Deloitte buys product engineering firm Optimal Design

Deloitte US has acquired Optimal Design, a Chicago-based product engineering services (PES) company specializing in IoT and connected devices.

Founded in 2003, Optimal Design provides services in industrial design, hardware engineering, embedded software, connectivity, and prototyping. The firm works with clients in consumer products, technology, automotive, medical, industrial, and aerospace & defense, and has co-invented products that have obtained hundreds of patents for clients.

Optimal Design has a team of more than 50 designers, engineers, and prototype makers.

Deloitte’s acquisition of the firm will expand its PES capability – which supports clients across the innovation spectrum, from product ideation to prototype development.

“The acquisition of Optimal Design helps solidify Deloitte’s standing as a recognized leader in product design and engineering services,” said Adam Mussomeli, principal and supply chain and network operations leader, Deloitte Consulting. “And we are not done yet. Deloitte has a clear vision to help clients drive a competitive advantage through agile engineering approaches, which includes full-scale PES offerings.”

Mussomeli added that Deloitte will continue to invest in its engineering capabilities.

The New York-headquartered accounting and consulting firm in 2022 bought Dextra Technologies, a Mexico-based PES and embedded software company with 350 employees. Deloitte in 2020 acquired Hashedin Technologies, an India-based software engineering and product development with 750 employees.

“Combining our US design, engineering, and prototyping capabilities and experience with Deloitte’s reach offers greater opportunity for innovation for our clients and advancement for our employees,” said Sajid Patel, CEO and co-founder of Optimal Design. “We see tremendous potential in what lies ahead as we bring our deep curiosity, technology experience, and culture of creativity and collaboration to Deloitte’s engineering and consulting ecosystem.”

Deloitte US last month announced it was cutting approximately 1,200 jobs, or 1.5% of its workforce.