Frequently Asked Questions

With any new project, the first step is to consider whether your idea could be commercially viable by answering the following questions:

Does your concept already exist?
Although not uncommon, it is unlikely that your concept hasn’t already been established, either through an existing product or as a patent that may have been filed but not acted upon. In this instance, unless your product provides an innovative difference to an already established product, you may want to reconsider whether you want to develop it or not.

Who is the target market?
Is your product intended for industry or consumer? What industry, sector or demographic is your product intended for? Why will they purchase your product? Initial market research can help address these preliminary questions and will be able to focus the project’s direction, ensuring that the target audience is designed for appropriately.

Can you protect your intellectual property?
If possible, the protection of your intellectual property will prevent competitors from being able to profit from your investment. Should this be a concern, we can help provide the contact details of a Patent Agent, who can advise on the protection of your intellectual property.

Can you fund your project?
Before you are able to sell your product, the development, manufacture, distribution and marketing will need to be paid for. Whilst many may find it possible to fund these stages using their own savings, others may require funding from a third-party investor.

How will you make a return on your investment?
Will you create a business built around your product, and any future products? Or do you intend to sell or licence your intellectual property to other companies? Having a defined business strategy will help with the success of your product.
The cost of getting a product designed and manufactured relies on a number of different factors:
  • Size
  • Materials
  • Surface Finish
  • Complexity
  • Number of Parts
  • Electronic Components
  • Applicable Standards


Every project will be unique so providing you with a detailed list of costings would require a free consultation in order to establish the feasibility and scope of your project. Before beginning a project, we would need to consider the following:
  • Design Costs
  • Prototyping Costs
  • Testing Costs
  • Manufacturing Costs

Once these factors are considered, we can provide you with a bespoke quote tailored to your project that outlines the preliminary cost.
In the event that an individual or business may be unable to finance the entire project in part or in whole by themselves, there are multiple options to provide funding assistance. The funding of your project should be carefully considered as to which is the most relevant for you and your project.

Government Schemes Although what is offered may differ between areas, there are schemes designed to help support small businesses.

Crowdfunding Although other platforms exist, the most common form of crowdfunding occurs online through companies such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. The most common form of return for these investors is usually to be put on a priority list to receive one of your projects first and for a cheaper price, sometimes before it has been released to the general public. Prior to launch, a successfully crowdfunded project normally has PR and social media engagement in order to secure a large group of backers.

Financial Partner An investor could be an individual, company or organisation. You may be able to find a financial partner through networking events, placing adverts or by contacting investor’s organisations.

Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors Venture capitalists and angel investors invest in small companies in exchange for equity and or a share in your business.
We are a multidisciplinary design studio offering a multitude of services that can provide you with the necessary tools to get your project developed, no matter where you are in the design stage. We offer:

To find out more about these services, please visit our dedicated services page.
Absolutely not! We offer our services to any and all projects, no matter the stage. We have experience ranging from designing products from the ground up to developing and working on products that have already been released.
In the early stages of your project it is vital that, if any discussion regarding your concept is necessary, it is kept confidential under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). The release of information into the public domain, without adequate protection, could give others the opportunity to exploit your innovation by releasing it to market before yourself, and could also prevent any IP applications from being granted. Before starting any discussions with yourself about your project, we will provide you with an NDA to sign.
As part of our design process, we offer patent support via our trusted network of patent lawyers who can advise you on methods that exist that will protect the IP of your project. We highly recommended that you let us help you investigate both the existing and future patents that will affect your product as you could end up with a fully developed product that you cannot sell!
Registered Design A registered design allows the owner to prevent anyone from copying the external form and aesthetics of the product. This does not apply to any technical aspects of the product.

Copyright Copyright is an automatic right, which applies to all forms of ‘art’ and, within Europe, no official forms need to be filed. Copyright offers a limited level of protection for your investment.

Trademark A trademark protects a recognisable symbol, logo or name for a specific ‘class’ of goods or services. Provided they are in a different, unconnected class, others can register identical or similar marks, such as Swan matches and Swan electrical.

Patent A patent granted gives the owner the ability to prevent others from manufacturing, importing or retailing their invention, within the geographical territory with which the patent has been applied, without prior authorisation. It protects the functional aspects of the product or system as well as how it works. A patent can only last a maximum of 20 years, and in the UK, after four years, annual renewal fees apply.
Unfortunately, we do not offer sales or marketing services at this time, though we may be able to refer you to trusted companies who may be able to help.
  • 3D Printing - the process of making a physical object from a 3D virtual model. We use a variety of 3D printing technologies, the most common being Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). For more complex designs, we will use Stereolithography (SLA) or Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) printing.
  • CAD - Computer Aided Design or ‘CAD’ is the creation of 2D drawings and 3D virtual models of a product using computational software.
  • CNC - stands for Computer Numeric Control which encompasses the use of computers and other digital apparatus in order to control machinery such as a router or lathe.
  • Branding - refers to the material surrounding your product, such as a logo, packaging, or any other customer-facing element, that helps embed the identity of your product or company.
  • Engineering Drawing - a 2D drawing detailing the dimensions, materials and finishes on the individual parts of a product.
  • Ergonomics - refining the design of a product to be optimised for human use.
  • IP - Intellectual Property, which refers to the creations ‘of the mind’ such as inventions or designs used in a commercial setting.
  • NDA - a Non-Disclosure Agreement is a legal contract that offers protection where two or more parties disclose confidential information to each other.
  • Patent - a licence granting the right to exclude others from making, using or selling an invention.
  • PDS - a Product Design Specification is a list detailing a product’s function, size, weight, cost and other design data.
  • Prototype - a physical model of a product produced prior to manufacture, primarily used for testing purposes (N.B. Prototypes range from being purely aesthetic to fully functional).
  • Render - a photorealistic image created from 3D CAD data.
  • Trademark - a recognisable symbol, word or words legally registered or established by use as representing a company or product, relative to a specific ‘class’ of goods or services. Provided they are in a different, unconnected class, others can register identical or similar marks, such as Swan matches and Swan electrical.
  • Standards - a set of rules that establishes an agreed way of doing something. In relation to design, manufacturing standards ensure the products safety and quality which a product should either reach or surpass, in order to be regarded as both safe and manufactured to a high standard.

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What happens next?

Our team will have a look at the information you provide us and produce a detailed quote for you.

We may then invite you in for a free initial meeting at our offices near Reading in Berkshire at the start of your iterign live project, where we can explore your project requirements, and help you to define the project brief.

We will always send you an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) before entering into any detailed discussions, to ensure your intellectual property is correctly protected.

When you're happy with everything, we'll get straight to work on your project providing regular updates so you can check in on its progress.

We are masters of iterative design, creating successful and delightful products for almost any sector. Our team brings a high level of ingenuity and creativity to each and every project. We want to ensure that not only is the product functional, but also successful.



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