Focus

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CTO of Soundshell LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our vision is to revolutionize the live audio industry with cuting-edge technology for musicians and audio engineers

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Focus to accomplish?

• Design custom audio hardware
• Develop firmware
• Help us manufacturing our hardware prototypes in Asia

SOLUTION

How did you find Focus?

Referral

Why did you select Focus over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Focus were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We engaged Focus to continue the development of a project we had already initiated. Their responsibilities included reviewing and understanding the previous design, resolving all existing issues, and producing new functional prototypes. The project involves a complex digital audio system integrated with a pre-existing protocol, which posed certain technical limitations. Their work required adapting to the protocol we had chosen to use.

Key deliverables included providing comprehensive documentation to enable us to budget the manufacturing of our equipment in Asia and delivering fully functional prototypes, including the production of PCBs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project was a success. Although we went through several iterations to arrive at the final solution, Focus delivered excellent work and met all objectives. Their attention to detail was remarkable, ensuring that each iteration brought us closer to the desired outcome.

The measurable outcomes included the production of fully functional prototypes that exceeded performance expectations, comprehensive and clear documentation that streamlined the budgeting and manufacturing process, and the seamless integration of the pre-existing protocol despite its technical limitations. Their diligent problem-solving and iterative approach played a key role in achieving these results.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their project management was highly effective. We maintained continuous communication through Slack and email, supplemented by weekly calls to stay updated on progress. When needed, I visited their office to review the work in person, and they responded promptly and efficiently.

They assigned an internal project manager who oversaw the entire project, ensuring everything was well-organized and on track. I was also given access to their Jira workspace, which allowed me to monitor the status of each task and track progress in real-time. This level of transparency and organization made collaboration seamless and ensured that deliverables were managed effectively.

What was your primary form of communication with Focus?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What impressed me most about this company was their professionalism. They consistently delivered what we needed, but they also had the confidence and expertise to propose new ideas or challenge decisions they believed might not be the best for the project. This added a valuable layer of insight to our collaboration.

Additionally, their humanity and approachability stood out—they were not just service providers but true partners, making the working relationship both productive and enjoyable. Their commitment to both technical excellence and building trust was truly unique.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Focus could have done differently?

One area for improvement could be the speed of the process. I fully understand that slower iteration cycles are natural in hardware development, as they involve more complex logistics and higher costs compared to software. However, coming from a software background, where faster iterations are the norm, the difference was noticeable. While this is inherent to hardware projects, exploring ways to optimize or streamline the iteration process could enhance efficiency and help maintain momentum.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Medipace, a medical device development company catering to the US market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Focus?

We needed help with the development of electronics.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Focus has been helping us develop and design PCBs based on our requirements. They create the PCB layout and schematics, develop the firmware for the boards, and conduct bench testing.

What is the team composition?

We work with at least 10–15 engineers from their team, including Alvaro. He’s the project manager and also an engineer.

How did you come to work with Focus?

We found them through a mutual connection who works for another medical device company in the US. We chose Focus because of their expertise and pricing, which was lower compared to other US companies.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2022, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The quality of their work is easy to test because when they develop each version of the board, we can tell right away whether it’s working or not. Given that, each version they’ve made has been working at 90% in the beginning and eventually at 100% after they do some reworking.

How did Focus perform from a project management standpoint?

They always meet deadlines and stay on budget. It's also good to see that their engineers are leading the projects. We had initially considered using Jira and other project management tools, but we decided not to because it’s easier to manage things with Microsoft PowerPoint. We have monthly meetings through Google Meet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their expertise in medical devices is impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind right now.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

My advice is to do comparison shopping. Ask them for a quote and then get a quote from another provider to see which quote is better. You can also rely on review platforms, such as Clutch, to measure experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP Engineering of Glucotrack

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Glucotrack does Medical Device design and development for products to be used by people with diabetes. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Focus to accomplish?

• Develop the prototype PCB and software to be included in a product with support documentation
• Add features needed for a robust product.

SOLUTION

How did you find Focus?

Referral

Why did you select Focus over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned
• Clear about what was in and not in their expertise

How many teammates from Focus were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Focus was to use prototype software and a hardware platform as input to develop a PCBA and software for use in an implantable device with supporting documentation for testing and regulatory requirements. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Project delivery for PCBA test exceeded expectations.

Tiny (1 sq cm), high layer count PCBA delivered on-time with minimal need for respin.

Embeded firmware built with automated testing as a priority.

Project prioritzed as appropriate to meet target deadlines.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Focus was open and forward-thinking about upcoming challenges and was able to work around external delays and hiccups.

Focus delivered milestones on time with the necessary features for the milestone. 

Focus shared weekly accomplishments and planning, and adjusted the meeting contents to meet the our information needs.

Focus readily shared their resource usage and task allocation weekly and in detail, once requested.  

What was your primary form of communication with Focus?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Focus got our attention because of the experience of thier people in the medical device industry.  I was happy during our development discussions to hear their candor about where there strengths were and were not so that we could set up a project most successfully.  During development, I was pleased to discover how much of their project setup was a test-driven design, requiring early preparation to produce a stable end-project timeline.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Focus could have done differently?

Focus tends to put people on a schedule with general tasks as deliverables rather than a broken-out work breakdown. This may be incompatible with people expecting a detailed schedule.  Focus' solution is a weekly meeting and update, as well as forward-looking plans and prioritization.

Focus could be clearer about updates on the status of key project features.  This requires the client to have such priorities and make them clear.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a connected fitness company. We're building the next generation in strength training, starting with the world's smartest dumbbells.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Focus?

We hired this team to work on all things EE, firmware and software. They were excellent across all areas including algorithm development, PCBs, testing, and more.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

They came through our network as reputable, skilled and with robotics backgrounds at companies like iRobot.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

They helped us with our development across metrics tracking in our fitness devices, Bluetooth connections, haptics, PCB constraints, analytics, encoders, and more. It was several projects across a 1.5 year period. General stages were planning, execution, testing, refinement and delivery.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with several folks from their team. Their positions were unclear to me, but they were all quite talented.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We were able to build a fully functional prototype integrated with mobile app, real-time data, weight changing. We were able to then take this to investors to showcase our progress & let them experience the full workout experience.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extremely effective. They had great communication.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They weren't afraid to roll up their sleeves, and even if they didn't have expertise with something, they weren't afraid to put in the effort to learn and try.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Time zone could be a minor issue when work was being done in the late evenings, but that was extremely rare, not really their fault, and they were able to handle everything regardless.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of Binho, a small company focused on the design and sales of embedded systems development tools and test equipment, accessories, and related services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Focus, and what were your goals?

I was faced with the challenge of scaling up our engineering team to take on the development of a new product line. The goals were to find a partner that would be available for a long-term partnership, having minimal communication friction, and internally well-managed, in addition to having the technical expertise in software and embedded systems development.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I found Focus while searching for suitable development firms on Upwork. After several rounds of communications and a very positive video call, I was confident that Focus could be the partner my business needed to find. We got started with a small-scope project to work together for a few weeks so that we could evaluate what it's like to work together. I was very pleased with both the technical deliverables and the communication / working rhythms we had established during the initial project and then scaled up scope of work.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

The projects I've had the team at Focus work on have spread across many different domains, from cross-platform desktop software written in C++ to embedded firmware development on the latest ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers (and requisite test scripts in python to do system testing and validation) to PCB Layouts in Altium Designer.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Throughout our on-going work so far, I've directly interacted with over 12 different members of the team, mostly engineers with different backgrounds and domains of expertise, but also with the business leaders and project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

As mentioned above, the team at Focus has produced deliverables on several different related projects for me. Their PCB Layouts have already made it into products that are confirmed working well and already in mass production. The custom software developed started by Focus in November of last year is already a World-Class tool, rivalling those from large competitors that have had several years of a head start.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We communicate daily on Slack. Communication occurs at all levels, as necessary -- sometimes I am interacting directly with the engineers on pure technical topics, other times I am communicating directly with the business leaders and/or project manager as needed. The team uses Jira to manage the projects and I have full visibility into it. We have video calls whenever necessary. Overall, I'm very pleased with the lack of communication friction -- we've not had any challenges when it comes to effective communication. I even had the opportunity to meet in person during Mauri's trip to California.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

There are several aspects of working with Focus that I find to be very unique. I really like the transparency. As an engineer myself, being able to interact directly with the engineers working on the projects is great - I'm so happy that communication isn't gated through a single point of contact. The team at Focus is also very enthusiast and passionate about the projects they are working on and it really shows in their work.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Well there's always room for improvement, but I'm struggling to think of what I can write here. Initially, I was disappointed that they did not have much experience with Altium Designer for Electrical schematics and PCB layout design -- however they actually had an engineer with that expertise join the team after a few short months.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m data engineer director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Focus?

We hire Focus to help us on developing a sw for real time dat integration of a sensor buoy into an IoT platform and also to implement a wastewater difusion model that forecast in real time the concentration of contaminants on the Rio de la Platas’s river.

SOLUTION

How did you select Focus and what were the deciding factors?

We have past experiences working with Focus that were very successful. We needed very talented professionals with excelente communication and engineering skills, goal oriented and strongly committed to the success. We found all that we needed in Focus.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

The project had three phases. Developing a gateway (IoT agent) that allows real time data integration between a buoy and the Fiware IoT platform. Understand and adapt a physical and biological model for wastewater spreading from a source code in Matlab thought to run in batches to an node.js and python implementation to run in dokcker containers in production in real-time, and s staging and sandbox environment to improve the model accuracy.

How many resources from the Focus team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Two team engineers and a lead engineer. Management, development and consulting.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The data is integrated in real time. The model for spreading is running and producing forecasting. The output is being used for our client to manage the coast an inform population about the quality of water and also deciding when and where to sample.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had biweekly in presence meetings and continue communication by slack and mail. The process was scrum based.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The high levels of expertise in no so common topics. They managed to solve complex and unique problems successfully. They had strong commitment with the goals.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nothing that worth mentioning. The team do an amazing job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the chief engineer at OTEK Corporation. I usually manage one or more research development projects at any given time. OTEK designs and manufactures Digital Panel Meters. We have a standard product line but can customize our instruments to meet specific customer demands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Focus, and what were your goals?

OTEK had the hardware designed for a new series of panel meter but due to man power the firmware was behind schedule. We hired Focus to complete the firmware. OTEK's goal was to have a finished version of firmware that met the requirements spelled out in the SRS.

SOLUTION

How did you select Focus and what were the deciding factors?

We requested quotes from several different companies. Focus was the most responsive and honestly the most inquisitive about the project. The cost they quoted was reasonable and along the lines of what we would expect for a project of this magnitude.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We delivered a SRS (Software Requirement Specification) to Focus. They reviewed it and responded with questions. We passed revisions of firmware back and forth along with a bug and change log. The technology used was an IDE that was specific to the microcontroller architecture. The firmware was written in C and then cross-compiled for the specific platform.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Three different people from Focus worked with us. Mauricio was the director and functioned as the project manager on Focus' side. Emilio was the engineer first assigned to us. After the project got off its feet Sofia took his place to help us wrap up the development.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Focus was always professional and patient while we hashed out a SRS and figured out what the actual project requirements were. Several features were left out of the original documentation and Focus worked with us closely to implement them after the original deliverables and price had been established. Focus is quick to respond and had new versions of firmware available usually within a week so we could continue testing.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Mauricio was fast to respond and helped to manage the project on both ends. We communicated primarily over email with the occasional phone call so we could more easily clarify any questions either party had. We didn't have a specific timeline however Focus was always quick to respond.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Focus was very easy to work with. They accommodated additional features that were left out of the original SRS. Their communication was fast and they were good at keeping us informed on how the project was progressing. They also recommended a hardware change that improved the product beyond what the original design was capable of.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Focus was great, OTEK could have done a better job initially stating what the requirements were. Focus worked with us and was very accommodating to changes just to meet our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am CEO of www.foxsys.com.uy. My company provides virtual doorman services for home buildings in Uruguay and Argentina. We have 50% market share in Uruguay and in the early stages of the business in Argentina.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Focus?

We hire them to develop the electronics of the floor standing digital signage that we use for our virtual doorman in every building. By using it, the users of our service may view and talk to our operators acting as a virtually present doorman or woman.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to improve the user interface and how our users interact with the virtual doorman. We needed to add a presence detector and automate the answering and video response, among other improvements.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I am an electrical engineer, and a university professor suggested we try this company providing a wide variety of custom engineering solutions combing specific purpose-design electronics and software.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The project includes the testing of a variety of sensors, the design, and production of a circuit to integrate these sensors to our audio and video devices, the creation of those in an electronics manufacturing US Company and the testing and improvements in the filed, applying the solution in several buildings.

What was the team composition?

Two engineers and several technicians working with our IT and Operations chiefs.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

It dramatically changed the way the users interact with us. Previous to this improvement, we entirely depend on video analytics, and they didn't perform to the level we needed. With this new electronics, our response is much faster and accurate.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

It exceeded our expectations. They delivered the design, prototype, and productions before we expected. And the price was reasonable.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

How open they are to suggestions and improvements that appear down the way. The talent of the team is amazing.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't think of any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of a medical company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Drug-free nerve block devices

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Focus to accomplish?

• Firmware design and development
• PCB design and development

SOLUTION

How did you find Focus?

Referral

Why did you select Focus over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Focus were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Design, development and testing of firmware and circuitry to control medical device. Key deliverables include successful testing of newly manufactured boards and firmware integrated with device hardware and UI software.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Medical device with new board and firmware performs all expected functions and meets all user requirements.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Highly responsive communication and team. Provided upfront timeline estimates and then executed to plan. Project scope change requests were quickly assessed for cost and timeline impact to project. Overall very pleased with Focus' project managment.

What was your primary form of communication with Focus?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Focus is a highly collaborative partner that can work as an extension of our internal team.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Focus could have done differently?

Nothing comes to mind

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an Executive of Kcode LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

radio frequency identification (RFID) for apparel retail

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Focus to accomplish?

• R&D for a new product

SOLUTION

How did you find Focus?

Referral

Why did you select Focus over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Focus were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The project was the development of a visrtual Faraday cage. Details are confidential

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The actual product´s performance

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Delivery was in a timely manner and responded to our needs

What was your primary form of communication with Focus?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their technology mastery and reliability were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Focus could have done differently?

Not in principle