When founders and engineering leaders start a conversation with us, the first question is usually about the technology. The second is almost always about the relationship: how do we actually work together, and what will it cost?
It is a fair question, and the honest answer is that there is no single right way. The best way to work with C3 depends on where your device is, what your internal team can carry, and how you want to manage budget and cash flow. That is why we offer four different ways to engage, from free early guidance all the way through a long-term development partnership. Here is how to think about which one fits.
The Four Ways to Work With C3
Most engagements fall into one of four models. None is better than the others. They simply fit different stages and different needs, and many teams move from one to the next as they grow.
1. Mentorship Program: Free Guidance When You’re Just Getting Started
Sometimes what you need most in the earliest days is not engineering hours. It is direction. Our Mentorship Program is a free, low-pressure way to get expert input when you are still shaping an idea and figuring out your next step.
It is built for founders and innovators—often a physician or engineer with a promising concept—who need to understand the path ahead before they commit real budget to it. We talk through where you are, help you see what is involved in developing your device and moving toward the FDA, and give you a clearer sense of what comes next. There is no obligation to work with us afterward.
Best fit if you are: at the idea stage, exploring feasibility, or simply trying to understand the road ahead before you invest.
2. Catalyst Program: A Proof of Concept That Helps You Raise
Many great ideas stall in the same place: you need a proof of concept to attract investors, but you need funding to build one. The Catalyst Program is designed to break that cycle.
It is a low-cost monthly engagement built for self-funded or underfunded founders. We help you build a tangible proof of concept you can put in front of investors, along with a fundraising roadmap that gives your pitch technical credibility. It is the option for early teams who need to show something real without a full development budget.
Best fit if you are: self-funded or underfunded, pre-raise, and need a proof of concept and a plan to attract investment.
3. Project-Based Partnership: A Defined Scope, Start to Finish
When you have funding and a clear, well-defined piece of work, a project-based engagement is often the cleanest fit. We define the scope, timeline, and budget up front, then execute against it with milestone-based pricing—so you pay as the device progresses from one phase to the next.
This model gives you predictable budgeting for a specific deliverable, whether that is a prototype, a specific subsystem, or a round of verification and validation testing. You know what you are getting, what it costs, and when it will be done.
Best fit if you are: a funded team ready to execute, with a defined deliverable and a clear next development phase.
4. Ongoing Partnership: A Full Team on a Predictable Monthly Basis
Our most popular option is for teams that do not need a one-time project. They need continued engineering capacity they can count on. The Ongoing Partnership gives you consistent, full-team support on a predictable monthly cost as your product moves into production and continues to evolve.
This model is a strong fit for established companies that need a long-term development partner, as well as teams with an overflow of work who want an adaptable team instead of hiring more engineers. It smooths out budgeting and keeps the same people engaged with your product over time, rather than restarting the relationship every few months.
Best fit if you are: an established company that needs a long-term partner, or a team with ongoing, evolving development work.
How to Know Which One Fits
If you are not sure where you land, a few questions usually make it clear:
- Where is your device today? Just an idea points toward the Mentorship Program. A concept that needs proof for investors points toward Catalyst. A funded, defined scope points toward a project. Continuous, evolving work points toward an ongoing partnership.
- Where are you with funding? Pre-funding and exploring, start with free mentorship. Raising and need a proof of concept, look at Catalyst. Funded and ready to build, a project or ongoing partnership fits.
- What can your internal team carry? If you are stretched thin across many priorities, ongoing support relieves the most pressure. If you have a capable team and one specific gap, a project may be all you need.
- How long do you expect to need help? A single milestone is a project. An ongoing need is a partnership.
You Don’t Have to Get It Perfect on Day One
Here is the reassuring part. You do not have to lock in the perfect model before you start. Many teams begin with free mentorship, move into the Catalyst Program to build a proof of concept while they raise, take on a defined project once they are funded, and shift to an ongoing partnership as their needs grow. The relationship is meant to adapt to your stage, not force you into someone else’s rigid process.
What matters most is not the label on the engagement. It is that you have a partner who actually builds, tests, and supports your medical technology, and who is honest with you about scope, budget, and fit along the way.
Not Sure Which Model Fits? Let’s Figure It Out Together
The easiest way to find the right fit is to talk it through. Book a short discovery call directly with founder Craig Carder. Tell us where your device is and what is slowing you down, and we will recommend the way of working that makes the most sense for your stage, honestly.
