Step 4 application

Apply for the LA NPDT Full Development Program

This is the execution program. The same senior team that ran your Product Development Blueprint continues into industrial design, engineering, prototyping, design for manufacturing, and pilot manufacturing under one contract. Step 3 (Product Development Blueprint) is the entry requirement.

Start your application See all four steps

Why this gate exists

Step 3 is the plan. Step 4 is building the plan.

Step 3 (the $2,449 Product Development Blueprint) 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 four-step consultancy ladder, or read more about our product design, rapid prototyping, and electronic design capabilities to see what Step 4 actually delivers.

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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.

Full name *

Company (optional)

Email *

Phone (optional)

Short description of your product *

Between 300 and 2,000 characters.

Which prior step have you completed with LA NPDT? *

Step 3, Product Development Blueprint ($2,449) Required entry point. We already built the plan together.

Step 2, Concept Pulse Call ($749) Working call done, but no full review yet.

Step 1, Concept Reality Report ($249) Written report received.

None yet I have not engaged LA NPDT before.

Full Development normally requires Step 3 (Product Development Blueprint) so we can start building on day one. If you believe your situation is an exception, briefly explain why below. Otherwise the best path is to start with Step 3, and your fee credits 100% toward Step 4.

Why you believe Step 3 is not needed *

At least 40 characters.

By submitting, you agree we may contact you about your application. We sign a mutual nondisclosure agreement (NDA) before reviewing confidential materials.

Not at Step 3 yet?

Start with the $2,449 Product Development Blueprint. We co-design the plan with you, and the fee credits 100% toward your Full Development Program.

Go to Step 3 (Product Development Blueprint)

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the Full Development Program application

Why is Step 3 (Product Development Blueprint) 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.