Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Sagentia Innovation (4.1/5) edges ahead of Phillips-Medisize (3.9/5) overall. Sagentia Innovation is the better choice for surgical robotics and combination products. Phillips-Medisize is the stronger option for drug delivery devices needing high-volume production. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Sagentia Innovation | Phillips-Medisize |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 | 1964 |
| HQ | Harston, Cambridge, UK | Hudson, WI, USA |
| Team size | 650+ (Science Group) | ~7,000 |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Medical development backed by a listed science group that also runs a regulatory consultancy | Design, molding and assembly of drug delivery devices under one global quality system |
| Pricing model | Time and materials, fixed project | Development contract plus manufacturing supply agreement |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | Embedded C/C++, Robotics, Mechanical simulation | Injection molding, Automated assembly, BLE |
| Industries served | Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices | Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices |
Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize: overview
Sagentia Innovation
Sagentia Innovation is owned by Science Group plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. Its roots go back to 1986; the current business was formed in 2021 from Sagentia, OTM Consulting and Oakland Innovation. It is based at Harston Mill near Cambridge, with R&D facilities in Cambridge and Epsom, and its medical work covers devices, combination products and surgical robotics. Science Group employs more than 650 people across all its businesses.
Phillips-Medisize
Phillips-Medisize is a subsidiary of Molex, itself owned by Koch Industries, and provides outsourced design, development and manufacturing to pharma, diagnostics and medical device companies. It is based in Wisconsin and has about 7,000 employees. Molex's purchase of inhalation specialist Vectura added combination-product expertise, and the combined team includes more than 1,200 engineers and scientists across 30 sites. A $110M manufacturing campus in Katowice, Poland, opened in November 2023.
Services and capabilities: Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize
| Capability | Sagentia Innovation | Phillips-Medisize |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics & PCB design | ✓ | ✓ |
| Firmware & embedded software | ✓ | ✗ |
| SaMD & companion apps | ✗ | ✗ |
| Connected devices & IoT | ✗ | ✗ |
| Industrial design & human factors | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mechanical engineering | ✓ | ✓ |
| Device cybersecurity | ✗ | ✗ |
| Regulatory & QMS support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manufacturing & scale-up | ✗ | ✓ |
Tech stack comparison: Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize
| Framework / platform | Sagentia Innovation | Phillips-Medisize |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded C/C++ | ✓ | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| RTOS | N/A | N/A |
| BLE | N/A | ✓ |
| Cloud (AWS/Azure) | N/A | N/A |
| IEC 62304 | N/A | N/A |
| ISO 14971 | N/A | N/A |
| ISO 13485 QMS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Qt | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize
| Criterion | Sagentia Innovation | Phillips-Medisize |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Fixed project, Time & materials | Fixed project, Manufacturing contract |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize
| Dimension | Sagentia Innovation | Phillips-Medisize |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices | Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices |
| Best use cases | Surgical robot subsystem development, Drug-device combination product engineering | Autoinjector or pen injector development and production, Inhaler device for a pharma combination product |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Fixed project |
Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize: pros and cons
| Sagentia Innovation | |
|---|---|
| + | Active surgical robotics software and hardware hiring shows current work in that area |
| + | Sister business TSG Consulting has a medical device regulatory team |
| + | Large owned R&D facilities in Cambridge and Epsom |
| + | About 30 years of medical device projects |
| - | Part of a listed group, so commercial priorities answer to public shareholders |
| - | Recent 2021 merger means the brand and teams are relatively new |
| - | Science Group headcount covers many businesses, so the medtech team size is unclear |
| Phillips-Medisize | |
|---|---|
| + | Very large manufacturing footprint across the US, Europe and Asia |
| + | Vectura deal added deep inhalation and combination-product skills |
| + | Development and manufacturing under one quality system |
| + | Experience with connected drug delivery |
| - | Owned by Molex and Koch Industries, so it suits large pharma more than small startups |
| - | Development work is usually tied to a manufacturing agreement |
| - | Less suited to software-heavy or early research projects |
Who should choose Sagentia Innovation?
A typical fit: surgical robot subsystem development.
Medical development backed by a listed science group that also runs a regulatory consultancy. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices.
Who should choose Phillips-Medisize?
A typical fit: autoinjector or pen injector development and production.
Design, molding and assembly of drug delivery devices under one global quality system. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices.
Decision matrix: Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Sagentia Innovation |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Sagentia Innovation (Not disclosed) vs Phillips-Medisize (Not disclosed) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Sagentia Innovation |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize
| Use case | Sagentia Innovation fit | Phillips-Medisize fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgical robot subsystem development | Strong | Limited | Sagentia Innovation |
| Drug-device combination product engineering | Strong | Limited | Sagentia Innovation |
| Autoinjector or pen injector development and production | Limited | Strong | Phillips-Medisize |
| Inhaler device for a pharma combination product | Limited | Strong | Phillips-Medisize |
Verdict: Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize
Sagentia Innovation (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Medical Device Development projects. Medical development backed by a listed science group that also runs a regulatory consultancy.
Phillips-Medisize (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need inhaler device for a pharma combination product. If your situation matches that, Phillips-Medisize is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Sagentia Innovation vs Phillips-Medisize FAQ
Is Sagentia Innovation better than Phillips-Medisize?
Sagentia Innovation (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Sagentia Innovation's strongest advantage: active surgical robotics software and hardware hiring shows current work in that area. Phillips-Medisize's strongest advantage: very large manufacturing footprint across the US, Europe and Asia.
How do Sagentia Innovation and Phillips-Medisize differ in pricing?
Sagentia Innovation uses time and materials, fixed project pricing. Phillips-Medisize uses development contract plus manufacturing supply agreement pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Sagentia Innovation or Phillips-Medisize?
Phillips-Medisize is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Sagentia Innovation and Phillips-Medisize?
Sagentia Innovation's primary differentiator is: medical development backed by a listed science group that also runs a regulatory consultancy. Phillips-Medisize's primary differentiator is: Design, molding and assembly of drug delivery devices under one global quality system. They also differ in team size (650+ (Science Group) vs ~7,000), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery vs Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.