The disclosed technology relates generally to designs and methods of assembling functional devices utilizing compound micro-assembly. This method involve the the formation of functional device elements on native substrates (302). The functional device elements are thereafter assembled on an intermediate substrate and electrically interconnected so as to form an array of individual micro-systems (304). The micro-systems are consequently transferred (one or more at a time) to a destination or device substrat, where they are electrically interconnected so as to form a macro-system (308). Example of a macro-systems is a display device wherein, each micro-system may be an individual pixel containing red, blue, and green micro LEDs and a silicon drive circuit as functional device elements. An array of pixels may be formed by micro-transfer printing functional device elements onto the intermediate substrate and electrically connecting them via fine lithography, then the individual pixels may be micro-transfer printed onto the destination substrate.