Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) edges ahead of Punch Through (4.3/5) overall. Lemberg Solutions is the better choice for connected devices needing firmware and electronics together. Punch Through is the stronger option for bluetooth LE products with companion mobile apps. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | Punch Through |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2009 |
| HQ | Lviv, Ukraine (offices in Hamburg, Germany; London, UK; Kraków, Poland) | Minneapolis–Saint Paul, MN, USA |
| Team size | 200+ | 11–50 |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Electrical engineering, firmware, cloud and an in-house hardware lab under one contract, with NXP, Microchip and ST partner status | Bluetooth LE firmware and mobile apps built by the same team, with deep radio-level debugging experience |
| Pricing model | Fixed project, time & materials, dedicated team | Time & materials, fixed project |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | C, C++, FreeRTOS | C, Zephyr, FreeRTOS |
| Industries served | Medical devices, Automotive, Energy & EV charging, Logistics & transportation, Industrial IoT, Consumer electronics | Medical devices, Consumer electronics |
Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through: overview
Lemberg Solutions
Lemberg Solutions takes a device from schematic to field updates under one roof: electrical engineering, bare-metal and RTOS firmware, embedded Linux, FPGA programming, GUI work, connectivity and edge AI. The company started in Lviv in 2007, now has more than 200 people, and also runs offices in Hamburg, London and Kraków. Its firmware practice works across STM32, NXP i.MX and LPC, Microchip PIC and SAM, Nordic and Espressif parts, with FreeRTOS, Zephyr, Azure RTOS and VxWorks listed in its stack, and it holds partner status with NXP, Microchip and STMicroelectronics. Named clients include Astronics, Caltech, Speede, Ferno, Cellink and Bosch Rexroth. Processes are certified to ISO 27001 and ISO 9001, and an in-house lab with oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers and evaluation kits is used to validate firmware on real hardware before it ships.
Punch Through
Few firms go as deep on Bluetooth LE as Punch Through. The Minnesota company was founded in 2009 by Colin Karpfinger and employs somewhere between 11 and 50 people according to directory listings. It builds connected products where the radio link is the hard part: device firmware on Nordic, Silicon Labs and TI chips, plus the iOS and Android apps that pair with them. Its public guides on BLE throughput, pairing and power use are widely read by embedded engineers. A large share of its client work is medical and consumer health devices.
Services and capabilities: Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through
| Capability | Lemberg Solutions | Punch Through |
|---|---|---|
| Bare-metal & RTOS firmware | ✓ | ✓ |
| Embedded Linux & BSP | ✓ | ✗ |
| Electronics & PCB design | ✓ | ✗ |
| Wireless & IoT connectivity | ✓ | ✓ |
| Secure boot & OTA | ✓ | ✗ |
| FPGA development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Firmware testing & HIL | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dedicated team model | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through
| Framework / platform | Lemberg Solutions | Punch Through |
|---|---|---|
| FreeRTOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zephyr | ✓ | ✓ |
| Embedded Linux | ✓ | N/A |
| Yocto | N/A | N/A |
| AUTOSAR | N/A | N/A |
| STM32 | ✓ | N/A |
| Nordic | ✓ | ✓ |
| NXP | ✓ | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through
| Criterion | Lemberg Solutions | Punch Through |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Consulting, Dedicated team, Fixed project, Time & materials | Consulting, Fixed project, Time & materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through
| Dimension | Lemberg Solutions | Punch Through |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Medical devices, Automotive, Energy & EV charging | Medical devices, Consumer electronics |
| Best use cases | Porting medical-device firmware to a new STM32 family while keeping power consumption down, Auditing and refactoring unstable connectivity firmware on ESP32 or Nordic parts | Fixing dropped connections between a BLE wearable and its iOS app, Building firmware and a companion app for a connected glucose or heart-rate device |
| Typical project type | Consulting | Consulting |
Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through: pros and cons
| Lemberg Solutions | |
|---|---|
| + | One team covers schematics, PCB layout, MCU firmware, cloud back end and the companion app, so integration problems surface inside a single project plan |
| + | ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certified, with secure boot, image signing and OTA rollback offered as standard firmware work items |
| + | Partner status with NXP, Microchip and STMicroelectronics gives earlier access to silicon support and reference designs |
| + | Edge AI experience runs from sensor integration and DSP to on-device inference and computer vision |
| + | In-house lab lets the team validate firmware against real boards and RF conditions before the client receives a build |
| + | All intellectual property rights transfer to the client, across consulting, team-extension and full-product engagements |
| - | Mass production is not handled in-house; the team supports a product through development and maintenance but does not manufacture finished devices |
| - | Regulatory certification is not obtained on the client's behalf; Lemberg supplies the technical documentation and engineering support for approvals |
| - | Broad scope means a buyer who only needs a single low-level driver may be paying for capabilities they will not use |
| Punch Through | |
|---|---|
| + | Firmware and mobile apps from one team removes the usual finger-pointing over BLE connection bugs |
| + | Published technical guides show real depth in BLE throughput, pairing and power optimization |
| + | Experience with connected medical products and their data-integrity requirements |
| - | Narrow focus on Bluetooth LE makes it a weaker fit for cellular, wired or Linux-class products |
| - | Small team, so availability can be limited |
| - | US rates are among the higher ones on this list |
Who should choose Lemberg Solutions?
A typical fit: porting medical-device firmware to a new STM32 family while keeping power consumption down.
Electrical engineering, firmware, cloud and an in-house hardware lab under one contract, with NXP, Microchip and ST partner status. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Medical devices, Automotive, Energy & EV charging, Logistics & transportation, Industrial IoT, Consumer electronics.
Who should choose Punch Through?
A typical fit: fixing dropped connections between a BLE wearable and its iOS app.
Bluetooth LE firmware and mobile apps built by the same team, with deep radio-level debugging experience. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Medical devices, Consumer electronics.
Decision matrix: Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Lemberg Solutions |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Lemberg Solutions (Not disclosed) vs Punch Through (Not disclosed) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need engineers to extend your own firmware team | Lemberg Solutions |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Lemberg Solutions |
Use case fit: Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through
| Use case | Lemberg Solutions fit | Punch Through fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porting medical-device firmware to a new STM32 family while keeping power consumption down | Strong | Limited | Lemberg Solutions |
| Auditing and refactoring unstable connectivity firmware on ESP32 or Nordic parts | Strong | Limited | Lemberg Solutions |
| Fixing dropped connections between a BLE wearable and its iOS app | Limited | Strong | Punch Through |
| Building firmware and a companion app for a connected glucose or heart-rate device | Limited | Strong | Punch Through |
| Fixed-price firmware build | Strong | Strong | Both |
| Extending an in-house firmware team | Strong | Strong | Both |
Verdict: Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Development projects. Electrical engineering, firmware, cloud and an in-house hardware lab under one contract, with NXP, Microchip and ST partner status.
Punch Through (4.3/5) is worth a look if you need building firmware and a companion app for a connected glucose or heart-rate device. If your situation matches that, Punch Through is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Lemberg Solutions vs Punch Through FAQ
Is Lemberg Solutions better than Punch Through?
Lemberg Solutions (4.8/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Lemberg Solutions's strongest advantage: one team covers schematics, PCB layout, MCU firmware, cloud back end and the companion app, so integration problems surface inside a single project plan. Punch Through's strongest advantage: firmware and mobile apps from one team removes the usual finger-pointing over BLE connection bugs.
How do Lemberg Solutions and Punch Through differ in pricing?
Lemberg Solutions uses fixed project, time & materials, dedicated team pricing. Punch Through uses time & materials, fixed project pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Lemberg Solutions or Punch Through?
Punch Through is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each service provider before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Lemberg Solutions and Punch Through?
Lemberg Solutions's primary differentiator is: electrical engineering, firmware, cloud and an in-house hardware lab under one contract, with NXP, Microchip and ST partner status. Punch Through's primary differentiator is: bluetooth LE firmware and mobile apps built by the same team, with deep radio-level debugging experience. They also differ in team size (200+ vs 11–50), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Medical devices, Automotive vs Medical devices, Consumer electronics).
Verify all details directly with each service provider before making a decision.