ODM (original design manufacturer)
also: ODM · OEM · JDM · white label
A manufacturer that designs and builds a product, often from an existing platform, for you to sell under your brand; fast, but you may not own the design.
In an OEM/CM arrangement you design and own the product and the factory builds it. With an ODM, the factory supplies the design too, often a modified version of something it already makes for others, and you brand and sell it. Joint development (JDM) arrangements sit between the two.
The ODM route can get a product to market quickly with little engineering investment, which suits commodity categories. The trade-offs: the ODM typically owns the core design, firmware and tooling; competitors may sell near-identical products; differentiation is limited; and switching factories later can mean starting over.
Founder takeaway
If you work with an ODM, check the contract for ownership of design, firmware and tooling, for exclusivity, and for your right to move production.
sources
engineer review pending