Best Firmware Development Companies

NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab: full comparison for 2026

Quick verdict

NOVO Engineering (4.4/5) edges ahead of WebbyLab (4.3/5) overall. NOVO Engineering is the better choice for multi-disciplinary product programs spanning mechanical, electrical, and firmware. WebbyLab is the stronger option for full-cycle IoT programs spanning firmware, cloud, and mobile. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.

NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab: head-to-head summary

Criterion NOVO Engineering WebbyLab
Founded 2004 2011
HQ Vista, CA, USA Kyiv, Ukraine (also London, UK)
Team size 48–60 120+
Rating 4.4 / 5 4.3 / 5
Primary differentiator Systems-engineering team averaging 16 years of experience per engineer across medical, biotech, and industrial product lines Full-cycle delivery from hardware selection through firmware and the connected application layer under one team
Pricing model Fixed-scope product engineering engagements Project-based full-cycle IoT engagements
Min. engagement Not published Not published
Primary tech stack C, C++, Embedded Systems Programming C, C++, IoT Connectivity Protocols
Industries served Medical devices, Biotech, Printing technology, Commercial products IoT hardware products, Fintech, E-commerce

NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab: overview

NOVO Engineering

NOVO Engineering was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Vista, California near San Diego, with a second location near Minneapolis and roughly 48 to 60 engineers depending on the source. The firm's services span hardware and software development, systems engineering, custom automation, and pre-production manufacturing support across medical devices, biotech instrumentation, printing technology, and commercial products. Its firmware work sits inside that broader systems-engineering practice rather than standing alone, which suits clients that need a single partner across mechanical, electrical, and firmware disciplines on one program.

WebbyLab

WebbyLab was founded in 2011 by Anton Morozov and Viktor Turskyi and now operates from Kyiv and London with more than 120 engineers spanning hardware, firmware, and software disciplines. The firm describes itself as full-cycle, taking a connected-device project from hardware selection through firmware and the cloud or mobile application that talks to it, with IoT and embedded systems named as a core specialty alongside AI and blockchain work. Fortune 500 clients are cited among its customer base, though specific project names are not detailed publicly.

Services and capabilities: NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab

Capability NOVO Engineering WebbyLab
RTOS firmware development
Bare-metal & driver development
Secure boot / OTA firmware updates
MCU & platform migration
Connectivity & IoT protocols
Functional safety / compliance
Embedded AI / on-device inference
Firmware GUI development
Hardware co-design / board bring-up
Staff augmentation

Tech stack comparison: NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab

Framework / platform NOVO Engineering WebbyLab
FreeRTOS N/A N/A
Zephyr N/A N/A
STM32 N/A N/A
ARM Cortex-M N/A N/A
Embedded Linux N/A N/A
BLE N/A N/A
MISRA N/A N/A
Secure Boot N/A N/A
AWS IoT N/A N/A
RISC-V N/A N/A

Pricing comparison: NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab

Criterion NOVO Engineering WebbyLab
Minimum engagement Not published Not published
Engagement models Fixed-scope product engineering, Pre-production manufacturing support Project-based full-cycle development
Rate transparency Not public Not public
Price tier Mid-market Mid-market

Target audience comparison: NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab

Dimension NOVO Engineering WebbyLab
Best company size Startup to mid-market Startup to mid-market
Best industries Medical devices, Biotech, Printing technology IoT hardware products, Fintech, E-commerce
Best use cases Firmware development as part of a full mechanical, electrical, and software product program, Biotech instrumentation requiring firmware alongside custom automation software Full-cycle IoT product from hardware selection through firmware and its companion mobile app, Embedded firmware for a connected device requiring cloud integration
Typical project type Fixed-scope product engineering Project-based full-cycle development

NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab: pros and cons

NOVO Engineering
+ Engineering team averages 16 years of experience per engineer, well above the industry norm for a firm of its size
+ Systems engineering scope covers mechanical, electrical, and firmware together rather than firmware in isolation
+ Two US locations near San Diego and Minneapolis give geographic coverage for onsite client work
+ Pre-production manufacturing support extends past firmware delivery into getting a product built
- Firmware is one discipline inside a broader systems-engineering firm, not a standalone firmware specialist brand
- 48 to 60 engineers caps how many large concurrent programs the firm can run at once
- No published pricing or minimum engagement figure
WebbyLab
+ Full-cycle scope covering hardware, firmware, and the connected cloud or mobile application reduces the number of vendors a client needs to coordinate
+ 120-plus engineers gives more concurrent-program capacity than most boutique firmware consultancies
+ 14 years of operating history under its original two founders
+ Fortune 500 client relationships are cited, indicating capacity for large-organization procurement processes
- IoT and embedded is one specialty alongside AI, blockchain, fintech, and e-commerce work, not the company's sole focus
- Specific named case studies with verifiable project details are limited in public materials
- No published pricing or minimum engagement threshold

Who should choose NOVO Engineering?

A typical fit: firmware development as part of a full mechanical, electrical, and software product program.

Systems-engineering team averaging 16 years of experience per engineer across medical, biotech, and industrial product lines. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Medical devices, Biotech, Printing technology, Commercial products.

Who should choose WebbyLab?

A typical fit: full-cycle IoT product from hardware selection through firmware and its companion mobile app.

Full-cycle delivery from hardware selection through firmware and the connected application layer under one team. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in IoT hardware products, Fintech, E-commerce.

Decision matrix: NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab

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: NOVO Engineering (Not published) vs WebbyLab (Not published)
You need specialist depth in a specific vertical NOVO Engineering
You need staff augmentation or team extension Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug
You need consulting before committing to a build Both may offer discovery engagements

Use case fit: NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab

Use case NOVO Engineering fit WebbyLab fit Winner
Firmware development as part of a full mechanical, electrical, and software product program Strong Strong Both equally
Biotech instrumentation requiring firmware alongside custom automation software Strong Limited NOVO Engineering
Full-cycle IoT product from hardware selection through firmware and its companion mobile app Limited Strong WebbyLab
Embedded firmware for a connected device requiring cloud integration Limited Strong WebbyLab
Fixed-price build Limited Limited Both equally
Staff augmentation Limited Limited Both equally

Verdict: NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab

NOVO Engineering (4.4/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Development projects. Systems-engineering team averaging 16 years of experience per engineer across medical, biotech, and industrial product lines.

WebbyLab (4.3/5) is worth a look if you need embedded firmware for a connected device requiring cloud integration. If your situation matches that, WebbyLab is a competitive option.

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NOVO Engineering vs WebbyLab FAQ

Is NOVO Engineering better than WebbyLab?

NOVO Engineering (4.4/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. NOVO Engineering's strongest advantage: engineering team averages 16 years of experience per engineer, well above the industry norm for a firm of its size. WebbyLab's strongest advantage: full-cycle scope covering hardware, firmware, and the connected cloud or mobile application reduces the number of vendors a client needs to coordinate.

How do NOVO Engineering and WebbyLab differ in pricing?

NOVO Engineering uses fixed-scope product engineering engagements pricing. WebbyLab uses project-based full-cycle iot engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.

Which is better for enterprise: NOVO Engineering or WebbyLab?

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 company before shortlisting.

What are the main differences between NOVO Engineering and WebbyLab?

NOVO Engineering's primary differentiator is: systems-engineering team averaging 16 years of experience per engineer across medical, biotech, and industrial product lines. WebbyLab's primary differentiator is: full-cycle delivery from hardware selection through firmware and the connected application layer under one team. They also differ in team size (48–60 vs 120+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Medical devices, Biotech vs IoT hardware products, Fintech).

Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.