We lean into complex challenges

Introducing Virscient – our philosophy and our people

Our philosophy

Virscient unlocks IP faster for large scale manufacturers (in audio, healthcare and transport) by accelerating the way they develop their new wireless-connected products.

We achieve this with our unique mix of people, processes and platforms, applying our deep expertise to solve today’s complex challenges and to set our customers up for the future, too. Virscient was born out of a drive to lean into the difficulties that must be overcome to develop technology that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

We commit to taking on the technical challenges that require a deep understanding of the way RF systems operate and integrate. But we don’t stop there. We learn, build and retain our substantial body of intellectual property so it can be repurposed and applied for future projects.

That means we don’t start your project with a blank page – we start with a suite of existing solutions that can be adapted and extended to meet your needs, allowing you to get to market faster, and invest more into developing your unique functionality.

We’re here to do all we can to guide, to solve, and to deliver… we’re here make it work for you!

Let's talk!

Virscient's technical capabilities

Audio & Music

• Bluetooth audio (Classic, BLE Audio, Broadcast Audio, aptX, Sony LDAC)
• Ultra-low-latency wireless audio (LiveOnAir)
• Apple Find My integration for audio devices (SoundTrack)
• Mobile companion apps (SonicBoom)

IoT Connectivity

• Wi-Fi (802.11, Ubiquios stack with FullMAC/SoftMAC, WPA supplicant, TLS, MQTT, cloud agents)
• Bluetooth Mesh for control and automation (e.g., marine access case)
• LoRa / LoRaWAN for long-range, low-power IoT
• IEEE 802.15.4 derivatives (Zigbee/Thread implied)

Cellular & LPWAN

• 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G modem integration
• LTE Cat-M (LTE-M)
• NB-IoT

RF & Hardware

• PCB and electronics design
• Antenna design and tuning
• RF front-end and system integration
• EMC/regulatory compliance

Security & Compliance

• Secure communication, encryption, key exchange (AES, ECDH in LiveOnAir)
• Certification support: Bluetooth SIG, Wi-Fi Alliance, regional compliance

Semiconductor Partnerships

• Qualcomm (S3, S5, S7): SonicBoom reference app, advanced Bluetooth audio features
• Nordic Semiconductor (nRF5340): Reference implementation of LiveOnAir
• Infineon (AIROC Wi-Fi + Bluetooth): Partner ecosystem
• Semtech (LoRa / LoRaWAN): IoT connectivity solutions

15+ Years Experience

Virscient was founded in 2011 by a team of RF and Embedded Software engineers with extraordinary global careers with some of the biggest names in the industry. They recognised an opportunity to deliver consultancy services to large multinational semiconductor companies whilst enjoying the unique beauty of living in New Zealand.

100+ Solutions Provided

Since inception, Virscient has delivered significant projects to over 100 customers, many of whom have remained as long term clients with Virscient as we've become an integral partner for companies growing their wireless-connected capability.

8000+ Devices Shipped

Virscient produces and distributes wireless-connected devices for AirSuite and SaferMe, with over 8,000 devices shipped since 2020. We don't just design great products - we manage the full product lifecycle.

Meet our key people

Dr Dean Armstrong

Founder & CTO

Owen Woollaston

GM, Customer Success & PMO

Bridget Sonntag

GM, Engineering Consultancy

Rick Walker

Global Head of Sales

See what others have to say:

"The way the project worked… was fantastic. The project manager on the Hella side kept a very tight rein on scope… and on the other side, the project management within Virscient worked well, and decisions were made quickly. Focus was kept on the project, and we were able to achieve the delivery we wanted."

Head of Design - Hella Marine, NZ

"Virscient…were a perfect partner to help us. Virscient understand the technical side better than anyone, but they’ve also got a strong handle on the workflow required to put out world-class products."

Founder & Director - Earshots Ltd

"If we had followed the approach we’ve used in the past, you’re talking maybe 10 months to complete…Virscient played a phenomenal role in halving our turnaround time. They also have a strong understanding of the end user experience."

Peter Pooran - CEO, AirSuite

"Virscient were really fantastic in helping me figure things out. For example, what happens when somebody’s wearing the earring and they’re not using it? Virscient would lay out things for us….this is how it is, and this is where things could go wrong."

Priti Moudgill - Founder and Director, Peripherii

"Given our success in collaborating with Virscient on an earlier project, we were confident to engage them for support on this project. Owen, Richard and their team have been vital to the integration of embedded wireless connectivity into FOX’s latest products."