Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) edges ahead of Consult Red (4.3/5) overall. Lemberg Solutions is the better choice for architecture consulting that can transition directly into full development. Consult Red is the stronger option for connected-device consulting from a team with direct prior product-company engineering leadership. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | Consult Red |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2003 |
| HQ | Lviv, Ukraine (offices in Hamburg, Germany; London, UK; Kraków, Poland) | Shipley, UK |
| Team size | 200+ | 220+ |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts | Founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded |
| Pricing model | Firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation | Consulting and product development engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | FreeRTOS, Zephyr, Azure RTOS | RTOS, Embedded Software, Cloud Platforms |
| Industries served | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial, Pay TV / OTT |
Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red: overview
Lemberg Solutions
Lemberg Solutions was founded in 2007 in Lviv, Ukraine and has grown to a 200+ person team with additional offices in Hamburg, London, and Kraków. Its firmware consulting practice covers platform and MCU selection, RTOS strategy, and architecture-level guidance delivered before a client commits to full development, backed by direct partnership status with NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip and an in-house lab for hardware validation. ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 13485 certifications give an advisory engagement documented process credibility that a purely informal consulting relationship doesn't carry.
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.
Services and capabilities: Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red
| Capability | Lemberg Solutions | Consult Red |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red
| Framework / platform | Lemberg Solutions | Consult Red |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | ✓ | N/A |
| RTOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISO 26262 | N/A | N/A |
| IEC 61508 | N/A | N/A |
| MISRA C | ✓ | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | ✓ | N/A |
| PCB Design | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | Consult Red |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Firmware consulting, Design-phase engagement, Full development lifecycle, Staff augmentation | Consulting, Product development, Staff augmentation |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red
| Dimension | Lemberg Solutions | Consult Red |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics | Connected TV, IoT, Industrial |
| Best use cases | Architecture and feasibility assessment before committing to a full firmware build, RTOS and MCU selection advisory for a new product line | Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting, IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background |
| Typical project type | Firmware consulting | Consulting |
Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red: pros and cons
| Lemberg Solutions | |
|---|---|
| + | Direct partner status with NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip means MCU selection advice comes with chip-vendor-level engineering support behind it |
| + | Design-phase engagement is offered as its own line item, not only as a prelude to a locked-in full build |
| + | In-house hardware lab lets architecture recommendations be validated against real silicon before a client commits budget |
| + | ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 13485 certifications give an advisory engagement a documented process a client can audit |
| + | Full IP and source code rights transfer to the client on delivery |
| - | Does not run mass production in-house, so a consulting engagement that leads to production still needs a separate manufacturing partner |
| - | Does not submit regulatory certification filings on the client's behalf, only supporting technical documentation |
| - | No published consulting day rate or minimum engagement figure |
| 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 |
Who should choose Lemberg Solutions?
A typical fit: architecture and feasibility assessment before committing to a full firmware build.
Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing & Industrial IoT, Consumer Electronics, Automotive.
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.
Decision matrix: Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Lemberg Solutions (Not published) vs Consult Red (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Lemberg Solutions |
Use case fit: Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red
| Use case | Lemberg Solutions fit | Consult Red fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture and feasibility assessment before committing to a full firmware build | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| RTOS and MCU selection advisory for a new product line | Strong | Limited | Lemberg Solutions |
| Connected TV or RDK-based embedded software consulting | Limited | Strong | Consult Red |
| IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background | Limited | Strong | Consult Red |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Strong | Consult Red |
Verdict: Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Consulting projects. Direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts.
Consult Red (4.3/5) is worth a look if you need IoT product architecture consulting from a team with product-company engineering leadership background. If your situation matches that, Consult Red is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Lemberg Solutions vs Consult Red FAQ
Is Lemberg Solutions better than Consult Red?
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Lemberg Solutions's strongest advantage: direct partner status with NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip means MCU selection advice comes with chip-vendor-level engineering support behind it. 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.
How do Lemberg Solutions and Consult Red differ in pricing?
Lemberg Solutions uses firmware consulting, design-phase engagement, full development lifecycle, or staff augmentation pricing. Consult Red uses consulting and product development engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Lemberg Solutions or Consult Red?
Consult Red 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 Lemberg Solutions and Consult Red?
Lemberg Solutions's primary differentiator is: direct NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Microchip partner status backing platform and RTOS selection advisory before development starts. Consult Red's primary differentiator is: founded by five engineering leaders from Pace Micro, employee-owned since its 2020 rebrand from Red Embedded. They also differ in team size (200+ vs 220+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Healthcare (FDA, HIPAA, IEC 62304, ISO 13485), Energy vs Connected TV, IoT).
Verify all details directly with each consultancy before making a decision.