What RPM Tech does

RPM Tech (legal name Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing Technologies, LLC) is a turnkey product design engineering services firm founded in 2006 by Cyrus Etemad-Moghadam and headquartered in Forest Hill, Maryland. The company delivers integrated product development from concept through mass production, with in-house capabilities spanning industrial design, electrical and electronics engineering, mechanical engineering, software and firmware development, system engineering, manufacturing engineering, prototyping, and transition to production. It serves a diversified customer base of startups, mid-market firms, large enterprises, and government clients across medical devices, consumer products, military/security, aerospace, industrial, agriculture, and architecture sectors.

The firm operates from a 10,000 sq ft engineering, lab, and manufacturing facility in Forest Hill, a 1,000 sq ft engineering office in Westfield, New York, and a satellite office at the LaunchPort Medtech accelerator in Baltimore. Its technical stack includes 3D printing (SLA/FDM), CNC machining, laser cutting, MIG/TIG welding, sheet metal fabrication, high pin count FPGA mixed-signal board design, electro active polymer research, and selective plating processes. Notable portfolio projects include the FDA-listed Qvella FAST diagnostic instrument, the NASA Microgravity Sampling Kit, the Gnarbox ruggedized PC, the WolfPak K9 surveillance system, and Man Overboard satellite tracking devices, alongside a 16-year industrial design partnership with building controls firm Autani.

RPM Tech generates revenue through professional services on a quote-based, project-by-project pricing model, with engagement sizes ranging from small one-time projects to multi-year development programs. Distribution is direct, relying on enterprise field sales, accelerator and mentor referrals within the Maryland innovation ecosystem (notably LaunchPort), industry event participation, and a content-driven portfolio website. The company has remained privately held and founder-controlled with no institutional investors identified, and its first disclosed external funding was a $67,988 Maryland Department of Commerce grant in February 2025.

Name

RPM Tech

Legal name

Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing Technologies, LLC

Website

https://rpm-tech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RPM Tech is a turnkey product design engineering services firm providing integrated concept-to-production development for startups, enterprises, and government clients across medical, consumer, military, aerospace, and industrial sectors, with in-house prototyping and fabrication capabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Forest Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Services: Professional engineering services providing integrated product design and development solutions. Services include concept development, detail design, prototyping, and transition to production support.
2. Product Development Projects: Turnkey product development from concept through mass production, ranging from small one-time projects to complex product development programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RPM Tech provides turnkey product design and development engineering services, taking client products from creative concept through industrial design, electronics, mechanical, software/firmware, system, and manufacturing engineering to prototypes and production transition. The firm delivers integrated, multidisciplinary engineering engagements for medical, consumer, military/security, aerospace, agricultural, and industrial clients, supported by in-house rapid prototyping fabrication (3D printing, CNC, welding, sheetmetal). Projects range from small one-off efforts to complex, mass-produced product development programs.

Product overview

RPM Tech is a turnkey product development and engineering services company offering integrated design and development solutions under one roof. The company's core service portfolio includes Integrated Product Design, Technology Development, Industrial Design, System Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software & Firmware Development, Manufacturing Engineering, Prototyping Services, Transition to Production, and Product Testing & Certification. Their portfolio projects span multiple industries including medical instruments (Medical Instrument Development, including FDA-listed Qvella FAST System), consumer electronics (Gnarbox ruggedized PC), aerospace (NASA Microgravity Sampling Kit), industrial security (Man Overboard tracking device), military/surveillance (WolfPak K9 system), and general electronics. The company operates from facilities in Forest Hill, MD (10,000 sq ft) and Westfield, NY (1,000 sq ft), providing complete product lifecycle support from concept through production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Integrated Product Design Comprehensive product design service covering product and specification requirements, concept and visual design, detail design for manufacturability, prototyping, and transition to production for clients across medical, consumer, military, aerospace, and industrial sectors.
• Technology Development R&D, simulation, experimentation, and technology development services including electro active polymers, novel actuators, process development, and selective plating technologies.
• Industrial Design Human factors, ergonomics, user experience/interface design, artist renderings, concept styling, and mockup development for product aesthetics and usability.
• System Engineering Requirement definition, system architecture and partitioning, risk management, integration, and verification and validation services.
• Electronics Engineering Analog, digital, and mixed signal circuit design, power electronics, RF electronics, motor control, and electronics packaging design services.
• Mechanical Engineering Electronics packaging, thermal design, mechanisms and power transfer, optics, and materials and finishes engineering.
• Software & Firmware Development Embedded firmware, FPGA and embedded processing, GUI development, motor control, and application development for iOS and Android platforms.
• Manufacturing Engineering Tooling, fixtures, manufacturer sourcing, test set development, and production support services.
• Prototyping Services Fully functional prototypes and production quality prototypes using 3D printing (SLA/FDM), CNC, laser cutting, lathe, MIG/TIG welding, and sheetmetal fabrication.
• Transition to Production Sourcing manufacturers and components, support tooling, first piece verification, inspection and vendor qualification, fixtures and automation, and pilot manufacturing services.
• Product Testing & Certification Validation, qualification, and certification testing services for product compliance and reliability.

Named customers12 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GaiaXuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Germantown-based GaiaXus, LLC to develop IoT sensors for citizen scientists and educators. RPM Tech has a long relationship with founder Dietrich Ruehlmann and provides ongoing development support for environmental monitoring products.
• The LaunchPortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRPM Tech opened a satellite office at the LaunchPort Medtech accelerator in Baltimore. Collaboration includes supporting local startups and entrepreneurs with development, engineering and prototyping of novel medical devices. RPM Tech also supports onboarding into the ISO 13485 certified manufacturing facility.
• QvellacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRPM Tech supported the development of Qvella's FAST System and FAST-PBC Prep cartridge. Qvella successfully obtained FDA listing for its diagnostics instrument with RPM Tech's engineering support throughout development.
• Novel MicrodevicesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRPM Tech provided development support for Novel Microdevices' medical device, which received CARB-X funding award. Collaboration on novel medical device development.
• AutanicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner16-year partnership with Autani, a leader in building controls. RPM Tech developed high speed gateway devices and continued industrial design work, including the Autani Core and Manager products. Autani holds a patent on RPM Tech's industrial design.
• Armaments Research CompanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRPM Tech supported development of novel Internet-of-Things hardware for Armaments Research Company, which enabled units to assess weapons' health, reduce failure rates, and extend lifetime of weapons systems.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• StarFish Medical: StarFish Medical is a medical device product development firm with integrated mechanical, electrical, firmware, and industrial design capabilities. It is highly comparable to RPM Tech's medtech focus, FDA-clearance support, and turnkey engineering services model, though larger in scale.
• Bressler Group: Bressler Group is a product design and engineering consultancy providing integrated industrial design, mechanical, electrical, and software engineering. It directly competes with RPM Tech in turnkey product development services across medical, consumer, and industrial verticals, with similar multi-discipline staffing approach.
• Worrell: Worrell is a medical device design and development firm specializing in FDA-regulated product development with integrated industrial design and engineering. It directly parallels RPM Tech's medical device vertical, particularly for startups needing turnkey development through regulatory clearance.
• Altitude Inc: Altitude is a product design and engineering consultancy offering integrated industrial design, mechanical, electrical, and software development. It serves a similar client mix of startups and enterprises and is comparable to RPM Tech's turnkey model, though with broader geographic reach.
• Farm Design: Farm Design is a multi-disciplinary product design and engineering firm providing concept development, industrial design, mechanical and electrical engineering, and prototyping. It directly compares to RPM Tech's integrated turnkey services for startups and mid-market companies in consumer and medical markets.
• DD Studio: DD Studio is a product development consultancy providing industrial design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping services. It is comparable to RPM Tech's integrated product development model with similar vertical mix in consumer, medical, and industrial products.
• Nectar Product Development: Nectar is a product development firm offering industrial design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping services for startups and enterprises. It directly parallels RPM Tech's turnkey model, particularly for early-stage companies needing full-spectrum product development support.

Broad incumbents

• IDEO: IDEO is a globally recognized design and innovation consultancy offering human-centered design, product development, and strategic consulting. It operates in RPM Tech's overlapping space but at much larger scale, with global offices and broader service portfolio including digital and service design beyond physical product development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rpmtech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RPM Tech