From napkin to production line.
Engineering consultancy for the gap between concept and manufacture.
Most ideas don't fail because they're bad. They fail because nobody knows how to build them.
Proof of Concept
Stop Wondering. Start Building
I'm Chris Deverson. I take complex design challenges and see them all the way through — from the first conversation to production-ready parts in the real world.
Over 17 years have experience across motorsport, nuclear, defence and marine engineering. I co-founded Deviate Cycles, where for nearly nine years I was the sole engineer behind an award-winning mountain bike range — designing suspension kinematics, developing a frame around Cold Metal Fusion titanium frame process, Powder Bed Fusion design for additive, managing factories in Taiwan, and handling everything from RFQs to warranty.
I've never left a project on a screen.
WHAT I DO
If you are unsure where to go with your idea we are here to help.
- Concept to production The whole journey, not just the fun bits. From requirements capture and concept design through to supplier-ready documentation and first-off parts.
- Design for Manufacture (DFM) I design for the real world. That means identifying where a design will break in production before you cut metal, and engineering around it early.
- Design for Additive Manufacture (DfAM) Extensive experience with metal additive processes, particularly titanium. I understand the constraints and opportunities of AM from the ground up — not as an afterthought bolted onto a conventional design process.
- Suspension kinematics and surface design From mathematical modelling through to production geometry, with particular depth in high-performance bicycle and vehicle systems.
- Prototyping With in-house machining capability and a trusted supplier network, functional prototypes don't need to be slow or expensive.
- Supplier and factory engagement I've managed manufacturers in the UK and Taiwan. I know how to write the documentation that makes production go smoothly — and how to hold suppliers to it.
- Assembly documentation and training Full assembly manuals and in-person training where needed, so the knowledge doesn't stay with the engineer.
- CAD Core skills in PTC Creo. Proficient across Fusion 360, SolidWorks, Inventor and NX.
HOW I WORK
Proof of Concept is built around a simple idea — that the right person, with the right network, can outperform a large team on complex problems.
I'm the principal engineer on every project. Where specialist skills are needed, I bring in trusted partners I've worked with for years — CNC machining, composite manufacture, on-the-ground factory support in Taiwan, assembly documentation, and in-person training. You get senior engineering attention throughout, without the overhead.
No juniors. No handoffs. Just the work, done properly.
The "Team"
I'll be straight with you — I'm the one you'll be working with, start to finish. But I bring with me a network of trusted engineers, suppliers and manufacturers developed over 17 years. Whatever your project needs, I know who to call.
Chris Deverson
Engineer, founder, finisher — I take ideas from napkin to production line and I've never left a project on a screen.
Got something that needs to be built?
I'm happy to hear an idea at any stage — even the rough ones. I'll sign an NDA before we get into the detail.