LA NPDT
Apply for the LA NPDT Full Development Program
Apply for the LA NPDT Full Development Program — design, prototyping and manufacturing support that takes your product from concept to market.
Start a projectStep 4 application
Apply for the LA NPDT Full Development Program
This is the execution program. The same senior team that ran your Product Reality Review continues into industrial design, engineering, prototyping, design for manufacturing, and pilot manufacturing under one contract. Step 3 (Product Reality Review) is the entry requirement.
Why this gate exists
Step 3 is the plan. Step 4 is building the plan.
Step 3 (the Product Reality Review) is where we co-design your minimum viable product (MVP), bill of materials (BOM) target, prototype plan, manufacturability path, and development roadmap. With that in hand, the Full Development Program starts on day one.
Teams who skip Step 3 cost the engagement two to four weeks of unpaid scoping at the start, and they usually end up paying for it twice: once in lost calendar time, and once in scope changes after engineering has already started. The credit-stacking rule still applies, so your Step 3 fee is not money lost, it credits 100% toward your Step 4 contract.
If you genuinely have work that replaces Step 3 (existing prototypes, prior senior engineering work, completed feasibility study from another team), you can apply as an exception below. We review every application personally. For background on why structured stage gates matter in new product development, see the NASA systems engineering practice and the U.S. Small Business Administration guidance on managing development spend.
Not sure which step you are on? Look back at our engagement tracks, or read more about our product design, rapid prototyping, and electronic design capabilities to see what Step 4 actually delivers.
Apply now
Step 4 application
Tell us about your product and which prior step you completed with LA NPDT. We review every application personally and reply within two business days.
Not at Step 3 yet?
Start with the Product Reality Review. We co-design the plan with you, and the fee credits 100% toward your Full Development Program.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Full Development Program application
Why is Step 3 (Product Reality Review) required for the Full Development Program?
Because Step 3 is where we co-design the actual plan we will execute. Skipping it means two to four weeks of unpaid scoping at the start of every engagement, which is unfair to teams who did the work and slows everyone down. With Step 3 done, Step 4 starts on day one.
Does my Step 3 fee count toward the Full Development Program?
Yes. Every dollar you spent in Steps 1, 2, or 3 credits 100% toward your Full Development Program contract. You never pay twice for the same work.
What happens after I submit this form?
A senior LA NPDT lead personally reviews every application within two business days. If you completed Step 3, we send a Full Development Program proposal with scope, timeline, and budget. If you applied as an exception, we either accept and move forward, or recommend you start with Step 3 first and explain why.
Where to go next
- End-to-end product developmentConcept design, engineering, prototyping and short-run manufacturing under one roof.
- Rapid prototypingWorking prototypes in days, from 3D printing to vacuum casting.
- Product development examplesReal projects we designed, prototyped and shipped.
- Talk to our teamTell us what you are building and we will tell you what it takes.