# CES 2019 Special: Stas Gayshan, CIC-Boston

- Show: [EE Times Current](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current)
- Published: 2019-01-16
- Length: 22m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston
- Listen: https://podcast.show/aspencore/episode/41010782/

## Summary

Stas Gayshan, Managing Director of the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), discusses the role of shared physical spaces in fostering hardware innovation and collaboration. He highlights specific companies like Travis the Translator, which successfully launched via crowdfunding, and Vesper, a maker of tiny microphones for smart speakers, as examples of successful ecosystem members. Gayshan also addresses the reality of startup failures, citing a 'Uber for Vans' concept that failed due to infrastructure scaling mismatches, emphasizing that the collaborative environment helps founders regroup and iterate.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston#t=3) Introduction: David Finch and Stas Gayshan at CES 2019
- [1:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston#t=118) CIC Overview: Shared spaces and global expansion
- [2:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston#t=155) The Innovation Model: Collaboration and the 'Dance Floor' analogy
- [6:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston#t=370) Regional Innovation: Economic readiness and geographic spread
- [7:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston#t=429) CIC Selection: Curation, funding, and accelerator partnerships
- [10:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston#t=640) Startup Failures: The 'Uber for Vans' case study
- [13:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston#t=793) Success Stories: Travis the Translator and Vesper
- [16:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston#t=1011) Social Impact: Venture Cafe Global Institute and sustainability

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Cambridge Innovation Center (company)
- CIC-Boston (company)
- Travis the Translator (product)
- Vesper (company)
- Boeing Ventures (company)
- Square (company)
- Venture Cafe Global Institute (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [62: Ten Years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-10-03-62-ten-years) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [Introducing: It's only a Prototype Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-04-09-introducing-its-only-a-prototype-podcast) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [For Hardware Startups by Hardware People: Building The Builder Circle with Host, Sera Evcimen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2026-01-06-for-hardware-startups-by-hardware-people-building-the-builder-circle-with-host-s) (The Builder Circle)
- [Live From HIBT Summit: Payal Kadakia, Tristan Walker, and Perry Chen on Innovation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-22-live-from-hibt-summit-payal-kadakia-tristan-walker-and-perry-chen-on-innovation) (How I Built This)
- [Kickstarter, IndieGoGo & Ignite - Jasperated Jimswinger Jobbery](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-04-24-kickstarter-indiegogo-ignite-jasperated-jimswinger-jobbery) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-16-ces-2019-special-stas-gayshan-cic-boston. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to EE Times Current.