Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) edges ahead of Sigma Design (4.2/5) overall. Lemberg Solutions is the better choice for RFPs needing hardware and firmware scoped under one vendor. Sigma Design is the stronger option for multi-discipline RFPs needing industrial design and firmware at large scale. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | Sigma Design |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 1994 |
| HQ | Lviv, Ukraine (offices in Hamburg, Germany; London, UK; Kraków, Poland) | Camas, WA, USA |
| Team size | 200+ | 283 |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | In-house hardware lab plus NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status covers both the board bring-up and firmware line items in a single SOW | 283-person product design and engineering firm spanning industrial design, mechanical engineering, and firmware across five continents |
| Pricing model | Firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation | Project-based product design and engineering engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | FreeRTOS, Zephyr, Azure RTOS | C, C++, Embedded Systems Programming |
| Industries served | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy (battery management, EV charging), Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive | Consumer electronics, Industrial, Medical devices |
Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design: overview
Lemberg Solutions
Lemberg Solutions was founded in 2007 in Lviv, Ukraine and has grown to a 200+ person team with additional offices in Hamburg, London, and Kraków. Its engagement scope runs from RTOS and bare-metal firmware architecture through embedded GUI work, secure boot and OTA update design, and hardware validation in its own lab with oscilloscopes, evaluation kits, and hardware-in-the-loop testing capability. Direct partnership status with NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip, plus ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 13485 certifications, gives a procurement team the kind of verifiable vendor-qualification evidence an RFP typically asks for, and the company transfers full IP and source code rights to the client on delivery.
Sigma Design
Sigma Design (operating as SIGMADESIGN) was established in 1994 in Portland, Oregon and is now headquartered in Camas, Washington with approximately 283 employees across five continents. Its stated scope covers mechanical design and engineering, industrial design, testing, onsite contracting, and software and firmware engineering, positioning itself as a full product design and engineering partner rather than a firmware-only vendor. For an RFP that groups industrial design, mechanical engineering, and firmware into one deliverable, Sigma Design's breadth and headcount give it more parallel-program capacity than most boutique bidders on this list.
Services and capabilities: Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design
| Capability | Lemberg Solutions | Sigma Design |
|---|---|---|
| Firmware development | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hardware / PCB co-design | ✓ | ✓ |
| Functional safety / certification | ✓ | ✗ |
| Defense / aerospace credentials | ✗ | ✗ |
| Medical device firmware | ✗ | ✗ |
| Secure firmware updates | ✓ | ✗ |
| IoT connectivity | ✓ | ✗ |
| Embedded Linux | ✗ | ✗ |
| Staff augmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design
| Framework / platform | Lemberg Solutions | Sigma Design |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Embedded Linux | ✓ | N/A |
| PCB Design | N/A | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
| MISRA C | ✓ | N/A |
| ITAR | N/A | N/A |
| AWS IoT | ✓ | N/A |
| ASIL | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | Sigma Design |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Firmware consulting, Design-phase engagement, Full development lifecycle, Staff augmentation | Project-based product design and engineering |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design
| Dimension | Lemberg Solutions | Sigma Design |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy (battery management, EV charging), Transportation & Logistics | Consumer electronics, Industrial, Medical devices |
| Best use cases | RFP requiring hardware validation, firmware development, and compliance documentation in one response, Secure OTA update infrastructure for a fleet of connected devices already in the field | Full product design RFP bundling industrial design, mechanical engineering, and firmware, Onsite contracting engagement embedding firmware engineers with an in-house team |
| Typical project type | Firmware consulting | Project-based product design and engineering |
Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design: pros and cons
| Lemberg Solutions | |
|---|---|
| + | In-house hardware lab covers board bring-up and HIL validation, a line item many pure-firmware vendors subcontract out |
| + | ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 13485 certifications give a procurement team documented evidence for vendor qualification checklists |
| + | Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status is independently verifiable against each vendor's own partner directory |
| + | Engagement models span consulting, design-phase, full lifecycle, and staff augmentation, matching how most RFPs are structured |
| + | Full IP and source code transfer on delivery removes a common negotiation point in vendor contracts |
| - | Does not run mass production in-house, so a manufacturing line item still needs a separate contractor |
| - | Does not submit regulatory certification filings on the client's behalf, only the supporting technical documentation |
| - | No published minimum engagement figure, so budget fit for a specific RFP needs a scoping call |
| Sigma Design | |
|---|---|
| + | 283 employees across five continents give substantially more parallel-program capacity than most boutique firms on this list |
| + | 31 years of operating history under continuous product-design focus |
| + | Industrial design and mechanical engineering sit alongside firmware, matching how a full product RFP is often scoped |
| + | Onsite contracting option can place engineers directly with a client team for close-coordination programs |
| - | Firmware is one discipline inside a much broader product-design practice, not the firm's primary specialty |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| - | Public case studies specific to firmware-only engagements, versus its broader product design portfolio, are limited |
Who should choose Lemberg Solutions?
A typical fit: RFP requiring hardware validation, firmware development, and compliance documentation in one response.
In-house hardware lab plus NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status covers both the board bring-up and firmware line items in a single SOW. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy (battery management, EV charging), Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive.
Who should choose Sigma Design?
A typical fit: full product design RFP bundling industrial design, mechanical engineering, and firmware.
283-person product design and engineering firm spanning industrial design, mechanical engineering, and firmware across five continents. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Consumer electronics, Industrial, Medical devices.
Decision matrix: Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Lemberg Solutions (Not published) vs Sigma Design (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Lemberg Solutions |
Use case fit: Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design
| Use case | Lemberg Solutions fit | Sigma Design fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFP requiring hardware validation, firmware development, and compliance documentation in one response | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Secure OTA update infrastructure for a fleet of connected devices already in the field | Strong | Limited | Lemberg Solutions |
| Full product design RFP bundling industrial design, mechanical engineering, and firmware | Limited | Strong | Sigma Design |
| Onsite contracting engagement embedding firmware engineers with an in-house team | Limited | Strong | Sigma Design |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Embedded Firmware projects. In-house hardware lab plus NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status covers both the board bring-up and firmware line items in a single SOW.
Sigma Design (4.2/5) is worth a look if you need onsite contracting engagement embedding firmware engineers with an in-house team. If your situation matches that, Sigma Design is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Lemberg Solutions vs Sigma Design FAQ
Is Lemberg Solutions better than Sigma Design?
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Lemberg Solutions's strongest advantage: in-house hardware lab covers board bring-up and HIL validation, a line item many pure-firmware vendors subcontract out. Sigma Design's strongest advantage: 283 employees across five continents give substantially more parallel-program capacity than most boutique firms on this list.
How do Lemberg Solutions and Sigma Design differ in pricing?
Lemberg Solutions uses firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation pricing. Sigma Design uses project-based product design and engineering engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Lemberg Solutions or Sigma Design?
Sigma Design is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each service provider before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Lemberg Solutions and Sigma Design?
Lemberg Solutions's primary differentiator is: in-house hardware lab plus NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status covers both the board bring-up and firmware line items in a single SOW. Sigma Design's primary differentiator is: 283-person product design and engineering firm spanning industrial design, mechanical engineering, and firmware across five continents. They also differ in team size (200+ vs 283), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy (battery management, EV charging) vs Consumer electronics, Industrial).
Verify all details directly with each service provider before making a decision.