Mistral Solutions vs Very: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Mistral Solutions (4.1/5) edges ahead of Very (3.8/5) overall. Mistral Solutions is the better choice for defence and aerospace embedded programmes in India. Very is the stronger option for US companies building a first connected product. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Mistral Solutions vs Very: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Mistral Solutions | Very |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 | 2011 |
| HQ | Bengaluru, India | USA (fully distributed) |
| Team size | 201–500 | 51–200 |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Board design, BSPs and rugged systems for defence and aerospace, with TI partnership | Product-strategy-led IoT development with Nerves and Elixir experience |
| Pricing model | Fixed project, time & materials | Time & materials, fixed project |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | C, Embedded Linux, VxWorks | C, Elixir, Nerves |
| Industries served | Aerospace & defence, Industrial IoT, Medical devices, Semiconductors | Industrial IoT, Consumer electronics, Energy & EV charging |
Mistral Solutions vs Very: overview
Mistral Solutions
Anees Ahmed and Rajeev Ramachandra started Mistral Solutions in Bengaluru in 1997, and it has grown into one of India's better-known embedded design houses, with 300 or more staff at the time of its acquisition. AXISCADES Technologies announced the purchase in 2017 and completed it in December 2022 for Rs 296 crore. Mistral designs boards, writes BSPs and firmware, and builds rugged systems, with defence and aerospace programmes as its largest market. It is a long-time Texas Instruments design partner.
Very
Very is a US IoT engineering firm that grew out of a design and development agency founded in 2011 and now works as a distributed team, with its earlier base in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Directory listings put its size at 51 to 200 people. It builds IoT products across hardware engineering, firmware, mobile apps and data, and it hired a co-author of the Nerves project, which runs Elixir on embedded Linux. Reviews mention hardware, firmware, React Native and AI feature work, so firmware is one part of a broader product offer.
Services and capabilities: Mistral Solutions vs Very
| Capability | Mistral Solutions | Very |
|---|---|---|
| Bare-metal & RTOS firmware | ✓ | ✗ |
| Embedded Linux & BSP | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electronics & PCB design | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wireless & IoT connectivity | ✗ | ✓ |
| Secure boot & OTA | ✗ | ✗ |
| FPGA development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Firmware testing & HIL | ✗ | ✗ |
| Dedicated team model | ✗ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Mistral Solutions vs Very
| Framework / platform | Mistral Solutions | Very |
|---|---|---|
| FreeRTOS | ✓ | N/A |
| Zephyr | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded Linux | ✓ | ✓ |
| Yocto | N/A | N/A |
| AUTOSAR | N/A | N/A |
| STM32 | N/A | N/A |
| Nordic | N/A | ✓ |
| NXP | N/A | N/A |
| FPGA | ✓ | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Mistral Solutions vs Very
| Criterion | Mistral Solutions | Very |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Time & materials | Fixed project, Time & materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Mistral Solutions vs Very
| Dimension | Mistral Solutions | Very |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Aerospace & defence, Industrial IoT, Medical devices | Industrial IoT, Consumer electronics, Energy & EV charging |
| Best use cases | Designing a rugged single-board computer and its BSP, Building DSP firmware for a radar or communications subsystem | Taking a first IoT product from concept to pilot, Building Nerves-based device software on embedded Linux |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Mistral Solutions vs Very: pros and cons
| Mistral Solutions | |
|---|---|
| + | Long experience with ruggedized and defence-grade embedded hardware |
| + | Covers board design, FPGA and firmware within one Indian vendor |
| + | Texas Instruments partnership spanning Sitara and DSP platforms |
| - | Owned by AXISCADES since 2022, which brings group priorities tied to aerospace and defence |
| - | Defence focus means commercial IoT is a smaller share of its work |
| - | Export-control constraints may limit what some foreign clients can share |
| Very | |
|---|---|
| + | Combines product strategy, design and engineering for teams new to hardware |
| + | Nerves experience is rare and useful for Elixir-based device software |
| + | Delivers the device, app and data platform together |
| - | Firmware is one part of a product agency offer |
| - | US rates without a lower-cost offshore option |
| - | Office location and headcount details vary between sources |
Who should choose Mistral Solutions?
A typical fit: designing a rugged single-board computer and its BSP.
Board design, BSPs and rugged systems for defence and aerospace, with TI partnership. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Aerospace & defence, Industrial IoT, Medical devices, Semiconductors.
Who should choose Very?
A typical fit: taking a first IoT product from concept to pilot.
Product-strategy-led IoT development with Nerves and Elixir experience. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Industrial IoT, Consumer electronics, Energy & EV charging.
Decision matrix: Mistral Solutions vs Very
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Mistral Solutions |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Mistral Solutions (Not disclosed) vs Very (Not disclosed) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Mistral Solutions |
| You need engineers to extend your own firmware team | Neither lists a dedicated-team model |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: Mistral Solutions vs Very
| Use case | Mistral Solutions fit | Very fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designing a rugged single-board computer and its BSP | Strong | Limited | Mistral Solutions |
| Building DSP firmware for a radar or communications subsystem | Strong | Limited | Mistral Solutions |
| Taking a first IoT product from concept to pilot | Limited | Strong | Very |
| Building Nerves-based device software on embedded Linux | Limited | Strong | Very |
| Fixed-price firmware build | Strong | Strong | Both |
| Extending an in-house firmware team | Strong | Strong | Both |
Verdict: Mistral Solutions vs Very
Mistral Solutions (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Firmware Development projects. Board design, BSPs and rugged systems for defence and aerospace, with TI partnership.
Very (3.8/5) is worth a look if you need building Nerves-based device software on embedded Linux. If your situation matches that, Very is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Mistral Solutions vs Very FAQ
Is Mistral Solutions better than Very?
Mistral Solutions (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Mistral Solutions's strongest advantage: long experience with ruggedized and defence-grade embedded hardware. Very's strongest advantage: combines product strategy, design and engineering for teams new to hardware.
How do Mistral Solutions and Very differ in pricing?
Mistral Solutions uses fixed project, time & materials pricing. Very uses time & materials, fixed project pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Mistral Solutions or Very?
Mistral Solutions is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each service provider before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Mistral Solutions and Very?
Mistral Solutions's primary differentiator is: board design, BSPs and rugged systems for defence and aerospace, with TI partnership. Very's primary differentiator is: product-strategy-led IoT development with Nerves and Elixir experience. They also differ in team size (201–500 vs 51–200), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (Aerospace & defence, Industrial IoT vs Industrial IoT, Consumer electronics).
Verify all details directly with each service provider before making a decision.