Reviews

Review Details

• Review fromDr. B. Michael S.

  Date: 04/22/2025

  1 star

  Dr. B. Michael S.

  Date: 04/22/2025

  Review Score - Zero Stars out of Five (but I have to select 1)!
  Merge / Medical Device Studio defrauded our Company. We had a contract for them to perform engineering services. They defined what the deliverables would be. They took five months to "complete" the work; so they claimed. Throughout the process, we saw no evidence of progress, and the engineering team misled our team, up to and including delivery of the final powerpoint slide deck confirming their device met the listed specifications. We had their device tested by an independent engineering firm to confirm if the specifications were indeed met. The independent firm demonstrated that their device did not meet any of the specifications, as defined in Merge's own documents. Throughout the five month process, while we saw no evidence of progress, ****** *******, the founder and managing partner, assured me and my team that they would deliver the device and would meet all of the specifications. ****** and his engineering team lied about their work, threatened to stop working on the project unless payment in full was made, which was completed, and never responded to why his firm failed to meet the specific specifications they told us they met in their final project document. They are a complete sham and a disgrace to the field of engineering. We are a small company that cannot afford to sue them for damages. We would give them a grade of "F." Total failure. ****** even told us several times that his team was lazy, skeptical, and that he would replace them with other engineers, which he failed to do. The BBB and its readers at least can see this review of Merge and if they are wise would never enter into a contract with them.

  Merge / Medical Device Studio

  Date: 05/23/2025

  Company Response
  Merge completed all Phase 1 contract deliverables (design inputs, business analysis, and an initial proof-of-concept prototype) within the 4-5 month window set out in the signed proposal.
  Scope & Expectations
  The proposal specifies that Phase 1 prototypes are “best-effort proof-of-concept models, not guaranteed to meet final specifications and not intended for clinical use.” Meeting every design target is typically achieved in later phases, not with first prototypes.
  Key Milestones
  Kick-off: Oct 2024
  Interim concept decks: Nov 2024 & Dec 2024
  Prototype shipped: Mar 2025
  Final Phase 1 package delivered: Mar 2025
  Final invoice reduced so total paid matched the original quote.
  Payments & Project Pauses
  Work paused only when invoices exceeded the agreed terms and resumed immediately upon payment. Despite those pauses, Phase 1 finished inside the estimated schedule.
  Independent Testing
  We have reviewed the third-party report. Some design inputs (which were set by Merge as part of the work) were indeed unmet, as is normal for an early prototype, while others were met. We remain willing to review the data directly with the testing firm.
  Refund Requests
  In April 2025 the client first requested a full refund; when we declined, citing the “best-effort” language, he demanded a 50% refund. He indicated that if a refund were not provided he would pursue other actions against Merge, and we believe this review is part of those actions.
  Professional Conduct
  Merge did not describe its engineers as “lazy,” nor did we promise a specification-perfect prototype in Phase 1. If any written evidence suggests otherwise, we invite the client to share it.
  Next Step
  We remain open to a one-hour, no-cost technical review call with the client’s test lab to reconcile data and clarify next steps.
  Merge stands by the work delivered and believes the record shows we met the Phase 1 objectives and scope agreed to in the signed contract.