Product development · Prototypes
Working hardware prototypes: electronics, firmware and mechanics
Hardware prototype development for startups and companies in Israel and abroad: Conceptech designs the board, firmware and enclosure so the prototype does the job, not just looks the part. It starts with a call with an engineer.
Founded in 2015 · Working prototypes for startups and research teams · FCC and UL certification support
- For
- Startups, companies and research teams that need to prove an idea, raise funds or test with customers
- You get
- Working units, design files, a bring-up and test report, and a plan for the next revision
- First step
- A call with an engineer about the idea, then a written proposal for the first phase
Clients we've worked with
Which stage
POC, prototype or DVT: what do you need right now?
Three steps, each answering a different question. Build the step that answers your question today, rather than jumping past it.
A prototype isn't one thing. Before any design work, decide which question it has to answer:
- Proof of concept (POC): does the technical principle work? Dev boards, off-the-shelf modules and first code. Good for an investor demo or for testing the riskiest idea, but not for the field.
- Working engineering prototype (EVT): does your design do the job? A custom board, firmware and enclosure working together, in a small quantity, for a demo, a funding round or a first trial with customers.
- DVT, then PVT: does the product meet all its requirements and is it ready for production? Units built to a production-intent design and tested systematically, including stress tests and pre-compliance testing.
What you build at each step carries over to the next: the schematic, the code and the risk list aren't thrown away after the demo. Founders planning the whole road, from investor demo to first batch, will find it here: hardware development for startups
What's included
What does an engineering prototype include?
Six deliverables, each documented in files or a report. They are what you build on for the next revision, for testing and for production.
Schematic and PCB design
Component selection, schematic and board layout in DipTrace, or in Altium and OrCAD where needed, with protection and grounding planned for certification.
Output: Schematics, Gerbers and BOM
Firmware
The code that runs the board: sensors, motors, communications such as CAN, RS-485 or Modbus, and a test interface. Written so you can build the product on it.
Output: Source code and firmware build
Enclosure and mechanics
Enclosure, mounts and mechanisms, mainly in Fusion 360 and also in SolidWorks or Inventor, with a manufacturing method that suits prototype quantities.
Output: STEP files and drawings
Bring-up and test report
We assemble, flash the firmware and test every circuit against the requirements. Every fault found is logged with its cause and the fix for the next revision.
Output: Bring-up and test report
Bill of materials (BOM)
Every component with its manufacturer part number, alternatives and availability, so you can reorder and estimate the unit cost before the next batch.
Output: BOM with component alternatives
Next-step plan
What worked, what needs to change, which risks are still open and what comes next: another revision, testing, certification or manufacturing preparation.
Output: Findings list and a proposal for the next phase
From our projects
What does a working product we built look like?
Electronic puzzles for escape rooms
A cube with an IMU, a controller and LED lighting that we designed, assembled and supplied as a working product.
Making the parts
How are the prototype parts made?
Boards, mechanical parts and harnesses are made by manufacturers we work with. For a small batch, incoming inspection, integration and testing can happen in our lab.
Each part goes to the manufacturer that suits what it needs: quantity, lead time, precision or the sensitivity of the design. The manufacturers we work with include local manufacturers in Israel for urgent and sensitive work.
- Boards: fabrication and assembly of prototype boards and small batches.
- Mechanical parts: CNC machining, 3D printing or sheet metal, as the part requires.
- Harnesses and cables: custom harnesses for the prototype and the batch that follows.
Incoming inspection, integration and testing in our lab for small batches: the parts that arrive from the manufacturers are checked and brought together here into a working product before it reaches you. If you prefer, we handle all purchasing and manufacturing on your behalf.
After the prototype
From prototype to production: what happens once it works?
A prototype that works on the bench isn't a product yet. Validation, certification and manufacturing preparation come next, and some of it is worth planning in the first revision.
Decisions made in the prototype shape everything that follows. So even in the first revision, three things are planned up front:
- Certification: protection, grounding and filtering in the first schematic, so the next revision doesn't need a redesign once it meets the accredited lab.
- Manufacturing: components that stay available, test points on the board, and an enclosure that can be made in volume.
- Testing: the prototype's test procedure later becomes the basis of the production test.
Development projects are led by an engineer with 10+ years of engineering experience across startups, automotive and robotics, including FCC and UL certification.
Process
What does prototype development look like, step by step?
Five phases, each with a deliverable and a gate. We move on only after you approve, and we estimate each phase's duration after the initial evaluation.
01
Idea and feasibility
We define what the prototype has to prove, for whom and under what conditions, and check the biggest technical risks before designing a board.
Output: Requirements, risk list and a next-phase proposal
Gate: You approve the requirements and the proposal
02 · PoC
Proof of concept
We test the core principle on dev boards and off-the-shelf modules. Sometimes it's enough to test only the risky part, not the whole product.
Output: Demo unit and test results
Gate: You decide whether to go on to an engineering prototype
03 · Rev A
Prototype
Schematic and PCB, firmware and enclosure, a joint design review, then ordering parts, assembly and first bring-up of every circuit.
Output: Working units, design files and firmware
Gate: The units work against the agreed requirements
04
Testing
We test the units against the requirements, on the bench and in conditions as close to real use as possible, and log every finding with its cause.
Output: Test report and findings list
Gate: We go through every open finding together
05 · Rev B
The next revision
We fix what testing found and decide where to go next: another revision, units for a pilot, or on to validation, certification and production.
Output: Revised design and a plan for what's next
Gate: You choose the next phase
Hardware prototyping FAQ
What determines the cost of prototype development?
Scope: the number and complexity of boards, firmware scope, the enclosure and how it's made, the number of units and the number of revisions. That's why there's no single figure. After the initial evaluation you get a written proposal for the first phase, and you commit to one phase at a time.
How long does it take to develop a prototype?
It depends on scope, so we estimate each phase's duration after the initial evaluation, and the estimate appears in the proposal. The main factors are the number of boards, lead times for components and parts, firmware and mechanical scope, and how many revisions are needed. When there's a target date, such as an investor demo, we plan the phases back from it, and sometimes start with a POC to meet it.
Do you sign an NDA before we share the idea?
Yes. We sign an NDA on request when the project calls for it. In prototype development that's common, because the first call already involves an idea, sketches or code. Not every job needs one, and we check together whether yours does before we start.
Who owns the design files and the code?
Ownership of the design files, source code and IP is agreed in the contract for each project, before work starts. That way it's settled and documented before the first phase, and you can show it to investors when they ask.
Can we patent the prototype?
Talk to a patent attorney about that: they will tell you what is worth protecting and what you can show before filing. We don't give legal advice, but we prepare the technical documentation a patent attorney needs: schematics, drawings, a description of how it works and test results.
Do you work with companies outside Israel?
Yes. We work with founders and companies abroad through remote collaboration, with English-speaking engineering throughout the project, and we welcome partnerships. Calls, design reviews and file handover can all run remotely.
Tell us what the prototype must prove, and we'll plan the first phase
Send a short description of the idea, what already exists and why you need the prototype: a demo, funding or a customer trial. An engineer will reply with a first direction.
Usually a reply within 3 working hours, by email or phone