StarFish Medical vs Delve: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
StarFish Medical (4.6/5) edges ahead of Delve (4.0/5) overall. StarFish Medical is the better choice for startups needing design plus pilot manufacturing. Delve is the stronger option for user research and industrial design for medtech. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
StarFish Medical vs Delve: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Delve |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 2021 |
| HQ | Victoria, BC, Canada | Madison, WI, USA |
| Team size | 201–250 | 200–500 |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room | Design research and industrial design depth from two long-established US studios |
| 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, Usability engineering, Rapid prototyping |
| Industries served | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring, Drug delivery | Wearables & remote monitoring, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Consumer products, Industrial |
StarFish Medical vs Delve: 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.
Delve
Delve is a product design and innovation firm headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, with studios in Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Trinity Hunt Partners bought it in 2021 and merged it with Philadelphia's Bresslergroup (founded 1970), and the combined business now operates under the Delve name and later acquired digital design firm altr. Its team is estimated at 200 to 500 people. Delve says it designed and engineered the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor (per company website; independently unverifiable), and medical devices are a large share of its work alongside consumer and industrial products.
Services and capabilities: StarFish Medical vs Delve
| Capability | StarFish Medical | Delve |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Delve
| Framework / platform | StarFish Medical | Delve |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded C/C++ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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 | ✓ | N/A |
| Qt | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: StarFish Medical vs Delve
| Criterion | StarFish Medical | Delve |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Delve
| Dimension | StarFish Medical | Delve |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Wearables & remote monitoring | Wearables & remote monitoring, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Consumer products |
| Best use cases | Taking a venture-backed device from proof of concept to clinical-trial units, Designing an optical diagnostic instrument with its consumable | Industrial design and user research for a wearable, Human factors work on a home-use device |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Consulting |
StarFish Medical vs Delve: 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 |
| Delve | |
|---|---|
| + | Strong user research and industrial design, important for patient-worn devices |
| + | Multiple US studios |
| + | Public wearable CGM experience |
| + | Bresslergroup brings a long patent and design-award record |
| - | Private-equity owned since 2021 and built through mergers |
| - | Medical is a large share, but consumer and industrial work compete for attention |
| - | ISO 13485 certification was not confirmed in our research |
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 Delve?
A typical fit: industrial design and user research for a wearable.
Design research and industrial design depth from two long-established US studios. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Wearables & remote monitoring, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Consumer products, Industrial.
Decision matrix: StarFish Medical vs Delve
| 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 Delve (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 Delve
| Use case | StarFish Medical fit | Delve 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 | Limited | StarFish Medical |
| Industrial design and user research for a wearable | Limited | Strong | Delve |
| Human factors work on a home-use device | Limited | Strong | Delve |
Verdict: StarFish Medical vs Delve
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.
Delve (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need human factors work on a home-use device. If your situation matches that, Delve is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
StarFish Medical vs Delve FAQ
Is StarFish Medical better than Delve?
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. Delve's strongest advantage: strong user research and industrial design, important for patient-worn devices.
How do StarFish Medical and Delve differ in pricing?
StarFish Medical uses phased fixed project, time and materials pricing. Delve 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 Delve?
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 Delve?
StarFish Medical's primary differentiator is: medtech-only practice that can build clinical and early commercial units in its own certified clean room. Delve's primary differentiator is: design research and industrial design depth from two long-established US studios. They also differ in team size (201–250 vs 200–500), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Diagnostics & lab devices, Surgical & therapeutic devices vs Wearables & remote monitoring, Surgical & therapeutic devices).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.