacturing, particularly excelling in medical devices, consumer products, and wearables. Speck Design’s commitment to designing products that enhance human experiences reflects its dedication to a more inclusive and impactful future.

5. Frog

    

 

Frog is a global industrial design powerhouse crafting innovative products since 1969. Founded by Hartmut Esslinger in Germany, Frog pioneered an era of emotional design in response to the function-oriented products of the time. The company’s work caught the attention of Steve Jobs, leading to a partnership with Apple that produced iconic designs like the Apple IIc.

Over the decades, Frog has continued to evolve, integrating engineering, branding, and digital capabilities to help clients navigate technological disruptions and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Today, Frog collaborates with visionary leaders and entrepreneurs to build experiences and products that disrupt the status quo and realize the future.

6. NewDealDesign

    

 

NewDealDesign is a San Francisco-based design studio founded in 2000 by Gadi Amit. The company is known for its innovative and human-centered approach to design, focusing on uniting technology and humanity in unconventional ways.

NewDealDesign consists of a team of industrial, graphic, and interaction designers and mechanical engineers who collaborate to develop cutting-edge technology products for clients such as Fitbit, Google, Intel, and more. The studio is recognized for its work in consumer electronics and wearable technology, and its designs have been praised for expanding appeal beyond niche markets to broader consumer audiences.

7. Box Clever

    

 

Box Clever is an industrial design company known for its various areas of expertise, including industrial, brand, packaging, and digital design. Fast Company has recognized Box Clever as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Design Companies.

Box Clever is involved in a wide range of projects, including cookware, payment readers, and soap dispensers. They focus on creating innovative, high-quality products that challenge conventions. Box Clever approaches design by considering the full user journey, from use to cleaning and storage, and aims to create products that are functional, visually appealing, and modern.

8. Ammunition

    

 

Ammunition is an industrial design and brand strategy consultancy recognized for its focus on user experience and its ability to integrate design, engineering, and brand strategy to create innovative products and experiences.

The company was influenced by Apple’s design approach and philosophy, where co-founder Robert Brunner previously worked. This influence is reflected in Ammunition’s attention to detail and commitment to creating visually appealing and high-quality products.

From Beats headphones to smart kitchen appliances, Ammunition’s approach to design involves a deep understanding of the user and the market, as well as a focus on creating products that are both beautiful and functional. The company’s work has garnered over 200 accolades, including the 2016 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Product Design.

9. Lifestyledesign

    

 

Lifestyledesign is an industrial design consultancy that delivers solutions for brands in various industries, including lifestyle, consumer electronics, outdoor, sport, wearable technology, and IoT.

Lifestyledesign is known for its fashion-forward approach to design, aiming to connect with customers culturally and emotionally. With a focus on strategy, design, and development, Lifestyledesign offers a range of services, including brand strategy, product strategy, industrial design, UI/UX design, brand development, digital content creation, engineering, prototyping, and eyewear design.

10. Delve

    

 

Delve is an industrial design agency with over 55 years of experience. It has a proven track record of delivering successful products, earning 1,500 patents and 200 design awards. Delve’s approach involves human-centered strategy, design, and engineering to solve complex problems.

With expertise in various fields, including medical, industrial, automotive, and consumer products, Delve has delivered over 10,000 completed projects. The company is known for its multidisciplinary teams, which consist of product engineers, designers, and user researchers.

The Best Industrial Design Companies at a Glance

Company	Best for	Location	Years in Business
StudioRed	First-rate industrial design	Palo Alto, CA	41
Whipsaw	Innovative consumer product design	San Francisco, CA	25
Bould Design	A collaborative approach	San Mateo, CA	6
Speck Design	Medical devices	San Jose, CA	28
Frog	Legacy and global influence	San Francisco, CA	45
NewDealDesign	Emerging technologies	San Francisco, CA	24
Box Clever	Consumer electronics and connected devices	San Francisco, CA	12
Ammunition	Lifestyle brands	San Francisco, CA	17
Lifestyledesign	Wearables	Santa Barbara, CA	22
Delve	Integrating strategy, creative, and technology	Madison, WI	57

 

Why Work With an Industrial Design Company?

By tapping an industrial design company for product development, you gain access to a team of experienced professionals who can help you navigate this complex process. Some of the key benefits and services they provide include:

• Market insight and trend analysis: Industrial design companies keep their finger on the pulse of consumer preferences, industry trends, and emerging markets. They leverage this knowledge to inform the development of products that resonate with your target audience and stay ahead of the competition.
• User-centric product development: At the heart of every successful product is a deep understanding of the end user. Industrial designers excel at putting the customer first, conducting thorough research to uncover pain points and design solutions that truly meet their needs.
• Brand strategy and consistency: An industrial design firm helps ensure that any new product fits your brand identity and style guidelines. They recommend shapes, forms, materials, colors, and finishes that align with your brand vision.
• Innovative and creative solutions: Industrial designers are professionally trained to think outside the box. With their multidisciplinary expertise and access to the latest design tools and technologies, they are able to push boundaries and deliver breakthrough solutions that set your products apart.
• Improved product usability and aesthetics: Industrial designers strike the perfect balance between form and function, creating products that are both visually appealing and intuitive.
• Access to specialized skills and technology: Partnering with an industrial design firm gives you access to a cross-disciplinary team of specialists, integrating skills from engineering, human factors, and visual design. This allows you to tap into a wealth of knowledge and capabilities that may be difficult to replicate in-house.
• Reduced time to market: Industrial design companies have well-established processes and workflows that streamline the product development lifecycle, helping you get your innovations into customers’ hands faster.
• Maintaining design integrity and quality throughout product development: An industrial design firm ensures that design intent is meticulously maintained throughout the entire product development process. With a focus on detail, with every aspect of the design carefully managed and monitored from concept through to production.

Services Industrial Design Companies Offer

Industrial design companies provide a wide range of services to assist with the entire product development lifecycle, from initial concept to final production. Although the specific offerings may vary between firms, the core services they usually provide include:

• Market and user research: Analyze trends, evaluate the competition, and determine what customers want to inform the product development process.
• Concept development: Generate and refine ideas for new products based on market research and client requirements.
• Design for manufacturability (DFM): Analyzing and selecting the appropriate colors, materials, and finishes to enhance the aesthetic appeal, functionality, and brand identity of a product.
• Prototyping: Build physical prototypes to test and validate product concepts, functionality, and usability.
• Collaboration with engineering and manufacturing partners: Work closely with engineering teams and manufacturing partners to ensure seamless integration of design concepts into final products.
• Branding and packaging design: Develop a cohesive visual identity and packaging designs that elevate the brand experience and attract customers.

Some industrial design companies may also offer more specialized services like DFM, UX, sourcing and supply chain management, and marketing and growth strategy. The key is finding a partner with the right capabilities and experience to match your specific product vision and goals.

How To Choose the Right Industrial Design Company

With so many industrial design firms to choose from, picking the right one to bring your product idea to life can feel overwhelming. But by focusing on a few key criteria, you can narrow the field and find a company that perfectly fits your needs. Here are five things to keep in mind during your search:

1. Define Your Budget and Project Requirements

Before shopping around for an industrial design firm, determine how much you can afford to invest in your product design. Do you have $10,000 to invest or $100,000? Are you seeking an industrial design company to conceptualize your startup idea or to facilitate the manufacturing process once the design is finalized? Be realistic about your budget and timeline.

Keep in mind that the total cost of your product development includes design, engineering, prototyping, testing, revisions, materials. Factor in expenses like tooling, manufacturing, and marketing to determine how much you can allocate to the product development.

It’s also important to have a clear understanding of your product goals, requirements, and constraints. Think through factors like:

• Product function and must-have features
• Target users and intended use cases
• Desired development timeline and milestones
• Required deliverables (concepts, CAD files, prototypes, etc.)
• Level of design support needed (research, branding concept development, design for manufacturing, and engineering support)

A well-defined design brief will make it easier to communicate your needs to potential partners and ensure you get relevant proposals to compare. Be as specific as possible about your requirements while staying open to the creative ideas and recommendations an experienced industrial design company can provide.

2. Evaluate Their Portfolio

A great way to gauge the design chops and range of an industrial design company is to review its past work. Study its portfolio to see what kinds of products it has designed in the past and whether its style matches what you’re looking for.

Pay attention to details like material choices, ergonomics, and design intuitiveness. High-caliber design firms will have a proven track record of creating exceptional, impactful work. If products don’t seem thoughtfully designed or you’re left unimpressed, keep looking. Design is highly subjective, so go with your gut instinct here.

Look for companies that have experience designing a range of products similar to yours. Some firms specialize in certain industries or product types, while others are generalists. Either can be a great choice, depending on your needs.

3. Consider Industry Experience

While it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, working with an industrial design agency with experience in your particular industry can be a major advantage. With relevant experience comes valuable industry connections. Design firms develop close partnerships with contract manufacturers, component suppliers, and other players in the supply chain. Leveraging these connections can help get your product to market faster and more cost-efficiently.

Along the same lines, seek out firms that have designed for companies comparable to yours. Look at their client list and portfolio to find examples of work with companies of a similar size, market position, and business model as your own. Industrial design firms that typically partner with major multinationals may not provide the level of service and flexibility that smaller companies require.

4. Assess Their Process

The product development process can be long and complex, so it’s important to understand how your potential design partner works and if their approach aligns with your needs and expectations. Ask them to walk you through their typical process from start to finish, including notable milestones, deliverables, and client touch points along the way.

Some important aspects to look for include:

• Thorough research and discovery phase to understand the market and user needs
• Iterative concept development with regular client feedback and collaboration
• Rapid prototyping and user testing to validate and refine the design direction
• Detailed design documentation and handoff to support manufacturing
• Proactive project management and communication to keep things on track

An experienced product design and development firm should have a mature and proven process in place but also be flexible enough to adapt to your unique needs and constraints. Avoid partners that are either too rigid in their ways or lack a clear methodology altogether.

5. Check Client Testimonials and References

When choosing a design firm, look for reviews from previous clients for insights into the company’s work ethic and quality of service. Look for reviews that mention how quickly the company responded to questions and concerns. For a complex product design project, you’ll want a partner that communicates well and addresses issues promptly.

Ask the companies you’re interested in for client references and case studies of past projects. Reach out to the references they provide and ask specific questions about their experience, like:

• How did the overall experience working with the company go?
• Did they deliver concepts and designs on time and within budget?
• Were there any unexpected costs or delays?
• Were they receptive to feedback and willing to revise their designs?
• Did the final product meet your expectations and needs?

Speaking directly with references is the best way to judge an industrial design firm’s capabilities and work style. Pay attention to both the content of the reviews and the enthusiasm in the client’s voice. Lackluster or mediocre reviews and companies unwilling or unable to provide references are red flags.

FAQ

Have more questions about the ins and outs of industrial design companies? In this FAQ, we’ll answer some common questions to help you understand what they do and how much it might cost to work with one.

What Is Industrial Design?

Industrial design is the professional practice of designing products, devices, objects, and services used by millions of people around the world every day. It is a multidisciplinary specialization aimed at creatively solving problems to improve products, systems, services, experiences, and businesses.

What Does an Industrial Designer Do?

Industrial designers consider the function, value, aesthetics, and usability of a product from the user’s perspective. They blend art, science, and technology to create innovative solutions that benefit both the end user and the manufacturer. Key responsibilities of an industrial designer include conducting research, brainstorming ideas, prototyping, selecting materials, finalizing designs, and overseeing the manufacturing process.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Industrial Design Company for a Project?

The cost of hiring an industrial design company can vary significantly depending on several factors, including project scope and complexity, the design firm’s expertise and reputation, project duration, and the specific services required.

Given these factors, the cost of an industrial design project can range from a few thousand dollars for a small, simple project to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a large, complex one. 

It’s important to note that many industrial design firms work on a project-based or hourly billing system, so the total cost can be challenging to estimate without a detailed project brief. The best approach is to consult with several reputable industrial design firms, provide them with your project requirements, and request detailed quotes for comparison.

The Value of an Experienced Industrial Design Firm

Choosing the right industrial design company is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when developing a new product. A skilled and experienced firm can be the difference between a successful launch and a costly flop.

At StudioRed, we have a proven track record of guiding businesses through the entire product development process. Our multidisciplinary team works closely with clients to create innovative industrial design solutions that meet their unique needs.

If you’re seeking a reliable and reputable industrial design company to work with, contact us today. With our creativity, technical know-how, and commitment to user-centered design, StudioRed is the ideal partner for businesses looking to innovate and grow.