Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Team Consulting (4.3/5) edges ahead of Sagentia Innovation (4.1/5) overall. Team Consulting is the better choice for Inhalers, injectors and human-factors-heavy devices. Sagentia Innovation is the stronger option for surgical robotics and combination products. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Team Consulting | Sagentia Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 | 1986 |
| HQ | Ickleton, Cambridge, UK | Harston, Cambridge, UK |
| Team size | 140–190 | 650+ (Science Group) |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Three decades of medical-only industrial design and human factors, especially for drug delivery | Medical development backed by a listed science group that also runs a regulatory consultancy |
| Pricing model | Time and materials, phased fixed project | Time and materials, fixed project |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | SolidWorks, Mechanical simulation, Usability engineering | Embedded C/C++, Robotics, Mechanical simulation |
| Industries served | Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Diagnostics & lab devices | Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices |
Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation: 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.
Sagentia Innovation
Sagentia Innovation is owned by Science Group plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. Its roots go back to 1986; the current business was formed in 2021 from Sagentia, OTM Consulting and Oakland Innovation. It is based at Harston Mill near Cambridge, with R&D facilities in Cambridge and Epsom, and its medical work covers devices, combination products and surgical robotics. Science Group employs more than 650 people across all its businesses.
Services and capabilities: Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation
| Capability | Team Consulting | Sagentia Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Sagentia Innovation
| Framework / platform | Team Consulting | Sagentia Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded C/C++ | N/A | ✓ |
| 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 | N/A |
| ISO 14971 | N/A | N/A |
| ISO 13485 QMS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Qt | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation
| Criterion | Team Consulting | Sagentia Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Fixed project, Time & materials | Consulting, Fixed project, Time & materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation
| Dimension | Team Consulting | Sagentia Innovation |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices, Diagnostics & lab devices | Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices |
| Best use cases | Designing a dry powder inhaler or autoinjector, Formative and summative usability studies | Surgical robot subsystem development, Drug-device combination product engineering |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Consulting |
Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation: 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 |
| Sagentia Innovation | |
|---|---|
| + | Active surgical robotics software and hardware hiring shows current work in that area |
| + | Sister business TSG Consulting has a medical device regulatory team |
| + | Large owned R&D facilities in Cambridge and Epsom |
| + | About 30 years of medical device projects |
| - | Part of a listed group, so commercial priorities answer to public shareholders |
| - | Recent 2021 merger means the brand and teams are relatively new |
| - | Science Group headcount covers many businesses, so the medtech team size is unclear |
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 Sagentia Innovation?
A typical fit: surgical robot subsystem development.
Medical development backed by a listed science group that also runs a regulatory consultancy. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery, Diagnostics & lab devices.
Decision matrix: Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation
| 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 | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Team Consulting (Not disclosed) vs Sagentia Innovation (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 Sagentia Innovation
| Use case | Team Consulting fit | Sagentia Innovation fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designing a dry powder inhaler or autoinjector | Strong | Limited | Team Consulting |
| Formative and summative usability studies | Strong | Limited | Team Consulting |
| Surgical robot subsystem development | Limited | Strong | Sagentia Innovation |
| Drug-device combination product engineering | Limited | Strong | Sagentia Innovation |
Verdict: Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation
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.
Sagentia Innovation (4.1/5) is worth a look if you need drug-device combination product engineering. If your situation matches that, Sagentia Innovation is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Team Consulting vs Sagentia Innovation FAQ
Is Team Consulting better than Sagentia Innovation?
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. Sagentia Innovation's strongest advantage: active surgical robotics software and hardware hiring shows current work in that area.
How do Team Consulting and Sagentia Innovation differ in pricing?
Team Consulting uses time and materials, phased fixed project pricing. Sagentia Innovation uses time and materials, fixed project 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 Sagentia Innovation?
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 Sagentia Innovation?
Team Consulting's primary differentiator is: three decades of medical-only industrial design and human factors, especially for drug delivery. Sagentia Innovation's primary differentiator is: medical development backed by a listed science group that also runs a regulatory consultancy. They also differ in team size (140–190 vs 650+ (Science Group)), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Drug delivery, Surgical & therapeutic devices vs Surgical & robotics, Drug delivery).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.