Making
Possibility
a Reality.

entrepreneurs use sophisticated 3D software for product development

More than a network of engineers, we harness the massive horsepower of entrepreneurs to fuel your R&D.

mHUB Hardtech Development services create better products, processes and strategies. As part of the nation’s largest hardtech innovation center, we’re powered by a deep talent pool of entrepreneurs interested in supporting industry while they build. In addition to core engineering competencies, our agile teams bring foresight, curiosity and an unhindered way of thinking to rapid prototyping and product development.

Want to get more out of an isolated project? Ask how you can engage further with our broad ecosystem for economic development and manufacturing innovation.

Our Product Development Services

01

Strategy

  • Ideation
  • Product Market Fit
  • Opportunity Assessment
  • Financial Modeling
  • Marketing
  • Branding

02

Design

  • Concept Sketches
  • 3D Modeling
  • Video & Animation
  • UX/UI

03

Engineering

  • Mobile and Web Design
  • Materials
  • Firmware and Software
  • FEA and CFD
  • Prototyping and Fabrication
  • User Testing

04

Manufacturing

  • Automation
  • Process Improvement
  • Sourcing
  • Pre-Production Manufacturing
  • Quoting for Production

Entrepreneurs use one of 10 microlabs for product development at the mHUB Hardtech Development services facility in Chicago

Extend Your R&D Think Tank

mHUB Hardtech Development teams are custom built and project specific, drawing on the network of innovators who operate collectively under the mHUB innovation center roof. Home to over 500+ product designers, developers and strategists, mHUB Hardtech Development will build the most diversified product design team you can find.

Our facility includes 11 prototyping labs where teams co-create to deliver a fully functional product or process improvement wholly owned by each client.

Seamless Integration

mHUB Hardtech Development can seamlessly enter at any stage of product development or process improvement, focusing on one step or taking it from start to finish.

hand drawn sketches during r&d phase of product development
line drawing for new product development
schematic for new product design
rapid prototyping during product development phase at mHUB
testing phase of product development
Dock Watch product

01 Strategy

Identify market fit, target market, voice of customer, and more before moving into concept development. Insights on customers, usability, competitors and market gap lay the foundation for future phases.

02 Discovery

Product concepts are developed based on customer insights and the problem statement. Typically accomplished in a brainstorm or workshop, drawing on various industry backgrounds and skills to ideate. Potential concepts are analyzed and selected using a concept evaluation matrix.

03 Design

Concepts come to life through CAD modeling and product renderings. Collaboration between engineers, designers and the client are critical as the concepts become more technical. Materials and components start to come together through this iterative phase, often revisited following design verification.

04 Design Verification

Design verification includes prototyping and refinement. Prototypes can fall into a ‘looks like’, ‘acts like’ or both a look and acts like prototype. Once a prototype is made, test to verify it performs as expected. It’s common to refine and iterate a prototype as it approaches final product. Depending on budget and design requirements, multiple prototypes may be necessary.

05 Test

Products may be tested under specific conditions, for cycle life, field or user testing and more to ensure the product does what it is designed and intended to do. This often include testing to meet certain industry specifications or certifications.

06 Manufacturing

All engineering drawings, CAD, specifications such as materials, processing, finishes, BOM’s are complete and packaged up for production manufacture quotes. Usually, this will happen in parallel with the design verification to help guide final product.

Our Clients Include

rapid prototyping of new product

Design is in the Details

The scope of mHUB’s Hardtech Development services is broad. Our teams have developed wireless telemetry to track equipment vitals, created more consistent and energy efficient appliances, implemented automation for process improvements and created executive training series around specific challenges, to name a few examples.

While our expertise is vast, the attention and commitment we deliver to each client or product problem is narrowly focused.

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