Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) edges ahead of Fresh Consulting (4.1/5) overall. Lemberg Solutions is the better choice for architecture consulting that can transition directly into full development. Fresh Consulting is the stronger option for firmware architecture advisory bundled with broader physical-product innovation strategy. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2007 |
| HQ | Lviv, Ukraine (offices in Hamburg, Germany; London, UK; Kraków, Poland) | Bellevue, WA, USA |
| Team size | 200+ | 150–500 |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts | Firmware engineering delivered alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics disciplines within a named product-innovation consultancy |
| Pricing model | Firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation | Project-based product innovation and consulting engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | FreeRTOS, Zephyr, Azure RTOS | C, C++, FPGA |
| Industries served | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive | Consumer electronics, Robotics, Industrial products |
Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting: 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.
Fresh Consulting
Fresh Consulting was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, with a team reported between 150 and 500 people. The firm positions itself as a digital and physical product development and innovation services company, with firmware engineering delivered by teams working alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics engineering disciplines rather than as an isolated practice. Its consulting name and product-innovation framing suit a buyer looking for architecture advice bundled with a broader physical-product strategy conversation, not a narrow firmware-only opinion.
Services and capabilities: Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting
| Capability | Lemberg Solutions | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Fresh Consulting
| Framework / platform | Lemberg Solutions | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | ✓ | ✓ |
| RTOS | ✓ | N/A |
| ISO 26262 | N/A | N/A |
| IEC 61508 | N/A | N/A |
| MISRA C | ✓ | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | ✓ |
| Embedded Linux | ✓ | N/A |
| PCB Design | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Firmware consulting, Design-phase engagement, Full development lifecycle, Staff augmentation | Project-based product innovation consulting |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting
| Dimension | Lemberg Solutions | Fresh Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics | Consumer electronics, Robotics, Industrial products |
| Best use cases | Architecture and feasibility assessment before committing to a full firmware build, RTOS and MCU selection advisory for a new product line | Firmware architecture advisory as part of a broader physical-product innovation engagement, Multi-discipline consulting spanning electrical, mechanical, and firmware architecture |
| Typical project type | Firmware consulting | Project-based product innovation consulting |
Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting: 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 |
| Fresh Consulting | |
|---|---|
| + | 18 years of operating history as a named product-innovation and consulting firm, not a rebranded dev shop |
| + | Firmware engineers work directly alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics teams, useful for architecture questions spanning multiple disciplines |
| + | 150 to 500 employees give substantial bench depth for concurrent advisory and development programs |
| + | Broader product-innovation framing suits a buyer whose firmware question is really a physical-product strategy question |
| - | Firmware engineering is one capability inside a much broader product-innovation practice, not the firm's dedicated specialty |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| - | Reported employee counts vary between roughly 150 and 500 across sources |
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 Fresh Consulting?
A typical fit: firmware architecture advisory as part of a broader physical-product innovation engagement.
Firmware engineering delivered alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics disciplines within a named product-innovation consultancy. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Consumer electronics, Robotics, Industrial products.
Decision matrix: Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting
| 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 Fresh Consulting (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 Fresh Consulting
| Use case | Lemberg Solutions fit | Fresh Consulting 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 |
| Firmware architecture advisory as part of a broader physical-product innovation engagement | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Multi-discipline consulting spanning electrical, mechanical, and firmware architecture | Limited | Strong | Fresh Consulting |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting
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.
Fresh Consulting (4.1/5) is worth a look if you need multi-discipline consulting spanning electrical, mechanical, and firmware architecture. If your situation matches that, Fresh Consulting is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Lemberg Solutions vs Fresh Consulting FAQ
Is Lemberg Solutions better than Fresh Consulting?
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. Fresh Consulting's strongest advantage: 18 years of operating history as a named product-innovation and consulting firm, not a rebranded dev shop.
How do Lemberg Solutions and Fresh Consulting differ in pricing?
Lemberg Solutions uses firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation pricing. Fresh Consulting uses project-based product innovation and 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 Fresh Consulting?
Fresh Consulting 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 Fresh Consulting?
Lemberg Solutions's primary differentiator is: direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts. Fresh Consulting's primary differentiator is: firmware engineering delivered alongside electrical, mechanical, and robotics disciplines within a named product-innovation consultancy. They also differ in team size (200+ vs 150–500), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy vs Consumer electronics, Robotics).
Verify all details directly with each consultancy before making a decision.