One of the most trusted full-service product design firms in North America. We help transform physical ideas into commercialized hardware products.

Ottawa, Ontario
Joined December 2009
We're celebrating 30 years of "so I've got this product idea" into a designed, prototyped, tested, manufactured, and shipped device. "Thirty years ago, I left a global telecom design team as an engineer who loved to build physical electronic gadgets. We've expanded our technical capabilities as cloud networks, IoT, sensors, and now AI have pushed the complexity of physical product designs." — @design_1st CEO, Kevin Bailey @kevin_d1bailey prnewswire.com/news-releases… #hardtech #electronicsdesign #AIoT #productdesign #industrialdesign @JoanHighet
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Sometimes it's better to leave #electronicsdesign to the professionals #vibecode #Ai #productdesign
Anyone else out there vibe circuit-building?
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READ: The MedTech issue of Design Engineering magazine, featuring the @hmrobotics XoMotion exoskeleton - design-engineering.com/digit…
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Our biggest client @Kickstarter launch yet — Groove Thing crossed $75K on Day 1. This isn’t just music you hear, it’s music you feel. We led product development from early concept to working prototype, helping bring a bold idea into the real world. See what the buzz is about on Kickstarter kickstarter.com/projects/gro… #hardtech #productdesign #startup #kickstarter #WearableTech
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How product companies can smartly navigate tariffs, supply chain pressure fastco.expert/4dIoSXo Written by Kevin Bailey of @design_1st
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Design 1st CEO Kevin Bailey just published in @FastCompany about a critical shift in product development. When trade policies change, your design decisions from years ago determine whether your product stays profitable or needs costly redesigns. Kevin breaks down how to build flexibility into your design process from the start. fastcompany.com/91340518/how… @FastCoBoard @kevin_d1bailey
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The top 10 trends driving product innovation in 2025 fastco.expert/4aNoRAd Written by Kevin Bailey of @design_1st
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The Design 1st team wrapped up a record-breaking year—104 products across 12 industries. Along the way, we saw firsthand how AI, connectivity, and smarter development processes are shaping the future of hardware. If you're working on a new product in 2025, our latest newsletter breaks down key trends, tools, and recent launches that could help you move faster. Take a look: news.design1st.com/p/trends-… #ProductDevelopment #Hardware #AI
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Ready to bring your product vision to life? Follow @ToddlerMonitor's journey from concept to market leader—an inspiring blend of innovative design and market fit that made it the world's top-selling toddler monitor device. Explore more: design1st.com/portfolio/todd… #iot #childsafety #ProductDesign #TechInnovatio
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Our "golden rules" for test driving new product concepts: 1. Don’t make me wait (2 seconds is awful, 10 seconds is a lifetime) 2. Don’t make me guess (I feel frustrated) 3. Create magic moments where what I want to happen, feels satisfying and enjoyable, every time. #productdesign
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Got a product concept and a ChatGPT Plus? Discover our 'Product Design Requirements' feature - navigate budgets, schedules, and the journey from design to production. chat.openai.com/g/g-7xzOl0w8… #productdesign #productdevelopment
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Navigating business challenges: Lessons from product development fastco.expert/47QYZ3k Written by Kevin Bailey of @design_1st
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Navigating business challenges: Lessons from product development fastco.expert/48MW4Ki Written by Kevin Bailey of @design_1st
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Design 1st retweeted
If you're a solo founder or unhappy with your working relationship, I want to share a wildly unusual story. I'm a non-technical founder that foolishly started an iot/hardware startup. In the first year: -I spent $80k -went through 3 CTOs -& 2 product development agencies
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Wow, @rowancheung really nailed the Day 1 highlights at #CES2024! 🚀
It's only been 1 day of CES 2024, and the tech developments have been incredible. The 10 most impressive reveals of CES 2024 so far: 1. The world's first transparent MICROLED screen by Samsung
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🤖 3 Robotic Product Design Trends we are watching for at #CES2024 this week: 1️⃣ AI-powered robots: Redefining automation and interaction. 2️⃣ Intelligent robotic systems: Revolutionizing industries with precision. 3️⃣ Robots as a service: Affordable, adaptable solutions. Stay tuned what we uncover!🔮 #TechTrends #ProductDesign #robotics #design1st
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Join us at #CES2024 and meet with @Design_1st Book a meeting with our senior team and explore new opportunities in product design: 🤖 Full Autonomy & Human-Robot Collaboration 🧠 AI-Powered Physical Products ⚡ Cutting-edge Battery Tech We'll be in Las Vegas, meeting with clients, and supply partners, and immersing ourselves in the latest innovations in physical products. #productdesign #industrialdesign #hwstartup design1st.com/ces-2024/ @kevin_d1bailey @JoanHighet
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