Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) edges ahead of DE Design Works (4.0/5) overall. Lemberg Solutions is the better choice for architecture consulting that can transition directly into full development. DE Design Works is the stronger option for architecture advisory for rugged industrial, medical, or military electronics. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2002 |
| HQ | Lviv, Ukraine (offices in Hamburg, Germany; London, UK; Kraków, Poland) | Chesterfield, MO, USA |
| Team size | 200+ | 11–50 |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts | 23 years of combined PCB, hardware, and firmware architecture experience specifically for rugged industrial, medical, and military applications |
| Pricing model | Firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation | Project-based electronics and firmware consulting engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | FreeRTOS, Zephyr, Azure RTOS | C, C++, Embedded Linux |
| Industries served | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive | Industrial, Medical devices, Military/defense, Consumer electronics |
Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works: overview
Lemberg Solutions
Lemberg Solutions was founded in 2007 in Lviv, Ukraine and has grown to a 200+ person team with additional offices in Hamburg, London, and Kraków. Its firmware consulting practice covers platform and MCU selection, RTOS strategy, and architecture-level guidance delivered before a client commits to full development, backed by direct partnership status with NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip and an in-house lab for hardware validation. ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 13485 certifications give an advisory engagement documented process credibility that a purely informal consulting relationship doesn't carry.
DE Design Works
DE Design Works was founded in 2002 and operates from Chesterfield, Missouri with a team in the 11 to 50 employee range. Its architecture advisory work centers on PCB and hardware design for rugged industrial, medical, and military applications alongside embedded software and firmware, including secure OTA update strategy and embedded Linux board support package architecture. For a buyer whose consulting need is specifically ruggedization or regulated-application architecture, this is a firm with a track record narrowly built around those exact constraints.
Services and capabilities: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Capability | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Feasibility assessment | ✓ | ✗ |
| Functional safety consulting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Technical training | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert-witness services | ✗ | ✗ |
| Hardware co-design | ✓ | ✓ |
| Medical device firmware | ✗ | ✗ |
| IoT connectivity | ✗ | ✗ |
| Staff augmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Framework / platform | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | ✓ | ✓ |
| RTOS | ✓ | N/A |
| ISO 26262 | N/A | N/A |
| IEC 61508 | N/A | N/A |
| MISRA C | ✓ | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | ✓ | ✓ |
| PCB Design | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Firmware consulting, Design-phase engagement, Full development lifecycle, Staff augmentation | Project-based engineering |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Dimension | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics | Industrial, Medical devices, Military/defense |
| Best use cases | Architecture and feasibility assessment before committing to a full firmware build, RTOS and MCU selection advisory for a new product line | Ruggedization architecture advisory for a new industrial or military device, Secure OTA update strategy consulting for a fielded product |
| Typical project type | Firmware consulting | Project-based engineering |
Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works: pros and cons
| Lemberg Solutions | |
|---|---|
| + | Direct partner status with NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip means MCU selection advice comes with chip-vendor-level engineering support behind it |
| + | Design-phase engagement is offered as its own line item, not only as a prelude to a locked-in full build |
| + | In-house hardware lab lets architecture recommendations be validated against real silicon before a client commits budget |
| + | ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 13485 certifications give an advisory engagement a documented process a client can audit |
| + | Full IP and source code rights transfer to the client on delivery |
| - | Does not run mass production in-house, so a consulting engagement that leads to production still needs a separate manufacturing partner |
| - | Does not submit regulatory certification filings on the client's behalf, only supporting technical documentation |
| - | No published consulting day rate or minimum engagement figure |
| DE Design Works | |
|---|---|
| + | PCB and hardware architecture advisory for rugged, regulated applications sits alongside firmware in the same firm |
| + | Secure OTA update strategy advisory is a specific, verifiable capability for security-conscious architecture reviews |
| + | 23 years of operating history gives a track record to reference-check against |
| + | Rugged industrial, medical, and military application experience matches the constraints most general firmware consultants haven't dealt with |
| - | 11 to 50 employees limits concurrent capacity compared to larger competing bidders |
| - | Public case studies naming specific past programs are limited, so verifying track record needs direct reference requests |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement threshold |
Who should choose Lemberg Solutions?
A typical fit: architecture and feasibility assessment before committing to a full firmware build.
Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive.
Who should choose DE Design Works?
A typical fit: ruggedization architecture advisory for a new industrial or military device.
23 years of combined PCB, hardware, and firmware architecture experience specifically for rugged industrial, medical, and military applications. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial, Medical devices, Military/defense, Consumer electronics.
Decision matrix: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Lemberg Solutions (Not published) vs DE Design Works (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Lemberg Solutions |
Use case fit: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Use case | Lemberg Solutions fit | DE Design Works fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture and feasibility assessment before committing to a full firmware build | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| RTOS and MCU selection advisory for a new product line | Strong | Limited | Lemberg Solutions |
| Ruggedization architecture advisory for a new industrial or military device | Limited | Strong | DE Design Works |
| Secure OTA update strategy consulting for a fielded product | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Consulting projects. Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts.
DE Design Works (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need secure OTA update strategy consulting for a fielded product. If your situation matches that, DE Design Works is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works FAQ
Is Lemberg Solutions better than DE Design Works?
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Lemberg Solutions's strongest advantage: direct partner status with NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip means MCU selection advice comes with chip-vendor-level engineering support behind it. DE Design Works's strongest advantage: PCB and hardware architecture advisory for rugged, regulated applications sits alongside firmware in the same firm.
How do Lemberg Solutions and DE Design Works differ in pricing?
Lemberg Solutions uses firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation pricing. DE Design Works uses project-based electronics and firmware consulting engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Lemberg Solutions or DE Design Works?
DE Design Works is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each consultancy before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Lemberg Solutions and DE Design Works?
Lemberg Solutions's primary differentiator is: direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts. DE Design Works's primary differentiator is: 23 years of combined PCB, hardware, and firmware architecture experience specifically for rugged industrial, medical, and military applications. They also differ in team size (200+ vs 11–50), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy vs Industrial, Medical devices).
Verify all details directly with each consultancy before making a decision.