Make ideas.
Product R&D, from a napkin sketch to a container of finished units.
Trusted by teams building hardware
What we do
Six disciplines, one team, from sketch to shipping.
We help you turn your ideas into products, using the best technology available.
- ENG
- Engineering
- Engineers who love to build, specialised in electronics, software and mechanics.
- ID
- Industrial design
- We take your design from the first sketch to a prototype, ready for industrialisation.
- DF
- Digital fabrication
- We design and prototype parts in 24 hours. Refine your product digitally and test it in real conditions.
- IOT
- IoT solutions
- Custom hardware and firmware for connected products.
- PKG
- Packaging
- Packaging matters. We design custom packaging that protects your product and looks good.
- FP
- Fast prototyping
- We make the first steps easier, with low-cost production of small prototype batches.
How we work
Three stages between an idea and a container of finished units.
A sprint of 2 to 4 weeks. We define what success means, build the smallest thing that can prove it, and give you a clear go or no-go before you spend more budget.
We define the core features, deliver in short iterations and put the product in front of real users early. That way, each next step is based on evidence.
We help you select and manage manufacturing partners, set up quality checks and move from a working prototype to repeatable production at scale.
So, which stage are you in?
Some of our work
Ideas→PoC→Prototypes→Production
ENERGYKlugit
Turning any water heater into a smart appliance
- 30+
- units in home pilots
- €130/yr
- saved per family
MOBILITYCarris
A digital ticket that survives a Lisbon tram
- 150
- pilot users
- 20+
- devices in the field
ENERGYFusion Fuel
A controller for a green-hydrogen reactor
- 20kWh
- high-voltage supply integrated
- CAN bus
- communication with the power stage
INDUSTRYConfidential client
High Speed USB 3.1 Very Thin Cable
- 0.3mm
- coax cable diameter
- USB 3.0
- speed target, low volume & weight
CONSUMERMellow
Engineering the second version of a sous-vide appliance
- FDA
- food-safety approval targeted
- v2
- cooling system redesigned
HEALTHOLI
A patented ECG sensor, built into a toilet seat
- Patented
- product design
- 5 stages
- problem to validated prototype
Some of our best work will never appear here.
Many clients trust us with products they haven't launched yet, so we keep their names and details private. What you see is a sample, not the full list.
SpaceXAI
We won the SpaceXAI Hackathon.
Engineers waste a day a week reading PDF datasheets. In one hackathon we built Virtual Datasheet: point at any graph and get the numbers, with the source page, for humans and AI agents alike.
- 0
- datasheets digitised
- 0
- cited statements
- 0
- curves turned into data
- 0%
- right answer in the top 5
Testimonials
What it's like working with us.
“MAKE IT is a vital component of that ecosystem.”
António Câmara · Professor at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Researcher at CENSE
“Where others had failed, MAKE IT executed our vision brilliantly.”
Tiago Bandeira · CEO, Klugit
“MAKE IT has shown the ability to effectively develop and deploy devices.”
David Carvalhão · Product lead
“The mindset at MAKE IT is truly inspiring. Top notch company.”
Miguel Almeida · Founder
“They delivered a prototype that surpassed expectations.”
Gabriela Almeida · PhD, CEO NS2
“We contacted several companies, but I made my choice immediately after seeing your product development process.”
André Santos · Co-Founder & CTO, Triple Idea
Recognition · R&D tax credit
Recognised R&D partner: your project may qualify for SIFIDE
MAKE IT holds the R&D suitability recognition (Selo ID) that ANI, Portugal's National Innovation Agency, grants to a small group of companies.
- 01
- Selo ID recognition
- The official ANI suitability seal, held by only a small group of companies.
- 02
- SIFIDE eligible
- R&D within our recognised areas may qualify for the tax credit.
Awarded by ANI, Portugal's National Innovation Agency, certifying MAKE IT's competence in ICT, IoT and Industry 4.0 innovation.
Not sure how this benefits your company? Ask us.
Live workshop · Free
PowerFree innovation sessionHour
A free one-hour session where our team reviews your product idea and gives you direct, practical feedback.
- Direct feedback on your concept from engineers who build hardware every day
- A clear view of technical feasibility, risks and next steps
- No pitch decks, no sales pitch — just an honest hour
“MAKE IT is a vital component of that ecosystem.”
António CâmaraResearcher at CENSE
From LinkedIn
Follow what we're building.
Olha, ganhámos o primeiro prémio! 🏆 No hackathon SpaceXAI, em Braga, a MAKE IT product R&D venceu com o Virtual Datasheet.
Read on LinkedIn →
Uma equipa da MAKE IT product R&D inicia hoje no Fórum Braga a competição no SpaceXAI Digital Transformation Lab, um hackathon organizado pela Startup Portugal e pelo IAPMEI.
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Workshop «Compliant Mechanisms + IA: de uma peça flexível a um produto»: como desenhar e prototipar mecanismos que usam a deformação elástica para transmitir força e movimento.
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Impressão 3D: de Portugal até ao espaço. Francisco Mendes é orador confirmado do Congresso Industria Tech, a falar de produtos pioneiros em impressão 3D desenvolvidos e industrializados em Portugal.
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Impressão 3D: de Portugal até ao espaço. Francisco Mendes fala no Industria Tech sobre o desenvolvimento e industrialização de impressoras 3D em Portugal, da bitBOX à BEEVERYCREATIVE (projetos para a ESA).
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🔎 Procuras uma empresa para desenvolver electrónica, fazer um protótipo, ou criar um produto completo?
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Pré-compliance é ensaiar o produto antes do ensaio de certificação oficial final, ainda na fase em que dá para mexer no desenho do produto.
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We provide end-to-end product development services, including industrial design, electronics, firmware, software, mechanical engineering, and robotics. From concept to launch, we help turn your ideas into fully functional products.
It depends on the complexity of the project. Some prototypes are ready in a few weeks, while full product development can take several months. We always define a clear roadmap with you from the start.
Both. We can join your project at any stage, whether you have just an idea, a working prototype or an existing product that needs to be improved or scaled up.
We work across several sectors, including industrial automation, IoT, consumer electronics, robotics and custom hardware and software for B2B clients.
In most cases, yes. MAKE IT holds the R&D suitability recognition (Selo ID) granted by ANI, so R&D work you contract from us is eligible under SIFIDE, the Portuguese corporate tax credit for research and development, as if it had been done by your own engineers. Eligibility is assessed per project in your SIFIDE application, and we provide the technical documentation you need to support it.
Contact us through the website or by email, with your project details. We'll set up a meeting to understand your goals and prepare a development plan for your project.
Contact
Need help developing your tech product?
We are creators like you. We understand your problems and your vision for the future.
contact [at] make-it.tech