Services
Deep technical expertise across domains that often need to work together — SDR, FPGA, embedded systems, and non-volatile memory.
FPGA Development
FPGAs are uniquely suited to problems that require deterministic real-time performance, massive parallelism, or custom high-speed interfaces that processors simply cannot match. KickToStart has designed and deployed FPGA systems across defense, industrial, and scientific imaging applications — handling everything from VHDL architecture to simulation, verification, and integration with surrounding hardware and software.
Capabilities
- High-performance FPGA design (Xilinx Zynq, Virtex, Kintex, Spartan; Lattice)
- Real-time digital signal processing on hardware
- High-speed interfaces and data paths
- Image processing pipelines and machine vision systems
- Custom peripheral interfaces
- Fixed-point arithmetic and hardware resource optimization
- Linux kernel and VxWorks driver development for FPGA-based systems
Typical Engagements
- Real-time image processing pipeline design and implementation
- High-speed data interfaces development for custom hardware
- FPGA-based signal processing for communication systems
- Integration of FPGAs into existing systems
Rapid Embedded Prototyping
Most embedded projects fail not because of a lack of technical talent, but because early-stage decisions are made without the experience to know what will cause problems later. KickToStart has been the first engineering hire on products that went on to achieve FDA clearance, and has taken multiple products from early concept through working prototype to production deployment. We know what a first prototype needs to prove — and what it doesn't.
Capabilities
- Taking ideas from paper napkin to working prototype
- ARM microcontroller development (SDKs: Nordic, TI, NXP, Atmel, ST)
- Sensor integration and data collection systems (optical, IMUs, temperature, pressure)
- BLE and wireless protocol implementation
- Firmware architecture for reuse across research, clinical, and production platforms
- Hardware/firmware co-design and schematic review
- Power optimization for battery-powered devices
- Production-readiness and regulatory support (FDA 510(k), FCC, IEC 60601)
Typical Engagements
- First prototype build for a new product concept
- Firmware architecture for a product heading toward regulatory approval
- Sensor integration and data collection system development
- Production-readiness review and firmware and test jigs for manufacturing
Software Defined Radios
KickToStart has deep experience in software-defined radio development and real-time signal processing. From converting MATLAB prototype algorithms to fixed-point C and VHDL running on embedded hardware, to building complete SDR platforms for wireless communications and defense signal processing — we have done the hard work of making algorithms run fast on constrained hardware.
Capabilities
- Wireless communications and signal processing
- Real-time DSP algorithm development and optimization
- Fixed-point algorithm implementation and analysis
- Algorithm porting and pipelining for FPGAs or embedded targets
- Performance profiling and optimization
Typical Engagements
- Performance optimization of existing signal processing pipelines
- Full SDR development from architecture to deployment
- Signal processing library development for reuse across programs
Non-Volatile Memory Solutions
Modern embedded systems demand storage that's faster, more reliable, and more tailored to the application than off-the-shelf memory devices can provide. KickToStart designs complete non-volatile memory subsystems, from custom hardware and high-performance interfaces to firmware and file systems. We specialize in combining multiple memory devices into large linear address spaces, enabling scalable storage architectures that maximize performance, endurance, and reliability.
Capabilities
- Custom FRAM, MRAM, NAND Flash, and NOR Flash memory solutions
- Linearizing multiple memory devices into large contiguous memory banks
- High-capacity memory array architecture and subsystem design
- Custom file systems optimized for non-volatile memory technologies and application requirements
- High-speed SPI, QSPI, parallel, 32-bit, and 64-bit memory interfaces
- High-throughput parallel write architectures for large memory arrays
- Custom PCI Express (PCIe) memory interfaces and FPGA integration
- Wear leveling, bad block management, power-loss protection, and data integrity mechanisms
- FPGA and embedded processor integration
- Driver and firmware development for Linux, RTOS, and bare-metal systems
Typical Engagements
- Designing custom FRAM, MRAM, NAND, and NOR storage subsystems
- Linearizing multiple memory devices into a single large address space
- Developing custom file systems for high-performance or high-reliability storage
- Building large memory arrays for data logging, imaging, and scientific instrumentation
- Creating high-speed acquisition systems with parallel memory architectures
- Designing PCIe-based storage and acquisition hardware
- Replacing legacy Flash or EEPROM designs with modern high-endurance memory technologies
- Integrating custom memory hardware into FPGA and embedded processor systems
Cross-Cutting Capabilities
What makes KickToStart different is the ability to work across firmware, FPGA, hardware, and algorithms — and to speak fluently with the hardware engineers, algorithm teams, and product managers that your firmware has to work with.
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