# 384: What's a Board File?

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2021-08-19
- Length: 51m
- Episode: 384
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file
- Listen: https://embedded.fm/episodes/384

## Summary

Liam Cadigan, co-founder of InspectAR and now at Cadence Design Systems, explains how the company evolved from a Memorial University capstone project into a commercial product before being acquired. He details the technical challenges of parsing complex PCB manufacturing data formats, specifically contrasting the intelligent IPC-2581-B standard with the legacy Gerber format. Cadigan discusses the strategic decision to use Unity for cross-platform augmented reality development and the difficulties of founding a hardware-adjacent startup from Newfoundland, including investor outreach and the eventual sale to Cadence in August 2020.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file#t=6) Introduction and Background
- [3:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file#t=204) From Capstone to Startup
- [5:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file#t=332) Technical Architecture and Unity
- [19:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file#t=1191) Navigating the Newfoundland Startup Ecosystem
- [24:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file#t=1467) PCB File Formats: Gerbers vs. IPC-2581
- [38:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file#t=2339) InspectAR Features and Future Directions

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- InspectAR (product)
- Cadence Design Systems (company)
- Unity (tool)
- KiCad (tool)
- IPC-2581 (other)
- Gerber (other)
- Y Combinator (company)
- Autodesk Accelerator Program (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [This Is Just A Tribute](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-10-this-is-just-a-tribute) (The Amp Hour)
- [Footprints and Symbols with Natasha Baker](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Jonathan Hirschman of PCB:NG](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-05-20-an-interview-with-jonathan-hirschman-of-pcb-ng) (The Amp Hour)
- [#440.2 - Interviews with Greg Davill and Michael Ossmann](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-05-01-440-2-interviews-with-greg-davill-and-michael-ossmann) (The Amp Hour)
- [Layout Review with Zachariah Peterson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-11-layout-review-with-zachariah-peterson) (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/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file. 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 Embedded.fm.