Open for Business

i3 got its start as InForm Product Development in 1995 with two friends and founders, Ed Raleigh and Mark Gilbertson.

By January of the following year, the company had hired an additional industrial designer and two mechanical designers for a total of 5 employees.

Early Work

The very first project was the design of a dynamometer enclosure for Dyne Systems of Milwaukee, WI. This was soon followed by work from others including:

• Allen Bradley 
• P&H Mining Equipment
• Brady Corporation
• Eaton

These companies became mainstay clients of InForm for several years. Brady Corporation continues to work with the company to this day.

The Start of Something Big

Revenue for the first year was $526k with about 35 projects completed or in-process. 

In order to become a leading product design firm, InForm focused on integrating development with prototyping and emphasising manufacturing knowledge. This quickly became a strategic advantage over the larger, more established organizations in the area.

Great Things in Small Spaces

The team operated out of 1,500 sq. ft. of rented space on the east side of Madison. With only 200 sq. ft. of  prototype shop space, it was a tight fit.

One of earlier projects, a blasthole drill cab model for P&H Mining, had to be built in two sections so that it could be removed from the shop and taken to mine sites around the country for operator evaluations.

Always Growing

In 2000, the company moved to a new home in the Sun Prairie Business Park. This facility was nearly 10x larger than the original location and featured 1,800 sq. ft. of prototype shop space.

The building was full by 2006 but economic conditions delayed an expansion for nearly 10 years.

Finding Our Forever Home

By 2014, it was obvious that a larger space was needed, and work was started on a new headquarters building at the current 1869 Haynes Drive location in Sun Prairie.

The new space was not only large enough to meet the demands of the day, but the lot allows for an additional 20,000 sq. ft. expansion when the time comes.

Adding IoT Services

Software & Electronics development services were added in 2015 to address a growing number of customers with needs in Internet of Things and connected products.

A second space was leased in Middleton to become the hub for InForm's software capabilities and connected product development services.

A New Look & New Name

As the business grew, partners Wayne Hansen, Curt Scadden, and James Grogan bought into the business. The company was renamed i3 Product Development based on the partners' core values of innovation, inspiration, and integrity.

Mectronx Partnership

i3 partnered with Mectronx in 2018 to build a business specializing in rapid prototyping and manufacturing circuit board assemblies.

By 2021, Mectronx had outgrown their space in the i3 HQ and required a dedicated facility. I3 continues to work with Mectronx at their new home in Oconomowoc, WI, allowing i3 clients to continue to benefit from the rapid turnaround times that Mectronx offers.

i3 continues to work with Mectronx and our clients benefit from the rapid turnaround time for assemblies they offer. 

Cygnus Reach - Remote Support for IoT

i3 patented and productized the platform and has spun off into its own business called Cygnus with the remote support solution, Reach, at its first product.

Cygnus' mission is to ensure the success of new IoT products by providing manufacturers a best-in-class suite of tools for proper post-launch support.

The Future is Bright

As software services grew in demand, the development team did as well. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team realized that on-site collaboration was key to i3's performance. They needed more room to collaborate, test hardware, and work effectively.

A 12,000 square foot custom space was built at 2700 Pleasant View Road in Middleton as the permanent home of the IoT Lab and Cygnus. This facility was completed and opened in 2021.