StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
StarFish Medical (4.6/5) edges ahead of Cambridge Consultants (4.4/5) overall. StarFish Medical is the better choice for startups needing design plus pilot manufacturing. Cambridge Consultants is the stronger option for novel technology with high technical risk. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Cambridge Consultants |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 1960 |
| HQ | Victoria, BC, Canada | Cambridge, UK (part of Capgemini) |
| Team size | 201–250 | 900+ |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room | Physicists, chemists and engineers working in one building on problems no off-the-shelf design can solve |
| Pricing model | Phased fixed project, time and materials | Time and materials, phased fixed project |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | ISO 13485 QMS, IEC 62304, ISO 14971 | Optics & photonics, RF, Embedded C/C++ |
| Industries served | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring, Drug delivery | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Digital health |
StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants: overview
StarFish Medical
StarFish Medical was founded in Victoria, British Columbia, by Scott Phillips (the company gives 1999; some directories list 1998). It works only on medical devices, covering design, development and low-volume manufacturing in ISO 13485 certified facilities, and reports around 230 staff across Victoria, Toronto and Irvine (per company website; independently unverifiable). In November 2024 it acquired Omnica Corporation, a California medical device design firm, which added a larger US West Coast presence. Victoria remains the headquarters and its largest site.
Cambridge Consultants
Cambridge Consultants has done contract research and product development from Cambridge, UK, since 1960. It became part of Capgemini through the 2020 acquisition of Altran and now sits within Capgemini Invent, with a headcount of about 900 to 1,000. Medical and life sciences is one of its main sectors, and its public work includes the optics behind Ellume's FDA-authorized COVID-19 home test. Projects tend to involve new sensing, surgical robotics, drug delivery or diagnostics technology rather than incremental redesigns.
Services and capabilities: StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants
| Capability | StarFish Medical | Cambridge Consultants |
|---|---|---|
| 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: StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants
| Framework / platform | StarFish Medical | Cambridge Consultants |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded C/C++ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| RTOS | N/A | N/A |
| BLE | N/A | N/A |
| Cloud (AWS/Azure) | N/A | N/A |
| IEC 62304 | ✓ | N/A |
| ISO 14971 | ✓ | N/A |
| ISO 13485 QMS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Qt | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Cambridge Consultants |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Manufacturing contract, Time & materials | Consulting, Fixed project, Time & materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants
| Dimension | StarFish Medical | Cambridge Consultants |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery |
| Best use cases | Taking a venture-backed device from proof of concept to clinical-trial units, Designing an optical diagnostic instrument with its consumable | Feasibility of a new sensing method for a point-of-care diagnostic, Early-stage surgical robotics architecture |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Consulting |
StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants: pros and cons
| StarFish Medical | |
|---|---|
| + | Every project is a medical device, so design reviews, risk files and documentation follow medtech practice by default |
| + | Prototype and pilot production happen in its own ISO 13485 facility, avoiding an early transfer to a contract manufacturer |
| + | The Omnica acquisition adds Southern California capacity for US clients |
| + | Multidisciplinary teams cover industrial design, mechanics, electronics, software and human factors |
| - | Volume manufacturing beyond pilot quantities still needs a larger contract manufacturer |
| - | North American cost base makes it more expensive than Eastern European or Asian engineering teams |
| - | The Omnica integration is recent, so cross-site processes are still settling |
| Cambridge Consultants | |
|---|---|
| + | Rare breadth of science and engineering disciplines for early, risky technology work |
| + | Public medtech credits such as the Ellume home-test optics |
| + | Backing of Capgemini gives access to digital and manufacturing partners for later phases |
| + | Strong at feasibility studies that tell you whether an idea can work before you fund a full program |
| - | Owned by Capgemini since 2020, so pricing and processes follow a large-group model |
| - | Among the most expensive options on this list; small startups often find the minimum budget too high |
| - | Best at invention and early development; routine sustaining engineering is not where it adds most value |
Who should choose StarFish Medical?
A typical fit: taking a venture-backed device from proof of concept to clinical-trial units.
Medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring, Drug delivery.
Who should choose Cambridge Consultants?
A typical fit: feasibility of a new sensing method for a point-of-care diagnostic.
Physicists, chemists and engineers working in one building on problems no off-the-shelf design can solve. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Digital health.
Decision matrix: StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | StarFish Medical |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: StarFish Medical (Not disclosed) vs Cambridge Consultants (Not disclosed) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | StarFish Medical |
| 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: StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants
| Use case | StarFish Medical fit | Cambridge Consultants fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taking a venture-backed device from proof of concept to clinical-trial units | Strong | Limited | StarFish Medical |
| Designing an optical diagnostic instrument with its consumable | Strong | Limited | StarFish Medical |
| Feasibility of a new sensing method for a point-of-care diagnostic | Limited | Strong | Cambridge Consultants |
| Early-stage surgical robotics architecture | Limited | Strong | Cambridge Consultants |
Verdict: StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants
StarFish Medical (4.6/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Medical Device Development projects. Medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room.
Cambridge Consultants (4.4/5) is worth a look if you need early-stage surgical robotics architecture. If your situation matches that, Cambridge Consultants is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
StarFish Medical vs Cambridge Consultants FAQ
Is StarFish Medical better than Cambridge Consultants?
StarFish Medical (4.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. StarFish Medical's strongest advantage: every project is a medical device, so design reviews, risk files and documentation follow medtech practice by default. Cambridge Consultants's strongest advantage: rare breadth of science and engineering disciplines for early, risky technology work.
How do StarFish Medical and Cambridge Consultants differ in pricing?
StarFish Medical uses phased fixed project, time and materials pricing. Cambridge Consultants uses time and materials, phased fixed project pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: StarFish Medical or Cambridge Consultants?
StarFish Medical 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 StarFish Medical and Cambridge Consultants?
StarFish Medical's primary differentiator is: medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room. Cambridge Consultants's primary differentiator is: Physicists, chemists and engineers working in one building on problems no off-the-shelf design can solve. They also differ in team size (201–250 vs 900+), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices vs Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & robotics).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.