Hardware Podcasts

7: Lights, Camera, Electrons

Embedded.fm · 26 Jun 2013 · 1h 06m

What this episode covers

Josh Chan and Theron Pondicherry, founders of Light Up, explain their magnetic electronics kit designed to teach elementary and middle school students how circuits work without soldering. They detail the hardware's magnetic connections, the integrated augmented reality smartphone app that visualizes electron flow and debugs errors, and the inclusion of an Arduino-compatible microcontroller block. The founders discuss their journey through the HAXLR8R accelerator in Shenzhen, their successful Kickstarter campaign which exceeded its $50,000 goal, and their strategy for scaling production and distribution.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
SparkFun, RadioShack, MakerBot
Products
Light Up, Arduino
Chips
ATtiny84
Also
HAXLR8R, Kickstarter

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • How I Built This · 32m

    When our phones are just phones with Kai Tang and Joe Hollier of Light

    Kai Tang and Joe Hollier, co-founders of Light, explain how they met in a Google incubator and decided to build the Light Phone, a minimalist device designed to reduce smartphone addiction and protect user privacy. They detail their journey from a $400,000 Kickstarter for the first 2G model to a $3.5 million Indiegogo campaign for the Light Phone 2, which added utility features like music and text. The founders discuss the challenges of hardware manufacturing, including delays and supply chain issues, and how they achieved profitability through word-of-mouth marketing and direct-to-consumer sales without venture capital pressure to maximize attention.

    Starting a product companyIndustrial & consumer product design
    8 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 23m

    An Interview with Marcus Schappi - Kit Ketch Kenophobia

    Marcus Schappi, founder of Little Bird Electronics and partner at Ninja Blocks, discusses his new Kickstarter for the MicroView, an Arduino-compatible device with a built-in OLED display. He explains how Little Bird consolidated shipping for Australian hobbyists to compete with US vendors, and details the design process for the MicroView, including using SparkFun Electronics for manufacturing to ensure on-time delivery. Schappi also reflects on the challenges of his previous company, Ninja Blocks, particularly the pitfalls of 3D printing enclosures and the strategic shift toward IoT platforms like the Electronic Imp.

    Crowdfunding & preordersIndustrial & consumer product design
    10 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 32m

    An Interview with Andrew Seddon - Necessary Networked Novelty

    Andrew Seddon, co-founder of CircuitHub, explains the platform's crowdsourced electronics parts library and its integration with EDA tools like Altium, Eagle, and KiCad. He details the company's journey from a passion project to a Y Combinator-backed startup, highlighting the technical challenges of building a universal library and the business model of monetizing through manufacturing services. Seddon also discusses the difficulties of US immigration for foreign founders, which led the team to operate from Mexico, and the growing hardware startup scene in the UK.

    EDA & CAD toolsStarting a product company
    7 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 20m

    429: The Fabric of Your Lungs

    Jaco, Jimmy Diresta's daughter and founder of the brand Giaco, discusses the development of her Kickstarter product, the Darkfade flashlight, explaining how trusting an external electronics engineer initially caused significant delays and stress due to a mismatch in design philosophy. She details the solution: partnering with a specialized LED expert to refine the device's unique 45-degree head and gesture-controlled brightness interface. Meanwhile, Bob Clagett shares a lesson on laser maintenance involving a melted lens, and David Picciuto discusses his strategy of slowing down production on a record player stand to prioritize detail over speed.

    Crowdfunding & preordersIndustrial & consumer product design
    8 chapters

  • Hard Tech Podcast · 59m

    Brett Walker: Advanced Manufacturing, Generative AI, Kickstarter & Austin | Hard Tech Podcast #4

    Brett Walker, CEO and co-founder of Electroninks, discusses his company's particle-free conductive inks and their application in advanced electronics manufacturing, including EMI shielding and bezel-less displays. He details the company's journey from a University of Illinois startup to an Austin-based operation, highlighting the critical challenges of securing infrastructure and funding for materials science ventures. Walker also reflects on the evolution of crowdfunding, noting how Circuit Scribe’s successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013 contrasts with the current saturated market, and explains how Circuit Jet enables rapid, domestic PCB prototyping to support US supply chain resilience.

    Materials & manufacturing processesManufacturing partners & offshoring
    10 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Embedded.fm. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.