StarFish Medical vs Team Consulting: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
StarFish Medical (4.6/5) edges ahead of Team Consulting (4.3/5) overall. StarFish Medical is the better choice for startups needing design plus pilot manufacturing. Team Consulting is the stronger option for Inhalers, injectors and human-factors-heavy devices. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
StarFish Medical vs Team Consulting: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Team Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 1986 |
| HQ | Victoria, BC, Canada | Ickleton, Cambridge, UK |
| Team size | 201–250 | 140–190 |
| 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 | Three decades of medical-only industrial design and human factors, especially for drug delivery |
| 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 | SolidWorks, Mechanical simulation, Usability engineering |
| Industries served | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring, Drug delivery | Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Diagnostics & lab devices |
StarFish Medical vs Team Consulting: 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.
Team Consulting
Team Consulting began in 1986 as a general product development consultancy started by five former colleagues and has worked mainly in the medical sector since the early 1990s. It is employee-owned and based in a converted barn in Ickleton, near Cambridge, with somewhere between 140 and 190 staff depending on the source. Its best-known work is in inhaled and injectable drug delivery devices, where it combines industrial design, mechanical engineering and human factors.
Services and capabilities: StarFish Medical vs Team Consulting
| Capability | StarFish Medical | Team Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Team Consulting
| Framework / platform | StarFish Medical | Team Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Team Consulting
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Team Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Team Consulting
| Dimension | StarFish Medical | Team Consulting |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring | Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices, 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 | Designing a dry powder inhaler or autoinjector, Formative and summative usability studies |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Consulting |
StarFish Medical vs Team Consulting: 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 |
| Team Consulting | |
|---|---|
| + | Medical and pharma work has been its main business for over 30 years |
| + | Human factors engineering is one of the strongest in the UK for drug delivery |
| + | Employee ownership supports long-term client relationships |
| + | Industrial design quality is high, which matters for patient-handled devices |
| - | Electronics and connected-device software are a smaller part of its work than mechanics and design |
| - | No manufacturing; transfer to a CM is required |
| - | UK rates and location may not suit US startups on tight budgets |
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 Team Consulting?
A typical fit: designing a dry powder inhaler or autoinjector.
Three decades of medical-only industrial design and human factors, especially for drug delivery. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Diagnostics & lab devices.
Decision matrix: StarFish Medical vs Team Consulting
| 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 Team Consulting (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 Team Consulting
| Use case | StarFish Medical fit | Team Consulting 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 | Strong | Both equally |
| Designing a dry powder inhaler or autoinjector | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Formative and summative usability studies | Limited | Strong | Team Consulting |
Verdict: StarFish Medical vs Team Consulting
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.
Team Consulting (4.3/5) is worth a look if you need formative and summative usability studies. If your situation matches that, Team Consulting is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
StarFish Medical vs Team Consulting FAQ
Is StarFish Medical better than Team Consulting?
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. Team Consulting's strongest advantage: medical and pharma work has been its main business for over 30 years.
How do StarFish Medical and Team Consulting differ in pricing?
StarFish Medical uses phased fixed project, time and materials pricing. Team Consulting 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 Team Consulting?
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 Team Consulting?
StarFish Medical's primary differentiator is: medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room. Team Consulting's primary differentiator is: three decades of medical-only industrial design and human factors, especially for drug delivery. They also differ in team size (201–250 vs 140–190), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices vs Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.