Wideblue

Wideblue operates as a comprehensive product design, development, and manufacturing consultancy headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland. The firm's origins trace back to the mid-1990s when it was established as the European Design Centre for Polaroid. In 2001, it began developing products for external clients as a division within the center. A significant milestone occurred in 2006 when the division became an independent entity through a management buyout led by founders including Russell Overend and Grant King. This team leveraged the extensive experience in creating technology-based products they had honed at Polaroid. In April 2018, Wideblue was acquired by Pivot International, a US-based global product development and manufacturing firm, enhancing its capabilities to offer clients a complete end-to-end solution from concept to full-scale production.

The company's business model is centered on providing fee-for-service product development. Wideblue acts as a 'virtual' product design and development team for a diverse client base that ranges from individual inventors and university spin-outs to large multinational corporations. This approach allows clients to develop products without the substantial overhead of an in-house engineering department. For established companies, Wideblue's team complements internal resources, often filling skill gaps with its specialist expertise, particularly in photonics and optoelectronics. The firm's revenue is generated by guiding products from initial feasibility and conceptual design through prototyping, regulatory approval, and manufacturing.

Wideblue's service portfolio is built upon a multi-disciplinary technical foundation encompassing industrial design, mechanical and electronics engineering, software development, physics, optics, and image processing. The company has demonstrated considerable expertise in developing complex, technology-driven products for the medical, consumer, industrial, and photonics/quantum markets. A notable area of specialization is in medical devices, where it has developed a range of Class 1 and Class 2 devices that have achieved MHRA and FDA certifications, such as a mobile phone-based ophthalmoscope and a handheld personal capnometer. The firm is also involved in cutting-edge quantum technology projects, including the development of optical ground stations for quantum key distribution via satellite and miniaturized atomic clocks. The integration with Pivot International provides Wideblue's clients with direct access to global manufacturing and component sourcing facilities, bridging the gap between prototype development and volume manufacturing.

Keywords: product design consultancy, product development services, manufacturing consultancy, medical device design, photonics product development, optoelectronics engineering, quantum technology applications, industrial design services, mechanical engineering design, electronics and software development, image processing technology, prototype development, full-scale manufacturing, regulatory approval services, technology commercialization, university spin-out support, Glasgow technology firm, Polaroid design heritage, Pivot International subsidiary, ophthalmoscope design, capnometer development, atomic clocks, quantum sensors, optical engineering