Design 1st
visit site- $25,000+
- 10 - 49 employees
- Ottawa, Canada
Design 1st is a design agency based in Ottawa, Canada, and founded in 1996. Their team of more than 10 specializes in product design, IoT development, and logistics solutions for clients in the industries of health care and consumer products.
Client Insights
Industry Expertise
20%
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10%
10%
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10%
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Client Size Distribution
Small Business (<$10M) 55%
Midmarket ($10M - $1B) 35%
Enterprise (>$1B) 10%
Common Project Size
$200K-$999K 6 projects
$50K-$199K 2 projects
$10K-$49K 1 project
Clients
- Lenovo
Highlights from Recent Projects
Design 1st successfully completed a project for a device management solutions company. The company's marketing manager sought a product design that would reflect the quality of their work. After finding Design 1st through an online search, they were selected for their budget-friendly pricing, great culture fit, and good value for cost. A team of 2-5 employees from Design 1st were assigned to this project, helping with every stage of the design process, from conceptual design to detailed design. They also assisted with engineering changes, production support, and procuring pieces for the prototype.
Design 1st was hired by Zumio, an intimate lifestyle company, to develop a new luxury product that would create a new category for adult toys. The Head of Customer Care at Zumio had five major goals for the product, including mirroring natural movement, feeling luxurious, being discreet in design and quiet in use, being travel-friendly, and positively impacting a woman’s sexual health and lifestyle. After researching various design firms, Zumio selected Design 1st for their skill set, management, and reputation. Design 1st guided Zumio from an end-to-end requirements standpoint, even helping to work with manufacturers, organize and survey female focus groups, and bring in a female team to lead the packaging.
Design 1st was selected by a biotech company to develop an innovative wearable device product. The founder of the biotech company worked with around 10 people from Design 1st, who acted as their engineering department. The product needed to cover the wearer's face while remaining comfortable, functional, aesthetic, and light. Design 1st successfully managed to fit a lot of sensors into a small, lightweight space that attaches to the mask. The team also conducted market surveys and provided renderings for promotional and presentation purposes. The founder of the biotech company selected Design 1st after studying around 15-20 companies that engineer consumer products. The project has been ongoing since February 2021, with more than $500,000 already invested.