Team Consulting vs Orthogonal: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Team Consulting (4.3/5) edges ahead of Orthogonal (4.2/5) overall. Team Consulting is the better choice for Inhalers, injectors and human-factors-heavy devices. Orthogonal is the stronger option for SaMD and device companion apps. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Team Consulting vs Orthogonal: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Team Consulting | Orthogonal |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 | 1998 |
| HQ | Ickleton, Cambridge, UK | Chicago, IL, USA |
| Team size | 140–190 | 11–60 |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Three decades of medical-only industrial design and human factors, especially for drug delivery | Agile delivery adapted to FDA-regulated software, focused on the app and cloud side of connected devices |
| Pricing model | Time and materials, phased fixed project | Time and materials, dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | SolidWorks, Mechanical simulation, Usability engineering | iOS, Android, Cloud (AWS/Azure) |
| Industries served | Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Diagnostics & lab devices | Digital health, Wearables & remote monitoring, Diagnostics & lab devices |
Team Consulting vs Orthogonal: overview
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.
Orthogonal
Orthogonal is a Chicago software company founded in 1998 and led by founder and CEO Bernhard Kappe, with its office in the Merchandise Mart. It builds Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), digital therapeutics and the mobile and cloud software that connects to medical devices, working with venture-backed startups as well as established medtech and pharma companies. Directory listings describe ISO 13485 and HIPAA compliance and Class I–III experience. Team size estimates vary widely, from about 11 to 60 people.
Services and capabilities: Team Consulting vs Orthogonal
| Capability | Team Consulting | Orthogonal |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Team Consulting vs Orthogonal
| Framework / platform | Team Consulting | Orthogonal |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded C/C++ | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| RTOS | N/A | N/A |
| BLE | N/A | ✓ |
| Cloud (AWS/Azure) | N/A | ✓ |
| IEC 62304 | N/A | ✓ |
| ISO 14971 | N/A | ✓ |
| ISO 13485 QMS | ✓ | N/A |
| Qt | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Team Consulting vs Orthogonal
| Criterion | Team Consulting | Orthogonal |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Fixed project, Time & materials | Dedicated team, Time & materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Team Consulting vs Orthogonal
| Dimension | Team Consulting | Orthogonal |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Diagnostics & lab devices | Digital health, Wearables & remote monitoring, Diagnostics & lab devices |
| Best use cases | Designing a dry powder inhaler or autoinjector, Formative and summative usability studies | Building a mobile app that controls a Class II device, Developing a digital therapeutic for FDA clearance |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Dedicated team |
Team Consulting vs Orthogonal: pros and cons
| 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 |
| Orthogonal | |
|---|---|
| + | Focused on regulated medical software for more than a decade |
| + | Publishes practical guidance on agile methods under FDA rules, a sign of real process experience |
| + | Strong on mobile apps that talk to devices over BLE |
| + | Small enough for direct access to senior people |
| - | No hardware or firmware design |
| - | Small team limits how many parallel workstreams it can staff |
| - | Team size data is inconsistent across sources |
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.
Who should choose Orthogonal?
A typical fit: building a mobile app that controls a Class II device.
Agile delivery adapted to FDA-regulated software, focused on the app and cloud side of connected devices. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Digital health, Wearables & remote monitoring, Diagnostics & lab devices.
Decision matrix: Team Consulting vs Orthogonal
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Team Consulting |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Orthogonal |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Team Consulting (Not disclosed) vs Orthogonal (Not disclosed) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Team Consulting |
| 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: Team Consulting vs Orthogonal
| Use case | Team Consulting fit | Orthogonal fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designing a dry powder inhaler or autoinjector | Strong | Limited | Team Consulting |
| Formative and summative usability studies | Strong | Limited | Team Consulting |
| Building a mobile app that controls a Class II device | Limited | Strong | Orthogonal |
| Developing a digital therapeutic for FDA clearance | Limited | Strong | Orthogonal |
Verdict: Team Consulting vs Orthogonal
Team Consulting (4.3/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Medical Device Development projects. Three decades of medical-only industrial design and human factors, especially for drug delivery.
Orthogonal (4.2/5) is worth a look if you need developing a digital therapeutic for FDA clearance. If your situation matches that, Orthogonal is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Team Consulting vs Orthogonal FAQ
Is Team Consulting better than Orthogonal?
Team Consulting (4.3/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Team Consulting's strongest advantage: medical and pharma work has been its main business for over 30 years. Orthogonal's strongest advantage: focused on regulated medical software for more than a decade.
How do Team Consulting and Orthogonal differ in pricing?
Team Consulting uses time and materials, phased fixed project pricing. Orthogonal uses time and materials, dedicated team pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Team Consulting or Orthogonal?
Team Consulting 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 Team Consulting and Orthogonal?
Team Consulting's primary differentiator is: three decades of medical-only industrial design and human factors, especially for drug delivery. Orthogonal's primary differentiator is: agile delivery adapted to FDA-regulated software, focused on the app and cloud side of connected devices. They also differ in team size (140–190 vs 11–60), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices vs Digital health, Wearables & remote monitoring).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.