Coming up with a great product idea is tough—bringing that product to life can be even tougher. That’s why many businesses turn to product development companies for assistance. These companies—from renowned design consultancies to tech giants and management consulting firms—can help you turn a whisper of an idea into an actual, tangible product. They can also refine an existing product to fit your customers’ needs.
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What is product development?
Product development is the process of conceptualizing, designing, creating, and refining a new product or service that you introduce to customers. In many cases, a product development company pairs a client with a product manager, who helps navigate the complexities of market dynamics, respond to customer preferences, and embrace technological advancements—all in the name of helping a product get to market and then thrive.
Product development companies often bring together experts from multiple disciplines, including engineering, design, marketing, and manufacturing. These professionals collaborate to ensure the product meets quality standards, is competitive in the marketplace, and satisfies customer expectations.
The product development process involves multiple steps, including:
- Identifying opportunities
- Conducting market research
- Generating ideas
- Designing prototypes
- Testing and iterating
At the end of the process, the product development team launches the product into the market.
Top product development companies
- IDEO
- Speck Design
- Design 1st
- Accenture
- ARC Technology Solutions
- BiTE Interactive
- Frog
- Abalta Technologies
- Brash
- Code and Theory
A bevy of companies offer product development services to corporate clients in different industries. Most have specialties, including physical product development, software development for digital products, web development, mobile app development, and service product development.
Each product development company comes with its own unique degree of technical expertise. For instance, a custom software development company is more likely to know the intricacies of microchip architecture than an industrial design company.
Here are 10 established firms with strong reputations in their respective industries:
IDEO
IDEO is a global design company that helps businesses develop exceptional services, products, experiences, and overall brands. The company deals with everything from product design to mission focus, depending on your needs.
For instance, Omada Health began as an internal IDEO research project and expanded into a behavior-driven development company in the health care space. It’s since enrolled more than one million lifetime members. In another initiative, IDEO worked with Sephora to reimagine the in-store experience for digital-first shoppers.
Contact IDEO directly to discuss your business goals and learn about pricing.
Speck Design
Speck Design is a product design company that specializes in the medical, retail, telecommunications, robotics, and transportation sectors, with more than 250 projects completed and more than 200 patents.
Services include product strategy, design strategy, innovation strategy, market research, brand design, industrial design, packaging design, UX design, and engineering expertise across various industries.
Contact Speck to learn more about its services and pricing.
Design 1st
Design 1st offers a comprehensive range of services including industrial product design, UX design, engineering, and manufacturing.
Design 1st’s product management portfolio covers many industries, from medical devices to consumer electronics. Notable clients include Momentum IoT, Armstrong Pumps, and NASA. The company serves as a comprehensive resource to startups and established businesses alike.
Contact Design 1st to discuss your business goals and learn about partnerships.
Accenture
Accenture is a vast firm with a significant product development division. It offers product design, strategy, and engineering services. Accenture also helps businesses sustainably, efficiently, and environmentally scale up product manufacturing. Accenture partners with many digital providers, like Microsoft and Google Cloud, to provide a wider suite of services.
Contact Accenture for pricing and service options.
ARC Technology Solutions
ARC Technology Solutions is a full-service product development firm and engineering partner. ARC’s internal team offers expertise in aerospace, automotive, aviation, defense, electronics, heavy equipment, and transportation. Its product managers have the resources to support enterprise organizations that demand high-quality products.
Contact ARC to discuss collaborating on high-quality products.
BiTE Interactive
BiTE Interactive, a specialized software development firm, excels in creating mobile apps with a unique value proposition, which sets it apart from other product developers who also venture into web applications.
Focused solely on mobile applications, BiTE serves a diverse range of industries, including connected vehicles, life sciences, FinTech, agriculture, and aerospace.
Contact BiTE Interactive to get quotes on mobile app development and product management.
Frog
Frog aims to offer fresh ideas and unique solutions to bringing its client’s products to life. Its client base includes software development companies like Applied XL, automotive manufacturers like Volvo, and consumer products retailers like IKEA.
Frog’s offerings include thorough research, rapid prototyping, growth strategizing, and marketing support, among other services.
Contact Frog for information on product design services, product management, growth, and more.
Abalta Technologies
Abalta Technologies has a steep track record, with more than 100 global customers and 800 successful program launches. Abalta specializes in mobility software and is known for its deep understanding of navigation and mapping applications. Its midsize team of information technology specialists helps businesses create products that prioritize quality and customer experience.
Abalta’s signature product is WebLink, which projects smartphone apps from Android and iOS devices onto in-vehicle touch displays. Other existing products center around mapping data, and you can use these to support mapping in software programs you develop.
Contact Abalta for a consultation.
Brash
Brash is a product development company that offers a comprehensive array of services including brand development, industrial design, UI/UX design, mechanical engineering, PCB design, and manufacturing. Brash’s diverse portfolio spans from a dental health app to houseware collections.
Start the process by reaching out to Brash to explain your needs and get a quote.
Code and Theory
Code and Theory specializes in information technology. Its clients include Marriott Hotels, Yeti, Volvo, Amazon, and Adidas, among major brands. Its holistic approach to product development helps align all elements of the product development process, from market research to software engineering to marketing. AdAge named it the best transformation agency for the year 2024.
Contact Code and Theory directly to learn more about the services it provides.
Product development companies FAQ
What are the four major types of product development?
The four major types of product development include incremental innovation, platform innovation, breakthrough innovation, and disruptive innovation.
How do you choose the right product development company?
Choosing the right product development company involves assessing a company’s expertise, track record, alignment with your goals, and ability to meet your specific needs.
Why should you consider consulting with a product development company?
Consulting with a product development company can give you access to specialized expertise, resources, and innovative methodologies that can streamline the development process, mitigate risks, and ultimately enhance the success of your product.
