Best Firmware Development Companies

Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded: full comparison for 2026

Quick verdict

Klika Tech (4.1/5) edges ahead of ARCH-Embedded (4.0/5) overall. Klika Tech is the better choice for IoT firmware designed around an AWS-based cloud backend from the start. ARCH-Embedded is the stronger option for cellular and positioning-technology firmware for connected and micro-mobility devices. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.

Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded: head-to-head summary

Criterion Klika Tech ARCH-Embedded
Founded 2013 2022
HQ North Miami Beach, FL, USA Amsterdam, Netherlands
Team size Not published 2–10
Rating 4.1 / 5 4.0 / 5
Primary differentiator AWS IoT and DevOps competency partner status combined with STMicroelectronics hardware partnership Positioning-technology and cellular-connectivity specialty drawing on team experience from TomTom and micro-mobility products
Pricing model Project-based IoT and cloud-embedded engagements Project-based embedded consultancy engagements
Min. engagement Not published Not published
Primary tech stack AWS IoT, C, C++ Nordic nRF, Cellular Connectivity, RTOS
Industries served Industrial IoT, Consumer IoT, Cloud-connected devices Micro-mobility, Positioning and location technology, Industrial IoT

Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded: overview

Klika Tech

Klika Tech was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in North Miami Beach, Florida, with delivery centers across North America, Europe, and Asia, including a Wrocław, Poland office opened in 2021. The company builds IoT, cloud, and embedded product solutions together, holding AWS IoT and DevOps competencies alongside STMicroelectronics partner status on the hardware side, positioning itself for clients whose firmware needs to talk directly to an AWS-based backend from day one. That cloud-first framing distinguishes it from firmware vendors that treat cloud integration as an afterthought handled by a separate team.

ARCH-Embedded

ARCH-Embedded was founded in Amsterdam in 2022 by CEO and co-founder Mark Riemersma and operates with a team of 2 to 10 people. As a Nordic Semiconductor partner, the firm's stated background is specifically in positioning technology and micro-mobility, with prior team experience at companies like TomTom, and it covers the full stack from hardware through embedded software, RTOS, Linux, security, and connected-device architecture and project management. That positioning-technology specialty is narrow but genuinely differentiated, useful specifically for clients building location-aware or cellular-connected hardware rather than general-purpose embedded products.

Services and capabilities: Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded

Capability Klika Tech ARCH-Embedded
RTOS firmware development
Bare-metal & driver development
Secure boot / OTA firmware updates
MCU & platform migration
Connectivity & IoT protocols
Functional safety / compliance
Embedded AI / on-device inference
Firmware GUI development
Hardware co-design / board bring-up
Staff augmentation

Tech stack comparison: Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded

Framework / platform Klika Tech ARCH-Embedded
FreeRTOS N/A N/A
Zephyr N/A N/A
STM32 N/A N/A
ARM Cortex-M N/A N/A
Embedded Linux N/A
BLE N/A N/A
MISRA N/A N/A
Secure Boot N/A N/A
AWS IoT N/A
RISC-V N/A N/A

Pricing comparison: Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded

Criterion Klika Tech ARCH-Embedded
Minimum engagement Not published Not published
Engagement models Project-based IoT and cloud-embedded engineering Project-based consultancy, Architecture and project management
Rate transparency Not public Not public
Price tier Mid-market Mid-market

Target audience comparison: Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded

Dimension Klika Tech ARCH-Embedded
Best company size Startup to mid-market Startup to mid-market
Best industries Industrial IoT, Consumer IoT, Cloud-connected devices Micro-mobility, Positioning and location technology, Industrial IoT
Best use cases IoT device firmware designed to integrate directly with an AWS IoT backend, Combined cloud and embedded firmware development for a new connected product Cellular and GNSS-connected firmware for a positioning or micro-mobility device, Nordic Semiconductor-based connected product architecture and firmware development
Typical project type Project-based IoT and cloud-embedded engineering Project-based consultancy

Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded: pros and cons

Klika Tech
+ AWS IoT and DevOps competency status backs its cloud-first firmware positioning with a verifiable AWS partner credential
+ STMicroelectronics partner status on the hardware side pairs cloud integration with direct chip-vendor support
+ 12 years of operating history with delivery centers spanning North America, Europe, and Asia
+ Cloud-and-firmware co-design suits products where the backend and the device firmware are built by the same team from the outset
- Its AWS-centric framing is a narrower fit for firmware projects that need to stay cloud-agnostic or target Azure or GCP instead
- Public team size is not published, making capacity harder to gauge against other mid-size firms
- No published pricing or minimum engagement figure
ARCH-Embedded
+ Nordic Semiconductor partner status backs its cellular and positioning-technology hardware claims
+ Team background in positioning technology at companies like TomTom is a specific, differentiated specialty rather than general IoT experience
+ Full-stack scope from hardware through RTOS, Linux, and security architecture covers more than firmware coding alone
+ Small team size means direct senior engineering involvement on every engagement
- Founded in 2022 with 2 to 10 employees, giving it one of the shortest track records and smallest teams on this list
- Capacity for large or multiple concurrent programs is limited by team size
- No published pricing or minimum engagement figure

Who should choose Klika Tech?

A typical fit: IoT device firmware designed to integrate directly with an AWS IoT backend.

AWS IoT and DevOps competency partner status combined with STMicroelectronics hardware partnership. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial IoT, Consumer IoT, Cloud-connected devices.

Who should choose ARCH-Embedded?

A typical fit: cellular and GNSS-connected firmware for a positioning or micro-mobility device.

Positioning-technology and cellular-connectivity specialty drawing on team experience from TomTom and micro-mobility products. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Micro-mobility, Positioning and location technology, Industrial IoT.

Decision matrix: Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded

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: Klika Tech (Not published) vs ARCH-Embedded (Not published)
You need specialist depth in a specific vertical Klika Tech
You need staff augmentation or team extension Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug
You need consulting before committing to a build ARCH-Embedded

Use case fit: Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded

Use case Klika Tech fit ARCH-Embedded fit Winner
IoT device firmware designed to integrate directly with an AWS IoT backend Strong Limited Klika Tech
Combined cloud and embedded firmware development for a new connected product Strong Limited Klika Tech
Cellular and GNSS-connected firmware for a positioning or micro-mobility device Limited Strong ARCH-Embedded
Nordic Semiconductor-based connected product architecture and firmware development Limited Strong ARCH-Embedded
Fixed-price build Limited Limited Both equally
Staff augmentation Limited Limited Both equally

Verdict: Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded

Klika Tech (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Development projects. AWS IoT and DevOps competency partner status combined with STMicroelectronics hardware partnership.

ARCH-Embedded (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need nordic Semiconductor-based connected product architecture and firmware development. If your situation matches that, ARCH-Embedded is a competitive option.

Related comparisons

Klika Tech vs ARCH-Embedded FAQ

Is Klika Tech better than ARCH-Embedded?

Klika Tech (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Klika Tech's strongest advantage: AWS IoT and DevOps competency status backs its cloud-first firmware positioning with a verifiable AWS partner credential. ARCH-Embedded's strongest advantage: nordic Semiconductor partner status backs its cellular and positioning-technology hardware claims.

How do Klika Tech and ARCH-Embedded differ in pricing?

Klika Tech uses project-based iot and cloud-embedded engagements pricing. ARCH-Embedded uses project-based embedded consultancy engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.

Which is better for enterprise: Klika Tech or ARCH-Embedded?

ARCH-Embedded 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 Klika Tech and ARCH-Embedded?

Klika Tech's primary differentiator is: AWS IoT and DevOps competency partner status combined with STMicroelectronics hardware partnership. ARCH-Embedded's primary differentiator is: positioning-technology and cellular-connectivity specialty drawing on team experience from TomTom and micro-mobility products. They also differ in team size (Not published vs 2–10), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Industrial IoT, Consumer IoT vs Micro-mobility, Positioning and location technology).

Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.