Oxalis Design
Bristol two-founder consultancy dedicated solely to electronics and embedded firmware
What is Oxalis Design?
Oxalis Design is a Bristol, UK electronics and embedded systems consultancy founded by Alex Turner and Alex Thornicroft, both experienced electronics and software engineers. The firm's stated scope covers electronics hardware and RF design, embedded software development, and connected-device development for medical, consumer, and industrial clients, from early concept through pilot builds and the transfer to production. As a small, cohesive team focused solely on electronics and embedded firmware rather than a broader product-design or general IT practice, it suits clients who want senior engineers directly on their project rather than layers of account management.
Oxalis Design works primarily with clients in Medical devices, Consumer electronics, Industrial sectors. Its primary differentiator is: Founder-led two-person leadership team focused solely on electronics and embedded firmware, no broader IT practice attached.
Oxalis Design tech stack and services
| Service area |
|---|
| Firmware Development |
| Hardware Co-Design |
| Bare-Metal Programming |
| IoT Connectivity |
Oxalis Design pricing
Short answer: Oxalis Design uses a project-based electronics and embedded engagements pricing approach. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed; a discovery call is required.
| Engagement model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Project-based engineering, concept through pilot build | Variable; depends on team size | Large programmes or team augmentation |
Oxalis Design pros and cons
| Advantages | Things to consider |
|---|---|
| +Founded and led directly by two working electronics and software engineers, giving clients direct senior-level involvement | -A team of 2 to 10 people limits capacity to a small number of concurrent client programs at any time |
| +Focus on electronics and embedded firmware exclusively, without a broader IT or general software practice diluting attention | -Publicly verifiable founding date and detailed case study history are limited |
| +RF design capability in-house means wireless connectivity work doesn't require a separate specialist vendor | -No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| +Serves medical, consumer, and industrial clients from concept through pilot build and transfer to production |
Oxalis Design vs alternatives
How Oxalis Design compares to the other top Firmware Development companies.
| Company | Best for | Key difference | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemberg Solutions | RTOS and secure-firmware projects needing chip-vendor partnerships. | Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status combined with an in-house hardware lab for board bring-up | 4.8 | Full comparison |
| Product Creation Studio | Medical device firmware bundled with industrial and mechanical... | ISO 13485-certified product studio building firmware alongside the physical device rather than as a separate line item | 4.6 | Full comparison |
| Conclusive Engineering | Automotive and healthcare firmware needing ISO 26262 or... | Nordic Semiconductor and Texas Instruments partner status paired with FreeBSD depth most embedded firms don't carry | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Voler Systems | Ultra-low-power wearable and biomedical sensor firmware. | 46 years of continuous operation with a firmware practice built specifically around ultra-low-power wearable constraints | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| Timesys | Embedded Linux build systems and long-term security maintenance. | Founding Yocto Project member with three decades of embedded Linux build-system and security-maintenance depth | 4.5 | Full comparison |
| DE Design Works | Combined electronics and firmware design for small to... | Firmware as a core service for more than 20 years rather than a capability added onto product design | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| NOVO Engineering | Multi-disciplinary product programs spanning mechanical, electrical, and firmware. | Systems-engineering team averaging 16 years of experience per engineer across medical, biotech, and industrial product lines | 4.4 | Full comparison |
| ByteSnap Design | Connected-device firmware needing in-house wireless and electronics design. | Wireless protocol breadth across ZigBee, LoRa, Wi-Fi, BLE, and GSM combined with in-house electronics design | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Emcraft Systems | System-on-module hardware paired with a maintained Linux or... | Self-maintained Linux and RTOS board support packages sold together with the ARM hardware modules that run them | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Promwad | Automotive and telecom firmware bundled with electronics and... | ASIL-C functional-safety experience in automotive ECU and infotainment work alongside full-stack electronics design | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| WebbyLab | Full-cycle IoT programs spanning firmware, cloud, and mobile. | Full-cycle delivery from hardware selection through firmware and the connected application layer under one team | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| InTechHouse | Enterprise programs needing a publicly disclosed, EU-certified R&D... | Publicly listed on Warsaw's NewConnect market since 2015, giving financial transparency most private firmware vendors don't offer | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Droid Technologies | Embedded GUI and HMI development on LVGL, TouchGFX,... | Embedded GUI and HMI development as the lead specialty, covering LVGL, TouchGFX, Qt, and Embedded Wizard | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| Ignitec | Wearable technology firmware combined with electronics and mechanical... | Wearable-technology engineering combining electronics, mechanical design, and firmware under strict power and size budgets | 4.3 | Full comparison |
| USA Firmware | Small to mid-size programs wanting one accountable firmware... | Managed design services spanning electrical engineering, firmware, FPGA, and Linux under a single discovery-to-production process | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| CMD MedTech | Small medical device programs needing close, senior-level regulatory... | Woman-owned small business built specifically around medical device systems, software, and regulatory support | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Embitel Technologies | Automotive ECU and infotainment firmware at production scale. | Automotive-specific ECU and infotainment depth as a wholly owned Volkswagen Group subsidiary | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Elektrobit (EB) | Large-scale automotive firmware programs requiring ASIL D certification. | ASIL D-certified automotive software running in more than 600 million vehicles as a Continental subsidiary | 4.2 | Full comparison |
| Witekio | IoT firmware programs that also need component sourcing... | Avnet subsidiary status connects embedded software delivery directly to component distribution and supply chain | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Klika Tech | IoT firmware designed around an AWS-based cloud backend... | AWS IoT and DevOps competency partner status combined with STMicroelectronics hardware partnership | 4.1 | Full comparison |
| Lobaro GmbH | LoRaWAN and low-power wide-area network firmware for industrial... | LoRa Alliance membership and Nordic Semiconductor design partner status with deep LPWAN protocol experience | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| NeuronicWorks | Firmware programs that need to carry through to... | In-house path from firmware and hardware design through high-volume manufacturing, box build, and PCB assembly | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| EmLogic AS | Zephyr RTOS firmware development and migration. | Founding team with prior embedded-company-building experience concentrated specifically on Zephyr RTOS | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| ARCH-Embedded | Cellular and positioning-technology firmware for connected and micro-mobility... | Positioning-technology and cellular-connectivity specialty drawing on team experience from TomTom and micro-mobility products | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| N-iX | Enterprise programs needing firmware work alongside cloud, data,... | Enterprise-scale delivery capacity across 60-plus completed IoT and embedded projects inside a broader software engineering portfolio | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Sigma Software Group | Mid-to-large programs needing firmware alongside a broader multi-industry... | Majority Swedish ownership since 2006 combined with a 1,100-plus person multi-country delivery footprint | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Enginuity Inc. | Defence, marine, and industrial automation programs where firmware... | Multidisciplinary aerospace, defence, and marine engineering scope with firmware as one integrated capability among many | 4.0 | Full comparison |
| Softeq | Full-stack hardware-to-cloud programs needing firmware plus a consumer... | 28 years of full-stack hardware, firmware, mobile, and cloud delivery under one company | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Developex | Cross-platform software programs that also need device firmware... | Cross-platform team-formation model spanning mobile, cloud, web, and desktop, with firmware as a named secondary specialty | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| A-listware | Staff augmentation for firmware teams needing remote engineering... | Remote engineering team delivery model with embedded firmware and legacy modernization as named service lines | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Instinctools | Enterprise IT modernization programs that include embedded firmware. | Enterprise software heritage serving Fortune 500 clients, with embedded firmware as one applied domain among several | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| Waferlabs Embedded Technology | Very small firmware and hardware design engagements needing... | Founding team with prior Intel, Broadcom, and Qualcomm experience running a small embedded design practice | 3.9 | Full comparison |
| SNS Technosys | Very small MCU and DSP firmware engagements on... | Small, focused embedded product design practice covering both microcontroller and digital signal processor firmware | 3.8 | Full comparison |
Oxalis Design FAQ
What is Oxalis Design?
Bristol two-founder consultancy dedicated solely to electronics and embedded firmware
How much does Oxalis Design charge?
Oxalis Design uses project-based electronics and embedded engagements pricing. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. A discovery call is required to get project-specific quotes.
What tech stack does Oxalis Design use?
Oxalis Design works with C, C++, RF Design, Connected Device Firmware. Primary industries served include Medical devices, Consumer electronics, Industrial.
Is Oxalis Design right for enterprise?
Small connected-device programs needing direct access to senior engineers. 2–10 team size. Key consideration: A team of 2 to 10 people limits capacity to a small number of concurrent client programs at any time.
What are the best Oxalis Design alternatives?
The best alternatives to Oxalis Design depend on your use case. Top options are:
- Lemberg Solutions: direct nxp, stmicroelectronics, and microchip partner status combined with an in-house hardware lab for board bring-up
- Product Creation Studio: iso 13485-certified product studio building firmware alongside the physical device rather than as a separate line item
- Conclusive Engineering: nordic semiconductor and texas instruments partner status paired with freebsd depth most embedded firms don't carry
Compare Oxalis Design with other Firmware Development companies
Verify all details directly with Oxalis Design before making a decision.