Stoke Ventures

Working with Stoke Venture has been a great experience. Carter Beall is incredibly personable and always quick to respond, which made the whole process smooth and stress‑free. I’m very happy I chose them to design my logo and build my prototype. They took the time to understand what I needed and made sure I felt comfortable every step of the way. Fantastic team. "

As a first-time inventor, hiring Stoke Ventures to develop my product became one of the most disappointing business experiences I've had. I expected guidance from experienced professionals.The first prototype was not functional. The second prototype was a significant improvement, but it still required additional revisions before it would function properly. Instead of continuing to refine that prototype, I was told they were changing manufacturers because of cost. After nearly a year, I terminated the project because I still did not have a functional prototype.Stoke Ventures has stated that I approved each stage of the project. I did approve moving forward with revisions because I was trying to salvage a project I had already invested heavily in—not because I was satisfied with the results. Continuing with revisions reflected my commitment to making the product work, not approval of the work already delivered.One of my biggest concerns involved manufacturing pricing. I repeatedly requested production costs because I had been told I would receive them after the first prototype. Instead, pricing wasn't provided until after the second prototype and after a manufacturer had already been selected for a third prototype.Before I ever received pricing, I discovered another company was already selling a reefer trailer broom. I was surprised to make that discovery myself after months of development. Given Stoke Ventures' role in product development and manufacturer sourcing, I expected competing products would have already been identified and discussed.After I brought that product to their attention, Stoke Ventures finally provided what they represented as my manufacturing cost. I was surprised by how high it was. When I questioned it, I was told the pricing was in line with what the competing broom was selling for. That explanation concerned me because I was trying to determine the actual manufacturing cost—not compare it to another company's retail price.That led me to research manufacturers myself. I discovered the second prototype developed for my project being advertised on Alibaba. After contacting the manufacturer directly, I learned they had produced both my first and second prototypes, despite me previously being told a different manufacturer was being sought. Stoke Ventures never provided me with the manufacturer's information. After terminating my contract, I worked directly with the manufacturer, completed the development in about 30 days, obtained substantially lower manufacturing pricing, and negotiated my own exclusivity agreement.When I requested a refund, I was told the company "doesn't issue refunds." I later pursued the matter in small claims court. The court ruled largely on the written contract rather than the communications that followed. That experience taught me an expensive lesson: if an expectation isn't written into the contract, don't assume it will be enforceable later.I've included photographs of the prototypes so prospective clients can see exactly what I received after nearly a year of development.During the dispute, I was offered money in exchange for removing my Google review. I declined because I believed prospective customers deserved to read about my experience and make their own decisions.Looking back, my biggest lesson is that assumptions are expensive. If you're considering hiring any product development company, have the agreement reviewed by an attorney and make sure timelines, deliverables, prototype requirements, manufacturing pricing milestones, ownership rights, confidentiality obligations, manufacturer exclusivity, and refund provisions are explicitly written into the contract before you sign. "

We have been working with Andrew Lees of Stoke Ventures for some time and would like to give Andrew and his team the highest accolades possible. Andrew has been an absolute pleasure to work with. He and his team have been extremely creative, thorough, inclusive, communicative & responsive. Thankfully, Andrew has been hands on in his approach and helped us navigate every aspect of the process since the inception of our idea. We give him the highest recommendation possible. JMSN, Inc. "

Stoke Ventures provides knowledgeable support for entrepreneurs looking to turn ideas into real products. Their team communicates clearly and brings strong expertise in product design and development. They take time to understand your vision and offer helpful insights on improving functionality and manufacturing options. Overall, a professional group that works hard to help bring concepts from idea to market. "

In my personal experience, working with Stoke Ventures, and specifically Carter Beall, was one of the most frustrating and unproductive business decisions I’ve made. I paid a lot of money and spent nearly a year waiting for a functional prototype that was never delivered.The prototypes I did receive were nowhere near what was agreed upon — they didn’t fit the specifications, key design elements were incorrect, and some features were changed without my approval. Communication was inconsistent, and several explanations I was given did not match what I later confirmed directly with the manufacturer.One of the most concerning issues was pricing. After months of asking, I was finally given production costs that were several times higher than the actual numbers the manufacturer provided to me. I was ultimately able to obtain a working prototype on my own in 30 days for a fraction of what Stoke quoted — something they could not accomplish in nearly 11 months.When I requested a refund for incomplete and unusable work, I was told the company “doesn’t issue refunds.” After terminating the contract and consulting an attorney, Carter stated they operated in good faith and exceeded what was required. Based on my experience, that was not the case. The company may claim they fulfilled the contract because they sent prototypes, but none of those prototypes were functional or aligned with the agreed specifications.I eventually had to finish the design and prototyping directly through the manufacturer which took me only 30 days to accomplish. Given my experience, I strongly recommend extreme caution before hiring this company. I truly wish someone had warned me ahead of time. "