IoT and consumer product development from concept to market
Consumer product development, IoT product development services, and electronic product design and development for startups and companies.
IoT consumer product development means four disciplines shipping at once: electronics, firmware, enclosure and app. LANPDT designs the PCB around the battery budget and the enclosure, writes the firmware and the connectivity path, builds bring-up prototypes, and delivers a factory package with an FCC certification plan already scoped.
Connected products usually need a software layer too — see SaaS and software product development for the app and cloud side, or product development services for the full hardware program.
Recent IoT & consumer work
Projects we designed, prototyped and took to production in this category.
- Designed and manufactured end to end
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QMS2GO Voice Recorder: Consumer Electronics Product Development, End to End
QMS2GO needed a way for quality managers to capture what happens on a noisy plant floor without carrying a phone into a secured facility. LA NPDT designed, engineered, prototyped and manufactured a wearable digital voice recorder: a 6061 aluminum body, DSP noise cancellation tuned for industrial noise, 16 GB of storage, 12+ hours of runtime, a magnetic clip and lanyard, and a USB connection that plugs straight into a workstation.
View project - 50-unit first batch in 3 months
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IoT Product Development Services: Sysdyne Delivery Sensor
Sysdyne Technologies needed truck-mounted sensor hardware to match a software launch date. We designed the enclosure, packaged the electronics, iterated prototypes in weeks and built the first 50 units in under three months.
View project - NSF startup — $900K+ raised
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Converting Air into Aid: The AtmoSpark Journey
ATMOSPARK’s journey with us led to the creation of the Bluelement, a device that transforms humidity into potable water, aiding in diverse environments.
View project
Certified B Corp
Independently verified standards of social and environmental performance.
FDA-registered facility
Registered for device work, with the process discipline that comes with it.
- years developing physical products
- 10+years developing physical products
- projects taken from idea to build
- 1,000+projects taken from idea to build
- design, prototyping and short-run production
- In-housedesign, prototyping and short-run production
Certification and connectivity decisions on a connected device
The two things that kill IoT schedules are certification surprises and a radio chosen after the enclosure was locked. Both are decided here.
| Standard or rule | What it requires | What it changes in the design |
|---|---|---|
| FCC Part 15 (B and C) | Unintentional and intentional radiator testing for any US wireless device. | Add $6,000 to $20,000 and 4–8 weeks; using a pre-certified radio module removes most of Part 15C. |
| IEC 62133 / UN 38.3 | Lithium cell safety and transport testing. | Mandatory to ship cells by air; drives cell sourcing and pack protection circuitry. |
| Bluetooth SIG qualification | Required to use the Bluetooth trademark and stack. | Roughly $8,000 for a member listing, less if the module carries it. |
| Antenna placement | Ground plane, keep-out zone and enclosure material affect range more than transmit power. | Metal or metallized housings need a window or an external antenna — an enclosure decision, not a firmware one. |
| App store + privacy | Apple and Google review, plus data-handling disclosure for any collected user data. | Adds a review cycle and a privacy policy to launch, not just a build. |
IoT development stages, timing and cost
A connected consumer device is four workstreams and one integration risk. These are the bands we quote from.
| Stage | What happens | Duration | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture + radio choice | Power budget, radio selection, cloud vs local, BOM target | 2–3 weeks | $5,000 – $15,000 |
| Schematic + PCB layout | Design around the enclosure and the cell, DFM for the assembler | 4–8 weeks | $12,000 – $45,000 |
| Firmware | Bring-up, drivers, BLE/Wi-Fi stack, OTA update path | 6–12 weeks | $18,000 – $70,000 |
| Enclosure + mechanical | Sealed housing, antenna window, button and light-pipe design | 4–8 weeks | $10,000 – $35,000 |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android pairing, control and data views | 8–14 weeks | $25,000 – $90,000 |
| Certification + pilot run | FCC, UN 38.3, 50–500 unit pilot build | 6–10 weeks | $20,000 – $60,000 |
Ranges are what comparable projects have actually cost here, not list prices. Every project is quoted stage by stage, so you approve the next step with real numbers in front of you. See the prototype cost calculator for a first estimate on your own part.
Connected products we built end to end
A digital voice recorder engineered from electronics and firmware through enclosure design and manufacturing for QMS2GO. AtmosPark (an atmospheric water generator), the SmartVue PCB enclosure and a GPS tracking bracelet cover the rest of our connected-hardware range, from board to app.
IoT product development questions
Should I use a pre-certified radio module or a chip-down design?
Use a pre-certified module for anything under roughly 50,000 units a year. It removes most of FCC Part 15C testing, cuts weeks from the schedule and de-risks the RF layout. Chip-down only pays back at high volume where the $3 to $8 module premium matters.
What does it cost to build a connected consumer device?
A BLE device with a simple app typically runs $90,000 to $200,000 through engineering, firmware, app and certification. Wi-Fi plus a cloud backend and OTA updates pushes it to $150,000 to $350,000. Injection tooling is on top, usually $25,000 to $80,000.
Do you write the firmware and the app too?
Yes. Electronics, firmware, enclosure and mobile app are all in-house, which is the point — most IoT projects fail at the seams between four vendors, not inside any one of them.
How long before I have a working prototype?
A bring-up prototype with real electronics in a printed enclosure typically takes 10 to 16 weeks. An earlier looks-like model for pitching can be ready in three to four weeks while the board is still in layout.
Related services
- Digital product development services
Device, firmware, cloud and app built by one team, with the interfaces owned end to end.
- Outsourced product development
Engagement models, cost comparison against hiring, and the IP terms to insist on.
Connected product guides
The detail behind the service — what each step covers, what drives cost, and how to choose the right path.
What it costs to develop a connected hardware product
A line-by-line budget for a smart device with a PCB, an enclosure, a battery, an app and certification, plus where the money actually goes.
Electronic product prototyping: from dev board to custom PCB
The three hardware stages every connected product goes through, what each one proves, and when it is time to stop breadboarding and lay out a real board.
What a design for manufacturing review actually checks
A DFM review is a line-by-line audit of a design against the process that will make it. Here is the checklist, what it costs and what it typically saves.
Selected IoT & consumer work
Projects we designed, prototyped and took to production in this category.
- Designed and manufactured end to end
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QMS2GO Voice Recorder: Consumer Electronics Product Development, End to End
QMS2GO needed a way for quality managers to capture what happens on a noisy plant floor without carrying a phone into a secured facility. LA NPDT designed, engineered, prototyped and manufactured a wearable digital voice recorder: a 6061 aluminum body, DSP noise cancellation tuned for industrial noise, 16 GB of storage, 12+ hours of runtime, a magnetic clip and lanyard, and a USB connection that plugs straight into a workstation.
View project - 50-unit first batch in 3 months
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IoT Product Development Services: Sysdyne Delivery Sensor
Sysdyne Technologies needed truck-mounted sensor hardware to match a software launch date. We designed the enclosure, packaged the electronics, iterated prototypes in weeks and built the first 50 units in under three months.
View project - NSF startup — $900K+ raised
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Converting Air into Aid: The AtmoSpark Journey
ATMOSPARK’s journey with us led to the creation of the Bluelement, a device that transforms humidity into potable water, aiding in diverse environments.
View project - Demo behind a $100K+ raise
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Enclosure Design: Purivy UV Phone Sanitizer
Naor Amir came to LA NPDT with working UV sanitizing electronics and no product around them. We designed the enclosure, 3D printed it through several iterations, and delivered the demo prototype Purivy used to raise over $100,000.
View project - Sold in Walmart
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On-Time Wildlife Feeders: 3D Printed Enclosure Covers
On-Time Wildlife Feeders needed enclosure covers before tooling existed. We 3D printed production-look covers for their new electronic product line, now sold in Walmart.
View project - Featured at OTC 2018
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Master Flo Smart Vue FC: PCB Enclosure Design
Our team was challenged to do the PCB enclosure design & to develop the needed renderings to display the product properly.
View project
Other industries we build for
Personal Care
Beauty, grooming and personal hygiene products, from formula-adjacent hardware to packaging.
Pet Products
Pet care, feeding, comfort and interactive toy products developed end to end.
Sports & Fitness
Training aids, outdoor gear, wearables and equipment built for real use in the field.
Product Packaging
Retail-ready structural and graphic packaging that protects the product and sells it.
Medical Devices
Class I and Class II devices, diagnostics and patient-safety hardware developed to the pathway.
Industrial Equipment
Custom machines, automation and commercial equipment engineered and built in-house.
Food & Beverage
Containers, closures, kitchen tools and food-contact equipment for CPG brands.
Toys & Games
Play patterns, mechanisms and pitch-ready prototypes for toy and game inventors.
Home & Housewares
Cleaning tools, storage, organization and home hardware engineered to a shelf price.
Baby & Juvenile
Feeding, sleep, travel and nursery products designed around juvenile safety standards.
Outdoor & Hunting
Hunting, camping, marine and recreation gear built for weather, abuse and field use.
Funded Startups & Grants
SBIR Phase I and II prototypes and investor-ready hardware for funded teams.
SBIR & Grant-Funded Projects
Concept design, feasibility work and proof-of-concept prototyping for SBIR, STTR and other federal grant applicants.
What founders say after working with us
“Konstantin has been so amazing and his entire team is A+. I researched and interviewed many product development companies across the country and ultimately decided on LA NPDT... and I'm so glad I did. The attention to detail and overall effort has been exactly what I needed and then some. If you are looking for a company to help you bring your product to life, look no further!”
William EvansCEO, Burple“This company is awesome. I run a medical device company and we required a number of accessories to be designed and built for our medical device. They delivered a polished design and printed the accessories on time using high-quality materials. I continue to work with them for all of our material needs.”
Matteo ZiffFounder, Virtual Vision“I highly recommend the LA New Product Development Team for any of your new product development needs. From the development of my concept to the actual prototype, the process was seamless. I especially loved the quick responsiveness, and I received regular updates during every stage, so I was never left wondering how things were going. The steps were clearly outlined, along with estimated costs.”
Dr. Sharada DamarajuFounder, Dignity & EmpowermentThree reasons founders keep working with us
- 1
One team from sketch to shipped parts. Industrial design, mechanical and electrical engineering, prototyping and manufacturing sit under one roof, so nothing is lost in a handoff.
- 2
You own the work. Native CAD, drawings and source files are yours at the end of every phase — no lock-in, no re-buying your own design later.
- 3
Fixed scope, fixed price. Every phase is quoted up front with a deliverable list and a date. No hourly meters, no surprise invoices.
If you ever thought of developing a new product, don’t wait any longer. Talk with one of our experts today.
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Designing for Manufacturability (DFM): Turning Concepts Into Production-Ready Products
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