Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) edges ahead of DE Design Works (4.2/5) overall. Lemberg Solutions is the better choice for teams needing dedicated engineers with direct chip-vendor backing. DE Design Works is the stronger option for teams needing engineers experienced with rugged industrial, medical, or military constraints. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2002 |
| HQ | Lviv, Ukraine (offices in Hamburg, Germany; London, UK; Kraków, Poland) | Chesterfield, MO, USA |
| Team size | 200+ | 11–50 |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | 200+ engineers across four countries with direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status and an in-house hardware lab | 23 years of continuous firmware and hardware work specifically for rugged industrial, medical, and military applications |
| Pricing model | Firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation | Project-based electronics and firmware engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | FreeRTOS, Zephyr, Azure RTOS | C, C++, Embedded Linux |
| Industries served | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive | Industrial, Medical devices, Military/defense, Consumer electronics |
Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works: overview
Lemberg Solutions
Lemberg Solutions was founded in 2007 in Lviv, Ukraine and has grown to a 200+ person team with additional offices in Hamburg, London, and Kraków. For a buyer evaluating who they'd actually work with, the firm's scale means dedicated engineers rather than shared generalist staff, backed by direct partnership status with NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip and an in-house hardware lab the team uses daily for board bring-up. ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 13485 certifications reflect process discipline a hiring manager can expect from the assigned team, not just a company-wide policy on paper.
DE Design Works
DE Design Works was founded in 2002 and operates from Chesterfield, Missouri with a team in the 11 to 50 employee range. Firmware has been a core, continuous practice since the company's founding rather than a service added later, and the team's rugged industrial, medical, and military application experience means its engineers have handled the specific constraints those product categories impose, not just general firmware work. For a hiring manager staffing a ruggedized or regulated product, that's the kind of narrow, verifiable experience worth checking directly.
Services and capabilities: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Capability | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| Firmware development | ✓ | ✓ |
| RTOS development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Hardware co-design | ✓ | ✓ |
| Embedded GUI development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Medical device firmware | ✗ | ✗ |
| Functional safety | ✓ | ✗ |
| Technical training | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert-witness services | ✗ | ✗ |
| Staff augmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Framework / platform | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | ✓ | ✓ |
| FreeRTOS | ✓ | N/A |
| Zephyr | ✓ | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | ✓ | ✓ |
| LVGL | ✓ | N/A |
| AWS IoT | N/A | N/A |
| ARM Cortex-M | ✓ | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Firmware consulting, Design-phase engagement, Full development lifecycle, Staff augmentation | Project-based engineering |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Dimension | Lemberg Solutions | DE Design Works |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics | Industrial, Medical devices, Military/defense |
| Best use cases | Extending an in-house team with dedicated RTOS and bare-metal engineers, Hardware validation and board bring-up needing a team with its own lab equipment | Staffing a ruggedized industrial or military device program with experienced engineers, Secure OTA update development for a fielded product |
| Typical project type | Firmware consulting | Project-based engineering |
Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works: pros and cons
| Lemberg Solutions | |
|---|---|
| + | 200+ engineers give a hiring team dedicated staff rather than shared generalists spread thin across many clients |
| + | In-house hardware lab means the assigned team validates board bring-up itself rather than waiting on a separate department |
| + | Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status is a credential the actual engineers on a project can draw on directly |
| + | ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 13485 certifications reflect process discipline built into daily team workflow, not just policy documents |
| + | Full IP and source code rights transfer to the client on delivery |
| - | Does not run mass production in-house, so a manufacturing handoff still needs a separate team |
| - | Does not handle regulatory certification filings on the client's behalf |
| - | No published minimum engagement figure, so team-size and cost fit needs a direct scoping conversation |
| DE Design Works | |
|---|---|
| + | Firmware has been a stated core competency since the company's 2002 founding, not a later add-on |
| + | Rugged industrial, medical, and military application experience means the team has handled those specific product constraints before |
| + | 23 years of operating history gives a track record to reference-check against |
| + | In-house electronics and PCB design keep hardware and firmware engineers on the same team |
| - | 11 to 50 employees limits concurrent capacity compared to larger teams |
| - | Public case studies naming specific past programs are limited, so verifying track record needs direct reference requests |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement threshold |
Who should choose Lemberg Solutions?
A typical fit: extending an in-house team with dedicated RTOS and bare-metal engineers.
200+ engineers across four countries with direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status and an in-house hardware lab. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive.
Who should choose DE Design Works?
A typical fit: staffing a ruggedized industrial or military device program with experienced engineers.
23 years of continuous firmware and hardware work specifically for rugged industrial, medical, and military applications. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial, Medical devices, Military/defense, Consumer electronics.
Decision matrix: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Lemberg Solutions (Not published) vs DE Design Works (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
| Use case | Lemberg Solutions fit | DE Design Works fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extending an in-house team with dedicated RTOS and bare-metal engineers | Strong | Limited | Lemberg Solutions |
| Hardware validation and board bring-up needing a team with its own lab equipment | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Staffing a ruggedized industrial or military device program with experienced engineers | Limited | Strong | DE Design Works |
| Secure OTA update development for a fielded product | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Strong | DE Design Works |
Verdict: Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Embedded Firmware Development projects. 200+ engineers across four countries with direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status and an in-house hardware lab.
DE Design Works (4.2/5) is worth a look if you need secure OTA update development for a fielded product. If your situation matches that, DE Design Works is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Lemberg Solutions vs DE Design Works FAQ
Is Lemberg Solutions better than DE Design Works?
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Lemberg Solutions's strongest advantage: 200+ engineers give a hiring team dedicated staff rather than shared generalists spread thin across many clients. DE Design Works's strongest advantage: firmware has been a stated core competency since the company's 2002 founding, not a later add-on.
How do Lemberg Solutions and DE Design Works differ in pricing?
Lemberg Solutions uses firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation pricing. DE Design Works uses project-based electronics and firmware engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Lemberg Solutions or DE Design Works?
DE Design Works is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each developer before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Lemberg Solutions and DE Design Works?
Lemberg Solutions's primary differentiator is: 200+ engineers across four countries with direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status and an in-house hardware lab. DE Design Works's primary differentiator is: 23 years of continuous firmware and hardware work specifically for rugged industrial, medical, and military applications. They also differ in team size (200+ vs 11–50), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy vs Industrial, Medical devices).
Verify all details directly with each developer before making a decision.