StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
StarFish Medical (4.6/5) edges ahead of Minnetronix Medical (4.3/5) overall. StarFish Medical is the better choice for startups needing design plus pilot manufacturing. Minnetronix Medical is the stronger option for electronic devices from design into US production. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Minnetronix Medical |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 1996 |
| HQ | Victoria, BC, Canada | St. Paul, MN, USA |
| Team size | 201–250 | 200–500 |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room | Develops and then manufactures electronic medical devices in the same Minnesota medtech cluster |
| Pricing model | Phased fixed project, time and materials | Fixed project, time and materials, manufacturing contract |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | ISO 13485 QMS, IEC 62304, ISO 14971 | Embedded C/C++, Power electronics, Motor control |
| Industries served | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring, Drug delivery | Surgical & therapeutic devices, Implantables & neuromodulation, Diagnostics & lab devices |
StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical: 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.
Minnetronix Medical
Minnetronix was founded in 1996 in St. Paul, Minnesota, and its first project was an electric motor-driven total artificial heart. It designs software- and electronics-based medical devices and also offers turnkey contract manufacturing as an ISO 13485 certified, FDA-registered manufacturer. The company has said it has run more than 200 design and manufacturing projects for over 150 medtech firms (per company website; independently unverifiable). The last firm headcount we found was about 200 in 2014.
Services and capabilities: StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical
| Capability | StarFish Medical | Minnetronix Medical |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Minnetronix Medical
| Framework / platform | StarFish Medical | Minnetronix Medical |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Minnetronix Medical
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Minnetronix Medical |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Manufacturing contract, Time & materials | Fixed project, Manufacturing contract, Time & materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical
| Dimension | StarFish Medical | Minnetronix Medical |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring | Surgical & therapeutic devices, Implantables & neuromodulation, Diagnostics & lab devices |
| Best use cases | Taking a venture-backed device from proof of concept to clinical-trial units, Designing an optical diagnostic instrument with its consumable | Developing a powered surgical console and producing it, Neuromodulation external electronics |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical: 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 |
| Minnetronix Medical | |
|---|---|
| + | Development and manufacturing under one quality system avoids a painful transfer |
| + | Experience with life-sustaining and high-power devices since its founding |
| + | Location in the Minneapolis–St. Paul medtech cluster helps with suppliers and talent |
| + | FDA-registered manufacturing site |
| - | Recent headcount and project data are not public |
| - | Less visible in SaMD, cloud and AI work |
| - | US cost base |
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 Minnetronix Medical?
A typical fit: developing a powered surgical console and producing it.
Develops and then manufactures electronic medical devices in the same Minnesota medtech cluster. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Surgical & therapeutic devices, Implantables & neuromodulation, Diagnostics & lab devices.
Decision matrix: StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical
| 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 Minnetronix Medical (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 Minnetronix Medical
| Use case | StarFish Medical fit | Minnetronix Medical fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taking a venture-backed device from proof of concept to clinical-trial units | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Designing an optical diagnostic instrument with its consumable | Strong | Limited | StarFish Medical |
| Developing a powered surgical console and producing it | Limited | Strong | Minnetronix Medical |
| Neuromodulation external electronics | Limited | Strong | Minnetronix Medical |
Verdict: StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical
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.
Minnetronix Medical (4.3/5) is worth a look if you need neuromodulation external electronics. If your situation matches that, Minnetronix Medical is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
StarFish Medical vs Minnetronix Medical FAQ
Is StarFish Medical better than Minnetronix Medical?
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. Minnetronix Medical's strongest advantage: development and manufacturing under one quality system avoids a painful transfer.
How do StarFish Medical and Minnetronix Medical differ in pricing?
StarFish Medical uses phased fixed project, time and materials pricing. Minnetronix Medical uses fixed project, time and materials, manufacturing 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 Minnetronix Medical?
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 Minnetronix Medical?
StarFish Medical's primary differentiator is: medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room. Minnetronix Medical's primary differentiator is: develops and then manufactures electronic medical devices in the same Minnesota medtech cluster. They also differ in team size (201–250 vs 200–500), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices vs Surgical & therapeutic devices, Implantables & neuromodulation).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.