Bang Design

The Stack

Get Freedom To Focus

Building a product is hard. It requires depth and iterations through – brand, relevance, differentiation, desire, experience, social, behaviour, global, economy, governance, physical, mental, form, vision, people, culture, material, manufacturing, investment, market, growth, technology, performance, quality, distribution, maintenance, service, ecological, sustainable and usable – and a lot of saying ‘no’. 

Our goal is to free your venture to focus on what you do best

The Stack: Data + Creativity + Development + Ecosystem

Only disciplined experimentation results in heresy and reinvention 

01

Data and Strategy

We analyse and filter thousands of data points: customer reviews, product features, and product and form trends.
Algorithms help automate decisions from ideation to market sizing, and project potential investment for development.

Design Forecasting
Product Positioning
SKU Planning
Product Specifications
Decision Framework
Manufacturing Planning 

02

Emotional Design

Bang Design crafts exceptionally designed products for our brands and ventures that inspire delight and loyalty in the people who use them

Product Configuration and Industrial Design
Component configuration optimisation
Product Ideation
Design feasibility review
Form Design
Visual Brand Design Language
Complex CAD surfacing, C3 continuity
Colours and Finishes 

03

Mechanical Concept Development

We develop clever, elegant, and robust mechanical concepts to solve difficult engineering problems

Mechanical Concept Development
10,000+ Feature Bank
Creative assembly and finish strategies
Mechanism design
Component packaging
Mechanical product architecture
Material Selection
Structural design (no analysis) 

04

DFMA Makes It Real

We use the latest 3D CAD tools and deep knowledge of many manufacturing processes to develop tool-ready data for custom mechanical parts

Top-down driven 3D CAD Data
Schematics and layouts for Hardware
Design for manufacturing and assembly
Engineering Reviews
Assembly fixture design
2D Drawings including GD&T
BOMs and assembly instructions
PLM (coming soon) 

05

Leverage Agile Supply Chain

We are a fab-free product development company. Work with resources in our proven partner ecosystem or with your choice of manufacturing partners

Partner Liaison
Preparation of RFQ packages
Partner capability evaluation
Prototype vendor management
DFM/DFA negotiations
Engineering sample reviews
Tooling design and part sample review
Mechanical and Electrical test oversight
Onsite production ramp support 

06

Hiring

Build the team you need to sustain a culture of innovation after launch

Screen for Personality and Communication
In-Depth Skill Review
Live Screening by functional experts
Technical assessment tests
Test projects 3h – 3wk long 

The Process

A time-tested approach that gets our partners high-ROI results

1

Discover

Business Priorities, Customer Needs, Product Priorities, Market Trends.
Initiate:
Product Requirements and Specifications,
Feature Prioritization Framework,
Brand Design Language Framework.
Discuss Long Term Engagement Options.
Project and Budget Planning.
Playbooks, Starter Models and Feature Bank to leverage. 

What You Get

Our simplified Knowledge Management Structure
Master Agreement Conclusion and Signature
Detailed Scope of Work
Product Requirements
Feature Prioritization Pass 1

Week 1-4 Max

2

Develop

Customer and Market Studies.
Technical Configurations.
Conceive Differentiated Customer Experiences.
Concept Envisioning.
Mechanical Engineering.
Feasibility Evaluation.
Integrate Prototypes for fit, kinematics, structure, force profiles and user interactions. 

What to Expect ​

Reduced NRE paid monthly or by milestone
Weekly Evaluations and Reviews
Online documentation for decision capture
Gated Transfer of Equity at agreed tranches
Test Business Models and Product Market Fit
Travel to Proto-Shops

Up to Additional $10,000 investment in prototypes  

Week 8-24 typical 

3

Develop

(if Applicable)

Capacity Building: We recruit a person or team that becomes immersed in our methods, and in your brand. She/ He/ They will become your first internal product and user champions.

What to Expect ​

Job Profile Approvals
Joint Interviews 

Week 8-24 typical

4

Develop

DFMA

Additional rounds of Prototypes for Validation
Simulations via Partner ecosystem
Verify Freedom To Operate and Freedom To Produce with IPR landscape
Product Price Negotiations
Onboard Manufacturing Partner 

What to Expect ​

Discussion with Subject Matter Experts to de-risk assumptions
Issue resolution and course corrections
Travel to Manufacturing Sites 

Weeks 12-30 typical

5

Ramp

Joint Manufacturing Package Release
Joint Liaison with labs for testing and compliance certification
Tool Design Reviews
Mould Manufacturing, review samples, issue resolution 

What to Expect ​

Travel to Manufacturing Sites
Liaison for production issue resolution
Additional $10,000-$200,000 investment in moulds, dies, tools and certification 

6-12 Weeks typical

6

Sustain

Issue Resolution after launch Solidify Core Operating Team and transfer of Team to Brand (where applicable) Begin Work on derivatives and new SKUs

What to Expect ​

Introduction and negotiations with Partners
Transfer of Team
Royalties paid every Month or Quarter
Monthly Review Meetings 

Ongoing

The Process

A time-tested approach that gets our partners high-ROI results

1

Discover

Planning and Strategy

Business Priorities, Customer Needs, Product Priorities, Market Trends.
Initiate:
Product Requirements and Specifications,
Feature Prioritization Framework,
Brand Design Language Framework.
Discuss Long Term Engagement Options.
Project and Budget Planning.
Playbooks, Starter Models and Feature Bank to leverage. 

2

Develop

Iterations and Team Building

Customer and Market Studies.
Technical Configurations.
Conceive Differentiated Customer Experiences.
Concept Envisioning.
Mechanical Engineering.
Feasibility Evaluation.
Integrate Prototypes for fit, kinematics, structure, force profiles and user interactions. 

What You Get

Our simplified Knowledge Management Structure
Master Agreement Conclusion and Signature
Detailed Scope of Work
Product Requirements
Feature Prioritization Pass 1 

 

What to Expect

Reduced NRE paid monthly or by milestone
Weekly Evaluations and Reviews
Online documentation for decision capture
Gated Transfer of Equity at agreed tranches
Test Business Models and Product Market Fit
Travel to Proto-Shops

Up to Additional $10,000 investment in prototypes 

Week 1-4 Max
Week 8-24 typical

3

Team

(if Applicable)

Capacity Building: We recruit a person or team that becomes immersed in our methods, and in your brand. She/ He/ They will become your first internal product and user champions. 

4

Prove

DFMA

Additional rounds of Prototypes for Validation
Simulations via Partner ecosystem
Verify Freedom To Operate and Freedom To Produce with IPR landscape
Product Price Negotiations
Onboard Manufacturing Partner 

What to Expect

Job Profile Approvals
Joint Interviews 

What to Expect

Discussion with Subject Matter Experts to de-risk assumptions
Issue resolution and course corrections
Travel to Manufacturing Sites 

Week 8-24 typical
Weeks 12-30 typical

5

Ramp

Joint Manufacturing Package Release
Joint Liaison with labs for testing and compliance certification
Tool Design Reviews
Mould Manufacturing, review samples, issue resolution  

6

Sustain

Issue Resolution after launch
Solidify Core Operating Team and transfer of Team to Brand (where applicable)
Begin Work on derivatives and new SKUs 

What to Expect

Travel to Manufacturing Sites
Liaison for production issue resolution
Additional $10,000-$200,000 investment in moulds, dies, tools and certification 

What to Expect

Introduction and negotiations with Partners
Transfer of Team
Royalties paid every Month or Quarter
Monthly Review Meetings 

6-12 Weeks typical
Ongoing

We know from experience that high caliber design and engineering alone do not result in collaborations that deliver products. A co-creation collaborative venture structure leads to superior product quality, smoother and faster production releases, and ultimately a better return on investment for all involved.

Early Stage Ventures often need more cash than they can afford. We want to help you keep more runway on the table as you shoot for the moon. If we know we can positively influence outcomes, and are convinced about your venture, we will enter in a stake-in-outcome model. 

Performance Plans That Grow With Your Brand

A Stake-In-Outcome collaborative venture structure leads to superior product quality, smoother and faster production releases, and ultimately a better return on investment for all. Choose from one of,

Starts at

1,35,000

/month per subscription unit 

0.85-3%
Royalty
1-9%

Equity 

Keep More Runway. Shoot for the Moon
Starts at

1,75,000

/month per subscription unit 

0.85-3%
Royalty
1-9%

Equity

Pure Performance
Starts at

Custom

/month per subscription unit 

Co-Venture Model not right for you? No Problem. We also work for fee-for-services with select brands

Cash

Keep More Runway. Shoot for the Moon
NRE (Non Recurring Expense) is 25-60% of a services model. Cash is paid monthly, with ceilings for each phase.

Truncated NRE

Equity

We Are Venture Capitalists
Set Reasonable Boundaries. Stage Gated Transfer of Shares attached to design and development milestones

0-5% typical

Royalty

Pure Performance
A right to audit included in the agreement


0.25-3%typical
Truncated NRE
0-5% typical
0.25-3%typical

Really Fair and Flexible

Is the Co-Venture Model not right for you? No Problem. We maintain flexibilities on scope, budgets, risks, schedules and engagement models. In addition to our most popular Invest-Via-Services Model, we also work for fee-for-services with select brands.

Unlimited Requests, Unlimited Revisions, Unlimited Everything

Only audacious experimentation leads to heresy and reinvention

Data and Strategy

We leverage data and our knowledge bank to create starter models, and playbooks that help accelerate projects and ventures to market.

Product Positioning
SKU Planning
Product Specifications
Feature Prioritization
Manufacturing Planning
10,000+ Feature Bank

Emotional Relevance

Bang Design crafts exceptionally designed products for our brands and ventures that inspire delight and loyalty in the people who use them

Product Configuration and Industrial Design
Component configuration optimisation
Product Ideation
Design feasibility review
Form Design
Brand Design Language
Complex CAD surfacing, C3 continuity 
Colours and Finishes

Mechanical Concept Development

We develop clever, elegant, and robust mechanical concepts to solve difficult engineering problems

Mechanical Concept Development
Creative assembly and finish strategies
Mechanism design
Component packaging
Mechanical product architectureMaterial Selection
Structural design (no analysis) 

DFMA Makes It Real

We use the latest 3D CAD tools and deep knowledge of many manufacturing processes to develop tool-ready data for custom mechanical parts

Top-down driven 3D CAD Data Schematics and layouts for Hardware Design for manufacturing and assembly Engineering Reviews Assembly fixture design 2D Drawings including GD&TBOMs and assembly instructions

Production Liaison

We work closely with your choice of manufacturers to play to their strengths and resolve issues where needed.
Vendor Liaison Preparation of RFQ packages Vendor capability evaluation Prototype vendor management DFM/DFA negotiations Engineering sample reviews Tooling design and part sample review Mechanical and Electrical test oversightOnsite production ramp support

DFMA Makes It Real

We use the latest 3D CAD tools and deep knowledge of many manufacturing processes to develop tool-ready data for custom mechanical parts

Top-down driven 3D CAD Data
Schematics and layouts for Hardware
Design for manufacturing and assembly
Engineering Reviews
Assembly fixture design
2D Drawings including GD&T
BOMs and assembly instructions

FAQs

It is for any product venture that involves a physical product that users will interact with. For the co-venture model, we have to be selective about who we work with. The harsh reality is that most start-ups fail and it is likely that neither your equity will be worth anything, nor our revenues from sales ever be realised.

A unit is a cluster of people. Often a designer, an engineer, and a senior member. Depending on the sprint one or more members will assume temporary leadership of the unit, work on the task and communicate to all stakeholders. Resources move in and out of units based on opportunistic and temporary skill demand

It helps us put a consistent number to our risk. For the venture, it gives visibility to expenses. Is it perfect? No. It is cheap for many. An understandable stretch for some. But above all it helps avoid long negotiation cycles on milestone-based payments, which are better spent in development. We profit from product sales revenue and venture growth, so we are biased to product realisation. A flat rate strikes the best balance of risk for both parties, time to market, and removes layers of administrative tasks.

We start with a project plan with milestones on 50% of our engagements. 35% of these have over 40% deviations. This is simply the nature of development projects. We prefer to also create a Playbook – we have many – that use design properties we have already created and run weekly sprints. This allows us to save time, be flexible with skills needed, track outcomes closely, plan new sprints, and pivot when new information is revealed.

15min, 4 days a week, OR a 90min Zoom/ Meet/ Teams call a week.  We recommend face to face once a month where possible. Less frequently if international travel is needed. 

We understand ventures are often weeks away from running out of runway or need to prioritise investment elsewhere. You can Stop and Restart anytime. Time tracking and work summary will be captured weekly on a spreadsheet. Development and Post Launch Support will be stopped on non-payment of dues.

 

This depends on the type of product and type of request. On average, users receive first ID concepts within two weeks. Engineering ideas can take longer to refine. You benefit from real-time communication on a Microsoft Teams Channel or a tool of your choice. The complexity of the task, nature of your change request and/or the number of active tasks affect delivery times within sprints. Most projects are completed between 4 to 15 months.

Fast only counts when it’s right. We move forward with discipline and purpose. Product Development needs real expertise, and you cannot outsmart, brute force or hustle your way through it. Cutting corners ultimately squanders time, money and, often, brand equity. There is a price + units decided at the start, but where absolutely necessary we can Scale up, Scale down on demand.

Till the end of the Royalty Period, we both own the outcomes of any custom work done for the project. 

After the royalty period, you own it all! 

We use prior art i.e., design libraries and 10,000 3D CAD features to speed up work. And industry playbooks. Those remain with us, but you carry the learnings with you.

 

The monthly flat rate covers about 25-60% of our actual costs. For Seed Stage ventures, Transfer of Shares is attached to specific design and development milestones. We rely on an institutional investor to negotiate a term sheet and decide aggregate based on those terms. We typically have no anti-dilution rights or provisions. Royalties are paid to us at the end of each month once sales are stabilised. This is not a standard deal. But most look like this.

 

Once we agree to work, in <2 weeks we will prepare a Master Service and Licensing Agreement, and Scope of Work documents. These documents have resulted in numerous products and we’re confident they fit most asks. Once the agreement is signed, we put together a team usually in a week. How quickly it is signed depends on you.

Our Royalties are reasonable. Over time, we have worked out figures that leave enough cash flow with the venture to invest in growth, and still, fund our investment in managing changes and derivatives. The advantages

  •   Bang Design has its skin in the upside (and downside) and will do all that it can to ensure market success
  •   Brand/ Venture does not have to ask for repeated quotations and release purchase orders for design changes. The administrative time/cost saved is immeasurable.
  •   Development of reasonable derivatives and warranty is built into the Royalty

Effective Date

Start of Production

License

Typically Exclusive- Perpetual;

Royalty

0.85-3% per unit

It is deemed to accrue when the Products are sold, shipped, invoiced, or used, whichever occurs first, less returns and promotional items; Royalty is Payable to Bang Design for an agreed number years from the start of production, or agreed number units of each SKU or derivative, whichever is later. The percentage is calculated after rebates and discounts.

Credit Attribution

Packaging should read ‘Designed and Engineered by Bang Design and [Brand];

Royalty Payment terms

Payable within 7 days of the end of the corresponding Financial Quarter during which sales were recorded.

Services during Royalty Period

Support (effectively a warranty) in corrections in production for issues emerging from Design; Minor changes that are possible to be completed in a few hours in design, and in a few days in communication to suppliers and manufacturers. Some Major Product Changes if reasonable, as well; Assistance and involvement in Marketing and positioning

Territory

Typically Worldwide

We are open to warrants or options over equity, and revenue redemption

Usually, do a 1-time equity transfer closer to the start of the first program. Every other product program is managed with Cash and/or Royalties on Sale.

 

The same way we would hire for ourselves. We know what skills and attitudes are required for a product. And look to find the right person that would also fit into both our cultures, at a cost that works for you.

When the product is launched, or at some reasonable ceiling. We remain flexible.

Yes. You can download the Mutual-NDA format below. We’re migrating to a new digital signature partner. Bear with us on that.

There is a reasonable amount that can be accomplished in a month’s time. We do NOT support skills such as Digital User Experience, Branding and Packaging design. We are happy to introduce you to partners.

 

We cannot do a work-for-equity agreement with ventures in some countries.

Rarely. But it happens. This simple rubric has been mostly true for us: If it does not feel right at the start, it is going to end up wrong. The most common reasons why engagements have failed for us are, in no particular order, Inter-Founder Squabbles, Founder Investor Squabbles, Lack of product and venture clarity, breakneck speeds with full feature delivery, Investors and/or Founders have litigious tendencies (We will steer away from any visible toxicity), Non-payment of dues. The rarest is the lack of product-market fit.

We take a break 3 times a year, 1 week each, informed in advance, for rest and training.  There are some forced local holidays. On rare occasions, a team member may not be immediately available. Just as often, additional resources step in for particularly hard problems, working through declared holidays.