There has been some conjecture since the once premier consulting firm, Stratos Product Development, shut down last week. Those closest to the company have expressed a deep sadness in the abrupt end of a company that— at least from the outside — represented the pinnacle of what a medical technology consultancy firm could achieve.
MDO spoke with Cameron Smith, the CEO and Founder of Seattle-based Product Creation Studio. Smith is a local competitor and one-time employee of Stratos. Smith, who knows many of the employees, shared some insights and laments about the state of product consultancies, particularly those serving the medical technology space. What are the challenges that all product consultancies face, and why did Stratos perhaps succumb to them?