StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
StarFish Medical (4.6/5) edges ahead of Jabil Healthcare (3.8/5) overall. StarFish Medical is the better choice for startups needing design plus pilot manufacturing. Jabil Healthcare is the stronger option for global production capacity for cleared devices. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Jabil Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 1966 |
| HQ | Victoria, BC, Canada | St. Petersburg, FL, USA |
| Team size | 201–250 | ~20,000 (healthcare) |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room | Global scale, supply chain and FDA-registered production for established medical device brands |
| Pricing model | Phased fixed project, time and materials | Manufacturing supply agreement, NPI contract |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | ISO 13485 QMS, IEC 62304, ISO 14971 | Injection molding, Automated assembly, PCB assembly |
| Industries served | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring, Drug delivery | Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Wearables & remote monitoring, Consumer health |
StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare: 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.
Jabil Healthcare
Jabil Healthcare was formed in 2020 when Jabil combined its Nypro business with its orthopedics, spine and trauma units. At launch it had nearly 20,000 employees and more than 35 sites, and its factories producing finished medical devices are FDA registered. It covers minimally invasive devices, surgical robotics, complex catheters, diabetes care and consumer health, and the acquisition of CDMO Pii extended it into drug development and aseptic fill-finish. Jabil reported $8.3 billion in company-wide revenue for its second fiscal quarter of 2026.
Services and capabilities: StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare
| Capability | StarFish Medical | Jabil Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Jabil Healthcare
| Framework / platform | StarFish Medical | Jabil Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded C/C++ | ✓ | N/A |
| 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 Jabil Healthcare
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Jabil Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Manufacturing contract, Time & materials | Manufacturing contract |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare
| Dimension | StarFish Medical | Jabil Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring | Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Wearables & remote monitoring |
| Best use cases | Taking a venture-backed device from proof of concept to clinical-trial units, Designing an optical diagnostic instrument with its consumable | Scaling production of a cleared diabetes device, Global manufacturing of a surgical robotics subsystem |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Manufacturing contract |
StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare: 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 |
| Jabil Healthcare | |
|---|---|
| + | One of the largest healthcare manufacturing networks in the world |
| + | FDA-registered sites for finished devices |
| + | Strong supply chain management during component shortages |
| + | Covers drug delivery through the Pii acquisition |
| - | Built for production volume; early design and invention are outside its main business |
| - | Small companies may struggle to get attention |
| - | Engineering support is tied to manufacturing programs |
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 Jabil Healthcare?
A typical fit: scaling production of a cleared diabetes device.
Global scale, supply chain and FDA-registered production for established medical device brands. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Wearables & remote monitoring, Consumer health.
Decision matrix: StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare
| 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 Jabil Healthcare (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 Jabil Healthcare
| Use case | StarFish Medical fit | Jabil Healthcare 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 |
| Scaling production of a cleared diabetes device | Limited | Strong | Jabil Healthcare |
| Global manufacturing of a surgical robotics subsystem | Limited | Strong | Jabil Healthcare |
Verdict: StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare
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.
Jabil Healthcare (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need global manufacturing of a surgical robotics subsystem. If your situation matches that, Jabil Healthcare is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
StarFish Medical vs Jabil Healthcare FAQ
Is StarFish Medical better than Jabil Healthcare?
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. Jabil Healthcare's strongest advantage: one of the largest healthcare manufacturing networks in the world.
How do StarFish Medical and Jabil Healthcare differ in pricing?
StarFish Medical uses phased fixed project, time and materials pricing. Jabil Healthcare uses manufacturing supply agreement, npi contract 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 Jabil Healthcare?
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 Jabil Healthcare?
StarFish Medical's primary differentiator is: medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room. Jabil Healthcare's primary differentiator is: global scale, supply chain and FDA-registered production for established medical device brands. They also differ in team size (201–250 vs ~20,000 (healthcare)), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices vs Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.