2024 PBN Innovative Companies Awards
INNOVATIVE COLLABORATION: Nova Design LLC
STROLLING THROUGH THE AISLES of commercial giants such as Costco Wholesale Corp. or Target Corp., shoppers may find themselves face to face with a small piece of Rhode Island on the shelves vis-a-vis a watch from Providence-based engineering and design firm Nova Design LLC.
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Products such as the Embr Wave 2, a device that provides either a cooling or warming effect to the wearer based on their needs, may be the organization’s bread and butter. But at Nova, according to partner and creative lead Scott Noh, collaboration is at the heart of everything the company does.
“Our designers and engineers sit side by side, working together through every phase of a project,” Noh said. “This close collaboration ensures that the concepts our designers create are not only innovative but also viable for manufacturing.”
The company is making waves just two years after starting operations. Along with creating the Embr Wave 2, designed to assist with sleep and temperature relief often related to menopausal symptoms, Nova has also partnered with Dell Inc., Bose Corp. and Amica Mutual Insurance Co. on various health initiatives.
Catherine Jameson, Nova’s lead engineer, credits the company’s collaborative approach as a key component to what makes Nova a success.
“[It] allows us to maintain the integrity of the design intent as it moves through the engineering and manufacturing process,” Jameson said.
Nova prioritizes user feedback when creating its products. Upon receiving user feedback, the company reworked the Embr Wave 2’s size and finish. Jameson says Nova engages in user research, connecting with individuals to understand their needs and challenges. Hearing firsthand how its projects are not just meeting a need but improving or even transforming their lives is “incredibly rewarding,” she said.
Moving forward, Noh says Nova is set to embrace emerging technologies, explore new markets and foster more collaboration across disciplines.
“We’re particularly excited about expanding our medical-device development offerings and enhancing our human factors engineering capabilities,” he said. “In the coming years, we’ll continue to support our clients, both current and future, by turning the extraordinary into reality.”
