Oxalis Design vs EES: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Oxalis Design (4.0/5) edges ahead of EES (3.8/5) overall. Oxalis Design is the better choice for very small teams wanting direct, ongoing access to the founding engineers. EES is the stronger option for teams deliberately avoiding a large delivery organization in favor of senior-led staff. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Oxalis Design vs EES: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Oxalis Design | EES |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 | 2012 |
| HQ | Bristol, UK | Tempe / Chandler, AZ, USA |
| Team size | 2–10 | 3–50 |
| Rating | 4.0 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Founder-led team where both founders remain personally involved in client engineering work, not just management | Explicitly positions itself as senior-led, keeping the team small by design rather than as a growth-stage limitation |
| Pricing model | Project-based electronics and embedded engagements | Contract engineering engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | C, C++, RF Design | C, C++, Industrial Embedded Systems |
| Industries served | Medical devices, Consumer electronics, Industrial | Industrial |
Oxalis Design vs EES: overview
Oxalis Design
Oxalis Design is a Bristol, UK electronics and embedded systems consultancy founded by Alex Turner and Alex Thornicroft, both experienced electronics and software engineers who remain personally involved in client work rather than having moved fully into management. For a client evaluating team fit at the smallest scale, this means the people making architecture decisions are the same people who will be reachable throughout the engagement, not a sales contact who hands the work to unnamed staff.
EES
Embedded Engineering Solutions (EES) was launched in 2012 and is based in Tempe, Arizona, with reported headcount varying across sources from roughly 3 to 50 employees, most consistently described as a small, senior-led firm. The company specializes in contract firmware, embedded systems, and hardware design engineering for the industrial sector, and its own positioning leans on being senior-led rather than layered with junior staff. For a hiring buyer specifically avoiding a large delivery organization, that's the stated value proposition, not an incidental trait.
Services and capabilities: Oxalis Design vs EES
| Capability | Oxalis Design | EES |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Oxalis Design vs EES
| Framework / platform | Oxalis Design | EES |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | ✓ | ✓ |
| FreeRTOS | N/A | N/A |
| Zephyr | N/A | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| LVGL | N/A | N/A |
| AWS IoT | N/A | N/A |
| ARM Cortex-M | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Oxalis Design vs EES
| Criterion | Oxalis Design | EES |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Project-based engineering, concept through pilot build | Contract firmware and hardware engineering |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Oxalis Design vs EES
| Dimension | Oxalis Design | EES |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Medical devices, Consumer electronics, Industrial | Industrial |
| Best use cases | Hiring a very small team where the founders personally do the engineering, RF and firmware co-design for a new connected consumer device | Hiring a deliberately small, senior-led team for an industrial firmware program, Combined hardware and firmware engineering without separate specialist vendors |
| Typical project type | Project-based engineering, concept through pilot build | Contract firmware and hardware engineering |
Oxalis Design vs EES: pros and cons
| Oxalis Design | |
|---|---|
| + | Both founders remain personally involved in engineering work, not just business development |
| + | Focus on electronics and embedded firmware exclusively, without a broader IT practice diluting attention |
| + | RF design capability in-house means wireless connectivity work doesn't require a separate specialist |
| + | Serves medical, consumer, and industrial clients from concept through pilot build |
| - | A team of 2 to 10 people limits capacity to a small number of concurrent client programs at any time |
| - | Publicly verifiable founding date and detailed case study history are limited |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| EES | |
|---|---|
| + | Explicit senior-led positioning means the small team size is a deliberate choice, not just a growth-stage limitation |
| + | 13 years of operating history as a contract engineering firm for the industrial sector |
| + | Combines firmware, embedded systems, and hardware design in one team, covering multiple disciplines without separate specialist hires |
| + | Small size means a client's engagement represents a meaningful share of the firm's total capacity |
| - | Reported employee counts vary widely across sources, from roughly 3 to 50, worth confirming current headcount directly |
| - | Small team size caps capacity for a large or multi-workstream program |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
Who should choose Oxalis Design?
A typical fit: hiring a very small team where the founders personally do the engineering.
Founder-led team where both founders remain personally involved in client engineering work, not just management. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Medical devices, Consumer electronics, Industrial.
Who should choose EES?
A typical fit: hiring a deliberately small, senior-led team for an industrial firmware program.
Explicitly positions itself as senior-led, keeping the team small by design rather than as a growth-stage limitation. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial.
Decision matrix: Oxalis Design vs EES
| 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: Oxalis Design (Not published) vs EES (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Oxalis Design |
| 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: Oxalis Design vs EES
| Use case | Oxalis Design fit | EES fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiring a very small team where the founders personally do the engineering | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| RF and firmware co-design for a new connected consumer device | Strong | Limited | Oxalis Design |
| Hiring a deliberately small, senior-led team for an industrial firmware program | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Combined hardware and firmware engineering without separate specialist vendors | Limited | Strong | EES |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Oxalis Design vs EES
Oxalis Design (4.0/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Embedded Firmware Development projects. Founder-led team where both founders remain personally involved in client engineering work, not just management.
EES (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need combined hardware and firmware engineering without separate specialist vendors. If your situation matches that, EES is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Oxalis Design vs EES FAQ
Is Oxalis Design better than EES?
Oxalis Design (4.0/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Oxalis Design's strongest advantage: both founders remain personally involved in engineering work, not just business development. EES's strongest advantage: explicit senior-led positioning means the small team size is a deliberate choice, not just a growth-stage limitation.
How do Oxalis Design and EES differ in pricing?
Oxalis Design uses project-based electronics and embedded engagements pricing. EES uses contract engineering engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Oxalis Design or EES?
EES 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 Oxalis Design and EES?
Oxalis Design's primary differentiator is: founder-led team where both founders remain personally involved in client engineering work, not just management. EES's primary differentiator is: explicitly positions itself as senior-led, keeping the team small by design rather than as a growth-stage limitation. They also differ in team size (2–10 vs 3–50), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Medical devices, Consumer electronics vs Industrial).
Verify all details directly with each developer before making a decision.