Firefinch Software and i4 Product Design (i4PD) have announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership that will bring together the market leading software expertise of Firefinch Software with the hardware product design and development experience of i4PD, creating a one stop shop for start-ups and new businesses looking to bring their ideas quickly to market.

Firefinch Software was founded in 2017 by senior researchers and developers from a leading biotech manufacturer and specialises in software development for the biotech, agri-tech, engineering and manufacturing sectors. The demand for their services rapidly increased and staff numbers have grown to 15 members, bringing in specialists and associated skills from other sectors including a number who re-trained with software as a second career.

Matt Connelly, Director at Firefinch Software, said, “We have worked with i4PD on previous projects and have found them to be the perfect fit for us, their skills and knowledge create a perfect synergy for growth and we look forward to working with them more closely as a result of this partnership”.

The i4PD team was established in 2003 as a product design consultancy and transitioned in 2018 to become an employee-owned business. The company have grown to become the largest multidisciplinary product design consultancy in Scotland.

Tristan Elliott, Business Development Director at i4PD, said, “The similarities between the companies was immediately apparent when we started talking about our projects, people and processes. Firefinch complement our hardware and embedded software teams perfectly as we are often asked to provide a turnkey solution to our clients. This closer affiliation will mean the companies can continue to work on increasingly challenging projects and grow together.

Firefinch Software and i4PD will be exhibiting at the IBioIC’s 9th Annual Conference:  Resilience and the Bioeconomy 15th & 16th March at the Technology and Innovation Centre, Glasgow