medical product innovation
Industrial design that reduces risk and increases ROI - from opportunity identification through production-ready design.
Command a Higher Price Point
Higher margins. Stronger positioning. Buyers seek you out.
Stand Out From The Competition
Side by side with competitors, yours is the one they pick up first.
A Brand That Drives Repeat Purchases
Your next launch starts with built-in credibility
Expand Your Market
Market expansion that compounds with every launch.
What happens when design doesn't match performance?
Dismissed Before Page One
Your proposal never makes the shortlist.
Rejected Out of Hand
Money Left on the Table
A Competitor Owns Your Space
Why KAIA?
Industrial design is what turns working technology into products people want to buy.
We help medical device companies take products from early concepts through development to pitch materials that close deals and secure funding.
Faster Decisions, Fewer Dead Ends
Hundreds of projects build pattern recognition. We see what works and what doesn’t early, so you spend less time iterating toward solutions that won’t pan out
We Get Your Product Into Production
We develop products that can actually be made. Whether you have an internal engineering team or need us to bring one in, the result is a design that’s manufacturable at the volume you need
We Help You Think Two Years Ahead
Brand consistency, product line strategy, and market positioning that protects your space long after the first product ships
Design That Hits Your Funding Milestones
Design toward grant reviews, investor presentations, and approval checkpoints. We’ve helped clients secure millions in funding across multiple grant cycles
CASE STUDIES
CPR Device That Secured Millions in NIH Grants
AdvancedCPR Solutions’ ELEGARD Case Study
Project Summary
AdvancedCPR Solutions developed a portable device that elevates patients during emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation, increasing survival rates by up to 6-fold compared to standard flat-surface resuscitation.
Problem
The technology worked, but the prototype wasn’t a product. Grant reviewers and investors expected something that could be manufactured, deployed, and used without supervision. The interface was also too complex for high-stress emergency use.
Solution
We productized the device: manufacturable at scale, durable, reliable, tested, and compact enough to fit in a vehicle’s trunk. The interface was simplified so first responders could operate it under pressure without hesitation. A clean, professional design package helped the team capture attention from reviewers and investors across three grant cycles.
Outcome
- Contributed to multiple NIH grants, including a $2M Phase II award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Advanced from rough prototype to manufacturing-ready product
- Deployed in ambulances and first responder vehicles nationwide
Opioid Syringe: From Usability Challenges to Award-Winning Product
HOSPIRA iSECURE™ Case Study
Project Summary
Hospira developed the iSecure, a pre-filled, prelabeled, sealed opioid delivery device designed to address theft and accountability gaps in healthcare systems. Bulk storage made it easy for staff to pull more than needed, creating inventory control problems.
Problem
Early versions failed usability testing. Nurses couldn’t figure out the activation sequence under pressure. The device required a specific series of steps to move from sealed to ready-to-inject, and that sequence wasn’t intuitive.
Solution
Partnering with Optimal Design and internal Hospira designers, we reworked the device’s operation step by step. Color-coded indicators, numbered sequences, and a redesigned grip gave nurses a clear path from sealed to injection-ready. Each action was immediate and unmistakable.
Outcome
- Won the NPE Award for new medical products
- Enabled controlled inventory management through unitized dosing
- Supported successful commercialization and integration under Pfizer
Have a project like this?
“It’s like I’ve been dreaming about this all my life as a hygienist. This is so great! I cannot wait to use this on my patients. Simply amazing!”
– Meghan, Dental Hygienist
Fluoride Applicator: Re-Energizing a Stale Market
YOUNG DENTAL Case Study
Project Summary
Young Dental’s fluoride applicator line had been on the market for years in a category that hadn’t seen meaningful innovation. The market was flat, and the company chose to re-energize sales and differentiate from commodity competitors.
Problem
The existing applicator required multiple entries into the patient’s mouth, a particular challenge with pediatric patients. Engineering and marketing teams operated in silos, slowing decisions and creating friction around product direction.
Solution
The result was an ergonomic, single-entry applicator with improved grip, precision, and visibility. Providers can see exactly where they’re applying varnish. We also helped bridge the gap between engineering and marketing, translating priorities so both teams could align and move forward together.
Outcome
- Launched commercially and produced at high volume, estimated in the hundreds of thousands of units
- Licensed under Oral-B
- Revitalized a stagnant product line with a differentiated offering
- Delivered stronger internal alignment for Young Dental’s product development process
Skin-Graft Preparation: Ultra-Low Volume Specialized Equipment
BIOCUT SYSTEMS Case Study
Project Summary
BioCut Systems produces tissue-processing equipment for clean-room environments, priced near six figures and manufactured at extremely low volume: fewer than five units.
Problem
The existing machine lacked the brand language to justify a six-figure price point or to influence repeat purchases across the product line. Production volume was too low for injection molding, which limited fabrication options.
Solution
The exterior was redesigned to match the precision of the environment it operates in. The product was made easy to clean, simple to assemble, and safe to operate. We created a unified brand language across the product family so buyers recognized BioCut equipment and came back for the next instrument.
Outcome
- Elevated perceived value to support six-figure pricing
- Enabled manufacturability at ultra-low volume using machining and hand assembly
- Created a unified product family with brand elements carried through from the lead product to smaller instruments
TogetherMask: Supporting Frontline Workers
RODDY MEDICAL™ Case Study
Project Summary
When COVID created a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Kent Solberg was part of a team of engineers, designers, nurses, clinicians, and fabricators that came together to protect frontline healthcare workers.
Problem
Local medical teams had exhausted PPE supplies. Disposable masks couldn’t be reused. Standard masks blocked facial visibility, increasing patient anxiety and reducing human connection. Traditional supply chains couldn’t respond fast enough.
Solution
Over an intense 3 weeks the team designed a transparent reusable mask that restored face-to-face connection between provider and patient. The design integrated medical-grade filters still available during shortages and was built for rapid local production.
Outcome
- Supplied durable, reusable PPE to frontline medical teams during an active shortage
“TogetherMasks come in multiple sizes – designed for comfort and durability. They’re see-through to allow patients to connect with healthcare workers. Normal N95 masks are designed for daily use. With medical-grade filters, TogetherMasks are built to last for weeks.”
– Steven Watson, WISN 12 News
Let’s explore what this could look like for your product.
How We Work
Refined over three decades and hundreds of products. Predictable, efficient, and built around your timeline.
Awards
11 Product Design Awards, including:
Happy Clients
Great Engineering Deserves Great Design
We’ve seen too many medical innovations struggle to get funded. The technology was there. But grant committees, investors, and hospital buyers couldn’t see the value.
That’s the problem we solve. We take medical products from working prototype to something investors and buyers take seriously. The design and the materials that help you close deals and get funded.
If you’re building something that matters, we want to help.
