What Above does

Above is a Scandinavian innovation agency that delivers end-to-end product development by fusing hardware and software design and engineering under a single team. The company operates as part of the Eidra collective (formerly ARC) and runs approximately 150 people across four studios in Stockholm (headquarters), Malmö, Gothenburg, and Shenzhen, drawn from 23 nationalities with a deliberate 50/50 designer-to-engineer ratio. Its core offering spans Industrial Design, Digital Products, Hardware Engineering, Experience Strategy, UX Design, and Pioneering Technology, supported by in-house prototyping labs covering mechanical, electronics, 3D printing, and paint capabilities.

The agency's technology stack incorporates applied AI/ML capabilities including recommendation engines, generative AI for product attribution, predictive analytics, and knowledge retrieval systems, demonstrated through client projects such as the Aether Cone voice-controlled AI music player, the Ribbn RFID-enabled re-commerce platform, the Avanto 360 elderly care platform, and the Minut home monitoring system. Above has also published thought leadership on AI-enabled products covering ML, LLM, and Agentic AI design patterns. Its portfolio includes award-winning work for Google, IKEA, Electrolux, Sonos, Bang & Olufsen, Polestar, ABB, Mercedes-Benz, Logitech, POC, Fairphone, and Blueair.

Above makes money through professional services billed on a project basis across four streams: Strategy consulting (innovation roadmapping, portfolio planning, UX strategy), Physical Design Services (industrial design, CMF, prototyping), Digital Design & Development (UX/UI, app/web/backend, cloud), and Creative Engineering (electronics, software, rapid prototyping, manufacturing support). The go-to-market is sales-led and direct, targeting enterprise clients through named business development contacts and supplementing with startup engagements and the Eidra referral channel. Engagement models include Sprints, Projects, Programs, and People (team augmentation).

Name

Above

Legal name

Above Agency AB

Website

https://above.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Above is a Scandinavian innovation agency with ~150 people across Stockholm, Malmö, Gothenburg, and Shenzhen, delivering integrated hardware and software product design and engineering for global enterprise clients (Google, IKEA, Electrolux, Sonos, Polestar) and technology startups as part of the Eidra collective.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Design and Innovation Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emerging Tech (IoT, Blockchain, AR/VR, Edge) Consulting (BPAHAEAL)

Keywords

• Industrial design services
• Product engineering consulting
• Digital product design
• Experience strategy consulting
• Design system development

Headquarters

HQ city

Malmö

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Strategy: Strategy consulting including Innovation Roadmapping, Portfolio Planning, Product & UX Strategy, Tech Architecture, Service Design, and Design for Circularity.
2. Physical Design Services: Industrial Design, Experience & Interaction Design, CMF Strategy, Advanced Prototyping, and Design for Sustainability services.
3. Digital Design & Development: UX/UI Design, Visual/Brand Design, AR/VR Design, Voice UX, Design Systems, App Development, Web Development, Backend Development, and Cloud Architecture.
4. Creative Engineering: Electronics Engineering, Software Engineering, Rapid Functional Prototyping, Manufacturing Support & Sourcing.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Above is a Scandinavian innovation agency that delivers end-to-end hardware and digital product development, uniting industrial design, digital UX/UI, hardware engineering, and experience strategy under a single integrated team. The firm provides professional services across the full product lifecycle—from pre-studies and prototyping through industrialization and launch campaigns—serving as a design and engineering partner that takes concepts from sketch to scale.

Product overview

Above is a Scandinavian innovation agency offering a comprehensive suite of hardware development, digital design, and experience strategy services. The core offering combines Industrial Design, Digital Products, and Hardware Engineering under one unified approach. Key service modules include Design Systems (such as Electrolux SHAPE), Companion Apps & Experiences, Packaging Design & Engineering, and Launch Material & Campaigns. Their portfolio includes various product collaborations spanning AI-powered devices (Aether Cone, Digits AI Accounting), wearable technology (Tobii Eye Tracker 5, Earlabs ear protection), smart home systems (Minut, Avanto 360 Platform), mobility (Cake Kalk, Fairphone 5), consumer electronics (Beosound Explore), professional tools (Trixig Tools), and digital platforms (The Ringer, Ribbn). The agency also offers specialized engagement options including Pre-studies, UX/Tech Prototypes, and Team Boosts to support clients at different stages of product development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AI-enabled Products: AI-enabled products thought piece and report exploring products and experiences enabled by ML, LLM and Agentic AI

Products and services

• Hardware Development Services End-to-end hardware product development from concept to scale, including industrial design, mechanical engineering, electronics engineering, firmware, and supply chain management. Intended for enterprise and startup clients developing physical products.
• Digital Product Design Creation of digital touchpoints and interactive concepts combining UX strategy with visual narratives into functional and engaging designs. Covers mobile, web, AR/VR, voice UX, and brand applications.
• Experience Strategy & Design Strategic service combining business strategy, technology innovation, and user insights to create valuable experiences for products and services, including innovation roadmapping, portfolio planning, and service design.
• Design Systems Comprehensive design systems that integrate across digital platforms, defining design language, components, tokens, and governance for organizations. Exemplified by the Electrolux SHAPE design system serving 100+ touchpoints.
• Companion Apps & Experiences System architecture, integration, and front/back-end development for companion mobile and web applications paired with physical products.
• Packaging Design & Engineering Packaging design, engineering, and sourcing services to complete the product experience.
• Launch Material & Campaigns Product renders, CGI videos, launch campaigns and videos for product go-to-market support.
• Pre-studies Product requirement specification drafting, manufacturing and cost estimations, product feasibility analysis, and development timeline mapping to de-risk decisions at the front end of product development.
• UX and Tech Prototypes Design and development of functional prototypes, technology testing and verification, and early user testing for fundraising and risk identification.
• Team Boosts Integrated expert teams providing additional bandwidth, specialist expertise, manufacturing support, and knowledge transfer for in-house client teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% less time spent on UI production for Electrolux design system
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Eidra (formerly ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAbove is part of Eidra, a consultancy collective of industry-defining companies united to create impact and sustainable growth. Eidra blends unique perspectives to create smarter, better solutions. Different in craft and united in ambition, sharing common goals to solve toughest business challenges.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Huge: Digital experience agency delivering strategy, design, and engineering for enterprise brands. Comparable in enterprise client mix and integrated offering, though stronger in digital-only engagements.
• IDEO: Global innovation and design consultancy with an integrated design + engineering model serving enterprise and startup clients. Closest conceptual analogue to Above in terms of multi-disciplinary innovation agency positioning.
• Pentagram: Independent design partnership delivering brand, digital, and product design work for major global brands. Overlaps with Above's brand and digital product engagements for enterprise clients.
• Frog Design: Capgemini Engineering-owned design and innovation consultancy blending industrial design, digital product, and brand strategy. Direct competitor for enterprise hardware-software product design engagements.
• Method (GlobalLogic): GlobalLogic-owned experience design and engineering firm combining digital product, brand, and platform engineering. Comparable scope and enterprise focus, with larger global footprint.
• Smart Design: Independent product innovation consultancy with integrated industrial design, digital, and brand capabilities. Closely mirrors Above's physical-digital product development model for consumer brands.
• ustwo (now ustwo studios): Independent digital product studio known for integrated design-engineering teams building apps, connected products, and brand experiences. Comparable integrated offering and client mix to Above.

Regional players

• The Techno Creatives: Gothenburg-based design and technology studio with strong Nordic presence and integrated hardware-software work. Direct Nordic/Scandinavian regional peer with comparable industrial+digital remit.

Broad incumbents

• Fjord (Accenture Song): Accenture Song's design and innovation arm; offers design transformation as part of broader consulting mandates. Competes with Above for enterprise product design work but bundled inside much larger multi-service contracts.
• Designworks (BMW Group): BMW Group-owned design consultancy with industrial design, digital, and mobility expertise. Comparable in hardware-software integration focus but operates as a captive plus external client model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/above_sweden
• YouTubeinstagram.com/above.se
• Facebooklinkedin.com/company/above.se
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/above.se
• Instagraminstagram.com/above.se

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Above