What do investors actually want to see from a hardware startup before funding it?
It takes more than a good idea.
I have a product idea - what should I do next?
You've had the idea. Maybe it came to you in the shower, maybe it's been rattling around your head for years. You know there's something in it. But now what?
Beyond Day One: How to Build a Seamless Digital Onboarding Journey for Your New Hires
Beyond Day One: How to Build a Seamless Digital Onboarding Journey for Your New HiresYou’ve spent weeks interviewing, sifted through dozens of CVs, and finally found the perfect candidate for your growing team in Cambridge or Peterborough.
Do I need a prototype before contacting manufacturers?
Short answer: If your asking this question, you probably aren’t ready to be contacting manufacturers yet.
Where SHE does safety started: Meet the Founder
I’ve been asked quite a bit lately for my story, so here it is.I’m Laura — a Certified member of IOSH, an Associate member of the IFSM, and the founder of SHE does safety.
Protecting your staff and your organisation from fake recruitment scams
A fake recruiter message is one of the cleanest social engineering tricks around -because it doesn’t look like a trick. Here’s a few simple checks and rules to shut these scams down.
Design for manufacture: a founder’s guide to avoiding costly mistakes
You've got a product idea that makes sense. You've sketched it out, maybe had a prototype built, and people who've seen it are excited. So you start talking to manufacturers and that's when it gets complicated.
Beyond the CV: How psychometric tools turn hiring from guesswork into strategy
A bad hire in a 15-person scale-up costs more than money. It costs momentum. By the time the role-fit problem is obvious, the person has been onboarded, given accounts, trusted with clients—and unpicking that takes months.
A founder’s guide to prototyping — without wasting time or money
For first-time founders, product development rarely begins with clarity.
Top 10 Reasons to Host Your Next Conference in Cambridge
If you're searching for a conference venue in Cambridge, you're already onto something special.
Transform Your Compliance Process with One System
Are you managing multiple systems for different certifications like ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 45001, and ISO 27001?
If so, you’re likely facing:
Achieving compliance and quality in medical devices for 2026
As we begin 2026, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the journey of CJ & L Consultancy Ltd over the past year and share my outlook for the year ahead.
Why most hardware startups fail (and how to avoid it)
Most hardware startups don’t fail because of a single big mistake.
They fail because a small number of critical questions were never fully answered, or were answered too late, when changing direction had already become costly.
When is the right time for a startup to hire a product design consultancy?
At some point, almost every founder developing a physical product runs into the same question.
Is it time to bring in experienced specialists, like a product design consultancy, to help bring the idea to life?
Passing the "Bus Test" - could your business survive?
On the forums where founders vent - there is a grim but necessary hypothetical known as the "Bus Test".
The question is simple: If you, or your "superstar" operations manager, were hit by a bus tomorrow, would your business still be running in a month?
Clear terminology, faster clinical device development
In this article, we explore what ‘clinical trial device’ really means, why consistent terminology is crucial to a shared understanding of the stage of development, and how this links to what regulators expect before approving a clinical investigation.
De-risking development with off-the-shelf modules
Off‑the‑shelf electronics modules are often more expensive and are sometimes assumed to be complex or not an exact fit for specific requirements, yet these perceptions often overlook the real advantages they bring.
Why your greatest risk is internal and how to fix it
Most founders lie awake worrying about the "Big Three":
market shifts, aggressive competitors, and the external economy.But what about within your business?.
Why Human Factors Will Drive Business Growth in 2026
When was the last time you abandoned a product because it was frustrating to use? When products are frustrating to use, users will abandon them, share their discontent or fail to adopt them in the first place.
How AI is transforming surgical decision support
Artificial intelligence is emerging as one of the most influential forces reshaping modern surgical practice.
Time to Talk Day - Embedding conversations at work
Todays is National #TimeToTalkDay, this has been one of the most successful campaigns over the years to get people talking about mental health.
Designing hybrid user interfaces: Bridging the physical and digital
As devices become increasingly complex and connected, user interfaces are being relied upon to bridge the gap between the physical and digital parts of a system. This often leads to hybrid interfaces, a blend of physical controls and digital displays.
CES 2026: Human-centred innovation takes the stage
This year at CES, many companies focused on something we at eg technology care deeply about - designing products that genuinely support people. Ambient AI working quietly in the background, robotics designed around real tasks, calmer smart homes and wearables that reduce cognitive load all featured strongly. This blog look at the key outcomes from the show and unveils AI's shifting role in…
J.P. Morgan 2026: How MedTech leaders are de-risking product development
What’s shaping MedTech product development in 2026? At this year’s J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, one message was clear: growth now depends on how effectively teams de‑risk product development. From intentional AI integration to stronger execution strategies and a sharper investor focus, MedTech leaders are prioritising predictable delivery over ambitious promises. In this blog, eg…
Rethinking ‘Diversity’ and ‘Inclusion’ as Everyday Leadership Skills: Moving beyond initiatives to real-world leadership practice
Leadership today is less about having the right answers and more about navigating complexity. Decisions are made with incomplete information, competing priorities, and constant pressure to move quickly. No leader sees the full picture alone.