R&D and proof of concept development
Research and development and proof of concept work for ideas that may not work yet: technical feasibility experiments with AI models, data, integrations and devices, prototypes that test one risky assumption at a time, and research reports for grant-funded research and innovation projects, with R&D engineers for your team or a project delivered end to end.
R&D work we take on
Proof of concept
The smallest piece of software that shows whether the risky part works, such as a model on your data or an integration with a closed system, built in weeks rather than months.
AI and data experiments
Models, prompts and retrieval tried against your own documents and data and measured on test sets agreed with you, so the decision to build rests on numbers.
Integration spikes
A working connection to the API, the protocol or the legacy system the project depends on, made early because that is where projects most often stall.
Device prototypes
Firmware, sensors and connected devices brought to a working prototype on the bench, with the measurements that show whether the design holds.
Clickable and working prototypes
Prototypes that let users try the idea, from a Figma prototype to a coded one with real data, before the product is designed in full.
Research reports
Methods, results and conclusions written up for your board, your investors or the programme that funds the project, with the code and data delivered beside the report.
Hire R&D engineers
Dedicated R&D engineers
R&D engineers who join your team full time, work in your tools and process, and report to your lead. You interview them; we carry the Ukrainian contract, payroll, invoicing and leave.
R&D projects
A defined piece of R&D with a scope, a fixed plan and a named lead on our side who owns the result and reports progress in your channels.
Ongoing R&D
R&D as a continuing service: the same people every month, a backlog you prioritise, and hours you can see in our portal and on the invoice.
The dedicated team page explains how specialists join your team, and the outsourcing page covers project delivery, take-overs and how we charge.
Who works on your R&D
R&D engineers
Experiments, prototypes and measurements
AI and ML engineers
Models, retrieval and evaluation on your data
Embedded engineers
Firmware and device prototypes
Software architects
What the result means for the full system
Technical writers
Research reports and documentation
Proof of concept, prototype or MVP
A proof of concept answers whether something can be done, a prototype shows how it would look and work, and an MVP is the first version real customers use. An R&D project starts with the riskiest question and moves on only when the answer is clear, so the budget of a full build is spent only once the hard part is known to work.
Every experiment has a written hypothesis, a measure of success agreed in advance and a time limit. We are also open to research funded by a grant programme.
Other research and audits we carry out
Market and competitor research
Market and competitor research before a launch or a market entry: desk research, competitor products and pricing, customer interviews, surveys and market sizing, in a written report that answers your question.
Discovery and technical specification
A discovery phase before a build: workshops, requirements, the first release, architecture, a Figma prototype and an estimate, written into a technical specification any team can build from.
Code and technical audit
Code and technical audits of existing software: code quality, architecture, security, dependencies and licences, performance, infrastructure and cloud costs, with a written list of risks ranked by impact.
Website audit
Website audits of technical SEO, speed and Core Web Vitals, WCAG 2.2 accessibility, security headers, analytics and UX, with every problem ranked by impact and the fixes made by the same team.
Questions about R&D and proof of concept
How much does a proof of concept cost?
It depends on the question it has to answer and how hard that is to test, so we answer with a written estimate rather than a guess. A proof of concept is kept as small as the question allows, and the plan says what result counts as success before the work starts.
What happens if the proof of concept fails?
You learn that before spending the budget of a full build, which is the point of doing it. The report says what was tried, what did not work and why, and whether another approach is worth testing.
Can you work on a grant-funded research project?
Yes. We are open to being the engineering team on a research and innovation project funded by a grant.
How quickly can R&D engineers start?
When the right R&D engineer is available, the start is gated only by your interview and the NDA and IP assignment. Otherwise we run a search, which typically produces candidate profiles within two to three weeks, and nobody starts until you have said yes.
How do we hire R&D engineers through BigTree108?
Tell us the work, the seniority and the hours you need. We propose one or two people with their profiles, you interview them the way you would interview your own hire, and you sign one agreement with BIG TREE 108 LLC and receive one invoice a month.
Who owns the work they produce?
You do. Every specialist has a signed contract with BigTree108 that assigns all work product to the company, and our agreement with you assigns it onward. Code, designs and documents are delivered into your own repositories and tools, not kept where only we can change them.
Have an idea that might not work yet?
Tell us the idea and the part you are least sure of. You get an answer within one business day: how we would test it, how long that would take and the price.