MAKO Design + Invent

What MAKO Design + Invent does

MAKO Design + Invent, founded in 1999 in Toronto and now operating as TriMech Design Solutions following its 2025 acquisition by TriMech Group, is a consumer product development services firm offering end-to-end industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical design, prototyping, and short-run manufacturing support. The firm targets a fragmented long-tail of inventors, startups, small manufacturers, and emerging eCommerce brands, guiding clients from ideation through to mass production. Its core technical stack centers on Dassault Systèmes advanced analysis software (SOLIDWORKS, CATIA) for CAD, Simulation/CFD/FEA, and reverse engineering, supplemented by additive manufacturing for prototyping and 3D visualization (including AR/VR applications). The firm wraps these engineering services in a proprietary five-stage SMART Product Development Process (Skillful, Marketable, Accelerated, Responsive, Targeted) and a non-engineering support layer covering patent referral, public relations, crowdfunding, logistics, and fundraising coaching.

The firm's revenue model is project-based professional services billed on a quote basis, with a free virtual Microsoft Teams consultation and NDA process as the top-of-funnel mechanism, followed by custom multi-year project contracts. GTM motion is enterprise/B2B field sales supported by an extensive content marketing apparatus (Product Startup Podcast, blog, free invention guides, client spotlights) and industry awards (Muse Design Awards, DNA Paris Grand Prix, Indigo Design Award, Ad World Masters). The firm employs senior designers with prior experience at Apple, Nike, and Dell and operates from offices in the US (Round Rock TX, Oakland CA), Canada (Oakville ON), and the UK (Kenilworth, Warwickshire), with engineering services delivered exclusively by the US-based engineering team. Within the TriMech Group umbrella, the firm is positioned alongside Solid Solutions, Javelin Technologies, SolidPrint3D, 3DPRINTUK, and Central Scanning, enabling cross-portfolio referrals across CAD software, 3D printing, metrology, and staffing.

Notable disclosed customers include KiddieGo LLC (consumer products startup), CarGenerator (automotive/consumer electronics startup), and solo-inventor clients Clasp Magic and Tri Plunger, all reflecting the firm's SMB/startup-tilted customer mix. The firm's competitive claims rest on brand tenure (founding category in 1999), senior talent pedigree, proprietary process methodology, and an unusually broad awards portfolio relative to its niche — though no revenue, headcount growth, or funding data is publicly disclosed.

Name

MAKO Design + Invent

Legal name

TriMech Design Solutions

Website

https://makodesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MAKO Design + Invent, now TriMech Design Solutions, is a product development services firm offering industrial design, mechanical and electrical engineering, prototyping, and manufacturing support to inventors, startups, small manufacturers, and eCommerce brands across the US, Canada, and UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Design Services

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (541420), Industrial Design Services (54142)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial/Product & Furniture Design (BPAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Industrial design services
• Mechanical engineering services
• Product prototyping
• Consumer product development
• CAD design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Design & Engineering Services: Professional services revenue from product design, industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical design, CAD services, and 3D visualization. Billed as project-based engagements with consultation and assessment phases.
2. Prototyping & Manufacturing Services: Revenue from reverse engineering, simulation/CFD/FEA, product prototyping using additive manufacturing, and specialized manufacturing/tooling for prototypes, testing, and short-run production.
3. Startup Business Support Services: Coaching, mentoring, patent referral, public relations, shipping, logistics, fundraising, website design, crowdfunding, and eCommerce support services for product startups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MAKO Design + Invent provides consumer product development services that transform invention ideas into manufacturable products through industrial design, mechanical and electrical engineering, CAD services, simulation/CFD/FEA analysis, additive manufacturing prototyping, and short-run production tooling. The firm also supports startups with coaching, mentoring, patent referrals, crowdfunding, eCommerce, and end-to-end scaling services from concept to market-ready production.

Product overview

MAKO Design + Invent (now TriMech Design Solutions) is a product development services firm offering a comprehensive suite of design, engineering, prototyping, and manufacturing services. The portfolio centers on core design services including Product Design, Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Design, and specialized services such as Simulation/CFD/FEA, Reverse Engineering, 3D Visualization, and CAD Services. The company also provides Startup Business Support covering coaching, mentoring, patents, crowdfunding, and eCommerce, along with an Expert Patent Referral service. Educational resources include The Product Startup Podcast and the SMART Product Development Process methodology. The firm supports inventors, designers, manufacturers, and eCommerce brands through the complete product lifecycle from concept to production scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Product Design

Quantifiable outcome

• US Design and US Utility Patent secured for customer KiddieGo LLC
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TriMech GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAKO Design + Invent was acquired by TriMech Group. The acquisition brought MAKO's talented team of industrial designers and mechanical and electrical engineers to add to TriMech's complement of product development and industrial designers. This created a unique group that supports inventors, designers, manufacturers, and eCommerce brands through each stage of bringing an idea to a market-ready product.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• frog design: Global industrial design and engineering consultancy (now part of Capgemini Invent) offering end-to-end product design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping services to enterprise and startup clients. Closely comparable in service scope and delivery model to MAKO/TriMech Design Solutions.
• IDEO: Pioneering design consultancy offering product design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping across consumer and hardware categories. Comparable in delivering concept-to-production services for clients ranging from startups to global brands.
• Lunar Design: Industrial design firm providing full-spectrum product development — research, industrial design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping — to consumer, medical, and technology clients. Comparable end-to-end service model.
• Whipsaw: Industrial design and engineering firm specializing in product design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping with strong consumer-product credentials. Comparable in client mix, deliverables, and award-driven brand positioning.
• NewDealDesign: Product design and development studio focused on consumer hardware, IoT, and emerging-tech products. Comparable in supporting inventors and startups from concept through prototyping and small-batch production.
• Bresslergroup (now Bressler): Industrial design and engineering consultancy providing research, design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping services. Comparable in offering an integrated, multidisciplinary product development process for clients of varying sizes.
• Smart Design: Global design consultancy offering industrial design, mechanical engineering, and prototyping across consumer products. Comparable in service breadth and long-standing focus on bringing products from concept to market.
• Ammunition Group: Industrial design and brand strategy firm delivering product design and development for consumer brands and emerging companies. Comparable in senior-led team structure and focus on design-led product outcomes.
• Pensar Development: Product development firm offering industrial design, mechanical and electrical engineering, prototyping, and short-run manufacturing. Comparable in providing integrated concept-to-production services for emerging product companies.

Broad incumbents

• TriMech Advanced Manufacturing: Sister division within TriMech Group offering prototyping, additive manufacturing, and short-run production services. Adjacent rather than directly competitive — a potential channel partner and capability extension for MAKO/TriMech Design Solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MakoInvent
• Facebookfacebook.com/MakoInvent

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 MAKO Design + Invent