Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Dojo Five (4.5/5) edges ahead of CMD MedTech (4.0/5) overall. Dojo Five is the better choice for teams that want a remote-first firmware partner with an explicit engineering culture. CMD MedTech is the stronger option for small teams needing close, senior-level medical device engineering with supplier-diversity credentials. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Dojo Five | CMD MedTech |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 2016 |
| HQ | Saint Paul, MN, USA | Columbus, OH, USA |
| Team size | 26 | 13 |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Stated "modern firmware" culture with explicit values (humble confidence, 40-hour weeks) built into how the team operates day to day | Woman-owned small business built specifically around medical device systems, software, and regulatory support |
| Pricing model | Project-based firmware engagements | Project-based medical device engineering engagements |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | C, C++, Python | C, C++, Medical Device Software Standards |
| Industries served | Medical devices, Diagnostics, Connected devices | Medical devices |
Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech: overview
Dojo Five
Dojo Five was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota with a team of 26 engineers. The company explicitly builds its identity around "modern firmware", the tools, techniques, and culture behind a better day-to-day experience building embedded devices, and operates remote-first with stated values including always learning, humble confidence, and pushing boundaries while protecting a 40-hour work week. For a buyer weighing team culture and engineer retention as part of a long-term hiring decision, that explicit values statement is unusually direct for a firmware company.
CMD MedTech
CMD MedTech was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, with roughly 13 employees as of mid-2025. The firm specializes entirely in medical device development, covering systems engineering, software and firmware, and regulatory and quality support. Its status as a woman-owned small business can matter to a hiring buyer with supplier-diversity requirements, and the small team structure means a client works directly with the senior engineers doing the work rather than being routed through a larger delivery organization.
Services and capabilities: Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech
| Capability | Dojo Five | CMD MedTech |
|---|---|---|
| Firmware development | ✓ | ✓ |
| RTOS development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Hardware co-design | ✗ | ✗ |
| Embedded GUI development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Medical device firmware | ✓ | ✓ |
| Functional safety | ✓ | ✓ |
| Technical training | ✗ | ✗ |
| Expert-witness services | ✗ | ✗ |
| Staff augmentation | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech
| Framework / platform | Dojo Five | CMD MedTech |
|---|---|---|
| C | ✓ | ✓ |
| C++ | ✓ | ✓ |
| FreeRTOS | N/A | N/A |
| Zephyr | N/A | N/A |
| FPGA | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | ✓ | N/A |
| LVGL | N/A | N/A |
| AWS IoT | N/A | N/A |
| ARM Cortex-M | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech
| Criterion | Dojo Five | CMD MedTech |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Project-based firmware development | Project-based engineering with regulatory support |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech
| Dimension | Dojo Five | CMD MedTech |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Medical devices, Diagnostics, Connected devices | Medical devices |
| Best use cases | Embedded Linux firmware development needing a dedicated, remote-first team, Production-ready firmware handoff for a connected medical device | Hiring a small, senior medical device engineering team with regulatory expertise, Systems and firmware engineering for a medical device FDA submission |
| Typical project type | Project-based firmware development | Project-based engineering with regulatory support |
Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech: pros and cons
| Dojo Five | |
|---|---|
| + | Explicit, published team culture (humble confidence, always deliver, 40-hour weeks) gives a hiring buyer real signal about who they'd be working with |
| + | Remote-first structure from the start, not a pandemic-era retrofit, suggests mature distributed-team practices |
| + | 7 years of operating history focused entirely on firmware, with a dedicated Embedded Linux team |
| + | Small team size (26) means a client works with senior engineers directly rather than being routed through account layers |
| - | 26 engineers caps concurrent capacity for a client needing several parallel workstreams |
| - | Its stated focus on connected medical devices and diagnostics is a narrower fit outside that vertical |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
| CMD MedTech | |
|---|---|
| + | Medical device development is the firm's sole focus, not one vertical among several |
| + | Woman-owned small business status can satisfy supplier-diversity requirements in enterprise and government hiring |
| + | Regulatory and quality support is built into the delivery process rather than treated as a separate service |
| + | Small team size gives direct access to senior engineers rather than being routed through account layers |
| - | 13 employees is one of the smallest teams on this list, which caps how many concurrent programs the firm can run |
| - | 9 years of operating history is shorter than several competitors with 20-plus years in medical device work |
| - | No published pricing or minimum engagement figure |
Who should choose Dojo Five?
A typical fit: embedded Linux firmware development needing a dedicated, remote-first team.
Stated "modern firmware" culture with explicit values (humble confidence, 40-hour weeks) built into how the team operates day to day. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Medical devices, Diagnostics, Connected devices.
Who should choose CMD MedTech?
A typical fit: hiring a small, senior medical device engineering team with regulatory expertise.
Woman-owned small business built specifically around medical device systems, software, and regulatory support. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Medical devices.
Decision matrix: Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Dojo Five (Not published) vs CMD MedTech (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Dojo Five |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | CMD MedTech |
Use case fit: Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech
| Use case | Dojo Five fit | CMD MedTech fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded Linux firmware development needing a dedicated, remote-first team | Strong | Limited | Dojo Five |
| Production-ready firmware handoff for a connected medical device | Strong | Limited | Dojo Five |
| Hiring a small, senior medical device engineering team with regulatory expertise | Limited | Strong | CMD MedTech |
| Systems and firmware engineering for a medical device FDA submission | Limited | Strong | CMD MedTech |
| Fixed-price build | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| Staff augmentation | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
Verdict: Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech
Dojo Five (4.5/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Embedded Firmware Development projects. Stated "modern firmware" culture with explicit values (humble confidence, 40-hour weeks) built into how the team operates day to day.
CMD MedTech (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need systems and firmware engineering for a medical device FDA submission. If your situation matches that, CMD MedTech is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Dojo Five vs CMD MedTech FAQ
Is Dojo Five better than CMD MedTech?
Dojo Five (4.5/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Dojo Five's strongest advantage: Explicit, published team culture (humble confidence, always deliver, 40-hour weeks) gives a hiring buyer real signal about who they'd be working with. CMD MedTech's strongest advantage: medical device development is the firm's sole focus, not one vertical among several.
How do Dojo Five and CMD MedTech differ in pricing?
Dojo Five uses project-based firmware engagements pricing. CMD MedTech uses project-based medical device engineering engagements pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Dojo Five or CMD MedTech?
Dojo Five is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each developer before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Dojo Five and CMD MedTech?
Dojo Five's primary differentiator is: stated "modern firmware" culture with explicit values (humble confidence, 40-hour weeks) built into how the team operates day to day. CMD MedTech's primary differentiator is: woman-owned small business built specifically around medical device systems, software, and regulatory support. They also differ in team size (26 vs 13), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Medical devices, Diagnostics vs Medical devices).
Verify all details directly with each developer before making a decision.