Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Consult Red (4.3/5) edges ahead of NOVO Engineering (4.1/5) overall. Consult Red is the better choice for connected-device consulting from a team with direct prior product-company engineering leadership. NOVO Engineering is the stronger option for multi-discipline systems architecture advisory spanning mechanical, electrical, and firmware. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Consult Red | NOVO Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 | 2004 |
| HQ | Shipley, UK | Vista, CA, USA |
| Team size | 220+ | 48–60 |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded | Systems-engineering team averaging 16 years of experience per engineer, delivering firmware advisory alongside mechanical and electrical review |
| Pricing model | Consulting and product development engagements | Fixed-scope product engineering and advisory engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | RTOS, Embedded Software, Cloud Platforms | C, C++, Embedded Systems Programming |
| Industries served | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial, Pay TV / OTT | Medical devices, Biotech, Printing technology, Commercial products |
Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering: overview
Consult Red
Consult Red was founded in 2003 by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, initially operating as Red Embedded before rebranding to Consult Red in February 2020. Headquartered at The Wave, Shipley, England, the firm has grown to more than 220 employees across four continents and transferred ownership to an Employee-Owned Trust, applying its embedded, hardware, and cloud technology experience to connected-device consulting across Connected TV, IoT, and industrial sectors. The founding team's direct engineering leadership background at Pace Micro, a real, named prior employer, gives its consulting credibility a specific origin story a buyer can trace.
NOVO Engineering
NOVO Engineering was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Vista, California near San Diego, with a second location near Minneapolis and a team reported between 48 and 60 engineers averaging 16 years of experience each. Its systems-engineering framing means firmware architecture advisory is delivered alongside mechanical and electrical systems review from the earliest stages of a program, across medical devices, biotech instrumentation, and commercial products. For a buyer whose architecture question spans more than firmware alone, that senior, multi-discipline systems-engineering bench is the specific value.
Services and capabilities: Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering
| Capability | Consult Red | NOVO Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Feasibility assessment | ✗ | ✓ |
| Functional safety consulting | ✗ | ✗ |
| Technical training | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert-witness services | ✗ | ✗ |
| Hardware co-design | ✗ | ✓ |
| Medical device firmware | ✗ | ✓ |
| IoT connectivity | ✓ | ✗ |
| Staff augmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering
| Framework / platform | Consult Red | NOVO Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | N/A | ✓ |
| RTOS | ✓ | N/A |
| ISO 26262 | N/A | N/A |
| IEC 61508 | N/A | N/A |
| MISRA C | N/A | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | N/A | N/A |
| PCB Design | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering
| Criterion | Consult Red | NOVO Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Product development, Staff augmentation | Fixed-scope product engineering, Pre-production manufacturing support |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering
| Dimension | Consult Red | NOVO Engineering |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial | Medical devices, Biotech, Printing technology |
| Best use cases | Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting, IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background | Multi-discipline early architecture review spanning mechanical, electrical, and firmware, Biotech instrumentation feasibility assessment |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Fixed-scope product engineering |
Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering: pros and cons
| Consult Red | |
|---|---|
| + | Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, a specific, verifiable prior employer that grounds the firm's founding expertise claim |
| + | 22 years of operating history, with employee ownership since its 2020 rebrand aligning staff incentives with long-term client relationships |
| + | 220-plus employees across four continents give substantial bench depth for concurrent consulting and development engagements |
| + | Connected TV and RDK-V/RDK-B specialization is a specific, differentiated niche within broader embedded consulting |
| - | Connected TV and OTT specialization is a narrower fit for a buyer whose product has no video or pay-TV component |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| - | The 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded to Consult Red is worth confirming doesn't create confusion with unrelated firms using similar names |
| NOVO Engineering | |
|---|---|
| + | Engineering team averages 16 years of experience per engineer, a strong signal of senior judgment for an early-stage architecture review |
| + | Systems engineering scope reviews mechanical, electrical, and firmware together, useful when the architecture question spans multiple disciplines |
| + | Two US locations near San Diego and Minneapolis give onsite coverage options for architecture workshops |
| + | 21 years of operating history in medical device and biotech instrumentation advisory work |
| - | 48 to 60 engineers caps how many large concurrent advisory programs the firm can run at once |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| - | Firmware advisory is delivered as part of a broader systems-engineering practice, not a standalone firmware-consulting brand |
Who should choose Consult Red?
A typical fit: connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting.
Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Connected TV, IoT, Industrial, Pay TV / OTT.
Who should choose NOVO Engineering?
A typical fit: multi-discipline early architecture review spanning mechanical, electrical, and firmware.
Systems-engineering team averaging 16 years of experience per engineer, delivering firmware advisory alongside mechanical and electrical review. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Medical devices, Biotech, Printing technology, Commercial products.
Decision matrix: Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | NOVO Engineering |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Consult Red (Not published) vs NOVO Engineering (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Consult Red |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Consult Red |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Consult Red |
Use case fit: Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering
| Use case | Consult Red fit | NOVO Engineering fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting | Strong | Limited | Consult Red |
| IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Multi-discipline early architecture review spanning mechanical, electrical, and firmware | Limited | Strong | NOVO Engineering |
| Biotech instrumentation feasibility assessment | Limited | Strong | NOVO Engineering |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Strong | Limited | Consult Red |
Verdict: Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering
Consult Red (4.3/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Consulting projects. Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded.
NOVO Engineering (4.1/5) is worth a look if you need biotech instrumentation feasibility assessment. If your situation matches that, NOVO Engineering is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Consult Red vs NOVO Engineering FAQ
Is Consult Red better than NOVO Engineering?
Consult Red (4.3/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Consult Red's strongest advantage: founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, a specific, verifiable prior employer that grounds the firm's founding expertise claim. NOVO Engineering's strongest advantage: engineering team averages 16 years of experience per engineer, a strong signal of senior judgment for an early-stage architecture review.
How do Consult Red and NOVO Engineering differ in pricing?
Consult Red uses consulting and product development engagements pricing. NOVO Engineering uses fixed-scope product engineering and advisory engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Consult Red or NOVO Engineering?
NOVO Engineering is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each consultancy before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Consult Red and NOVO Engineering?
Consult Red's primary differentiator is: founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded. NOVO Engineering's primary differentiator is: systems-engineering team averaging 16 years of experience per engineer, delivering firmware advisory alongside mechanical and electrical review. They also differ in team size (220+ vs 48–60), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Connected TV, IoT vs Medical devices, Biotech).
Verify all details directly with each consultancy before making a decision.