What ELEVEN does

ELEVEN is a Boston-based industrial design and product development consultancy founded in 1996 that integrates user-driven research, strategy, industrial design, and engineering under a single multidisciplinary roof. The studio's core capability is end-to-end product development — from ethnographic and opportunity-mapping research through concept validation, prototyping, design-for-manufacturing, and brand/communication design — delivered by in-house mechanical, electronic, and software engineers working alongside industrial designers, creative directors, and design researchers.

Its client book spans roughly fifteen named enterprise and startup brands across Consumer Packaged Goods (OXO, P&G/Zevo), B2B Technology (Poly/Polycom), Automotive/Smart Energy (Hubbell Aclara EV2c), Appliances (Whirlpool/P&G Swash, Zera), Medical (RainDance RDT 1000, COVID-19 Personal Protective Booth for Massachusetts General Hospital), Action Sports (Maverik, Lift), Furniture (Sauder), Housewares (Kärcher), Pet (Diggs), and Office Supplies (Staples Tru Red). Notable technical outputs include IoT-enabled products such as the Cloud RO smart water-filtration system with Bluetooth app and subscription-based filter logistics, EV charging infrastructure with integrated utility-grade metering, and devices like the Elemental Snapchiller with a submerged stainless-steel evaporator coil.

ELEVEN earns revenue primarily through professional services engagements — project-based scoping of research, design, and engineering work for corporate clients — and selectively takes equity positions when functioning as an investor, advisor, and development partner for startups (e.g., Cloud Water Filters). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are negotiated by scope. The go-to-market is relationship-driven enterprise field sales, with new work acquired through referrals, direct outreach, and two-decade-plus anchor relationships (OXO 20+ years and 200+ products; Poly 25+ years); secondary distribution occurs via the eleven.net portfolio site, LinkedIn/Instagram/Facebook presence, and earned media from awards including CES Best of Innovation, Red Dot, Good Design, and multiple IDSA awards. The firm is privately held under partner ownership by Ben Beck (CDO) and Doug Marsden (CTO), with no disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

ELEVEN

Legal name

ELEVEN LLC.

Website

https://eleven.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ELEVEN is a Boston-based industrial design and product development consultancy founded in 1996 that integrates user research, strategy, design, and engineering to develop physical products for enterprise clients across consumer goods, medical, automotive, B2B technology, and home categories, with anchor 20+ year relationships including OXO and Poly.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Design and Engineering Consulting Services: ELEVEN generates revenue through professional services engagements where they provide research, strategy, industrial design, and engineering services to corporate clients. Projects are typically scoped engagements for specific product development initiatives, ranging from initial concept through manufacturing readiness.
2. Product Development Partnership/Equity: For certain ventures like Cloud Water Filters, ELEVEN functions as an investor, advisor, and development partner, contributing across research, design, and engineering in exchange for equity stakes and ongoing involvement through product launch.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ELEVEN is a Boston-based human-centered design studio that integrates research, strategy, industrial design, and engineering under one roof. The firm provides professional design and product development services for enterprise and startup clients across industries including consumer packaged goods, kitchen, beverage, pet, medical, B2B technology, action sports, and housewares. Engagements typically span the full product lifecycle from user research and concept validation through design for manufacturing and launch readiness.

Product overview

ELEVEN is a Boston-based industrial design and product development consultancy offering integrated research, strategy, design, and engineering services under one roof. The company operates across diverse industry verticals including Consumer Packaged Goods (OXO, Zevo), Automotive (Hubbell Aclara), Kitchen/Beverage (Cloud RO, Elemental, Zera, OXO kitchen and barware products), Pet (Diggs Revol, Groov), Office Supplies (Staples Tru Red), Medical (COVID-19 Booth, RainDance Sequencer), B2B Technology (Poly Studio), Action Sports (Maverik Tactik, Lift eFoil), Education (MGH Springboard, Richi Camp), Furniture (Sauder Trey Chair), Housewares (Kärcher, Swash), and Consumer Electronics (Boston Acoustics). The portfolio spans over 200 products designed for OXO alone, plus numerous products across 20+ other client brands. Key products include water filtration systems with IoT connectivity, EV charging equipment, baby feeding products, pet care solutions, video conferencing hardware, and sports equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Kickstarter rating of 4.8 for Diggs Revol dog crate
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Healthcare Innovation Partners (HIP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020ELEVEN partnered with Healthcare Innovation Partners (HIP) in response to pressing healthcare needs during COVID-19. Within 9 days of engagement, the team designed, engineered, tested, and deployed a working personal protective booth to Massachusetts General Hospital. The HIP Personal Protection Booth (Hexapod) creates a protective barrier between patient and provider for safer testing while conserving PPE.
• Poly (formerly Polycom/PictureTel)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerELEVEN's collaboration with Poly has spanned over 25 years and continues to grow stronger. ELEVEN worked on the Poly Studio USB video conferencing bar for small rooms and huddle spaces.
• Procter & GamblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerP&G partnered with ELEVEN for the Zera Food Recycler concept, focusing on product experience, architecture, and manufacturing feasibility. ELEVEN collaborated with P&G and Whirlpool to create the solution that won Best of Innovation at CES.
• Whirlpool CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhirlpool partnered with P&G and ELEVEN on the Swash Clothing Care System. ELEVEN worked with Whirlpool to engineer numerous test platforms and prototypes for overall structure, consumable unit dosing, automation, and UI.
• Samsung DacorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerELEVEN partnered with Samsung's Dacor brand and Condé Nast's Architectural Digest to create a vision of the kitchen and laundry environment in 2020, exploring how high-net-worth Americans see the home and kitchen experience.
• Condé Nast / Architectural DigestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ELEVEN and Samsung Dacor to explore how shifting attitudes of affluent American homeowners affect the kitchen and home experience.
• Elemental Beverage Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT-educated cofounder David Dussault invented the first working prototype of the Snapchiller. He partnered with ELEVEN to refine and develop his idea into a marketable product, with ELEVEN's full team of researchers, designers, and engineers working together to create the final product.
• SaudercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry leader in furniture manufacturing partnered with ELEVEN to identify opportunities in higher education dormitories. ELEVEN conducted extensive ethnographic research and invented the Trey Chair, a multi-functional chair for studying, relaxing, and socializing.
• LiftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerELEVEN partnered with Lift to design and engineer a handheld wireless controller for their innovative eFoil hydrofoil board. The waterproof and buoyant controller features an intuitive interface with ergonomic and robust form factor.
• MGH Springboard StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerELEVEN partnered with Springboard Studio at Massachusetts General Hospital to identify pressing clinical needs and guide a rapid design process. They developed and facilitated co-creation sessions with doctors, nurses, administrators, and patients.
• Richi Innovation CampminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational immersion program bringing together students from around the world. ELEVEN's research team led a design thinking workshop guiding participants through human-centered design process for gift-giving innovation challenges.
• Hubbell Inc. (Aclara)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeveraging over a century of expertise in electrical technology, Hubbell Inc. partnered with ELEVEN to develop the Aclara EV2c smart EVSE that intelligently connects utility providers to customers' consumption habits.
• Maverik LacrossecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaverik partnered with ELEVEN to design and engineer the Tactik lacrosse head with innovative X-Rail technology. ELEVEN drew from decades of sporting goods experience and collaborated with world-class players including Gary Gait and the Powell brothers.
• RainDance TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry leading provider of microdroplet-based solutions for human health and disease asked ELEVEN to take their revolutionary genomic sequencing technology from functional proof-of-concept to ready-for-market product (RDT 1000).
• Zevo (Procter & Gamble)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerP&G partnered with ELEVEN to develop Zevo, an innovative bug catching technology. ELEVEN focused on usability, product lifecycle, and manufacturing feasibility while keeping an eye on in-home consumer adoption.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IDEO: IDEO is the archetypal human-centered design and product development consultancy, offering integrated research, design, and engineering services to enterprises such as OXO, P&G, and Poly. It is the most direct comparably-positioned competitor to ELEVEN.
• RKS Design: RKS Design is a California-based human-centered industrial design firm providing research, strategy, and product development services across consumer products, healthcare, and durables. It is a similarly sized and positioned boutique peer to ELEVEN.
• Ammunition Group: Ammunition Group is a boutique industrial design and branding studio led by Robert Brunner that delivers end-to-end product design for consumer brands such as Beats, Microsoft, and Polaroid. It competes with ELEVEN in premium CPG and consumer electronics design.
• Smart Design: Smart Design is a New York-based product innovation consultancy with deep CPG experience (OXO, Pepsi, Colgate). Its long tenure with OXO places it in direct competition with ELEVEN for shared consumer products clients.
• Designworks (BMW Group): Designworks is a global design consultancy (subsidiary of BMW Group) providing industrial design, digital, and brand strategy across mobility, consumer, and healthcare. Its consumer-products practice competes with ELEVEN for enterprise CPG and lifestyle clients.
• BOLTgroup: BOLTgroup is a Virginia-based product innovation consultancy offering integrated design and engineering for consumer and medical brands. As a similarly sized US East Coast boutique, it competes for comparable enterprise product development engagements.
• Lunar Design: Lunar Design is a Silicon Valley-based product design and engineering firm serving enterprise clients across consumer electronics, medical, and connected devices. It competes with ELEVEN's B2B technology and medical device engagements.
• frog (Capgemini Invent): frog is a global industrial design and innovation consultancy offering integrated design and engineering for consumer products, transportation, and technology. Now part of Capgemini Invent, frog competes head-on with ELEVEN for enterprise product development engagements across the same verticals (consumer goods, medical, mobility).
• Whipsaw: Whipsaw is a California-based industrial design and engineering consultancy focused on consumer products, medical devices, and connected hardware, including high-profile projects for Google, Nike, and Cisco. It competes with ELEVEN across similar enterprise hardware engagements.

Broad incumbents

• Huge Inc. Huge is a large digital experience and design agency serving enterprise consumer brands across product, brand, and digital transformation. While not focused on physical industrial design like ELEVEN, it competes for portions of the broader enterprise design services budget.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elevenllc
• Facebookfacebook.com/elevenproductstudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eleven-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/elevenllc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 ELEVEN