# Ep. 23 | Arduino Co-founder Massimo Banzi on How Arduino Took the World by Storm

- Show: [Moore's Lobby](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby)
- Published: 2021-04-29
- Length: 52m
- Episode: 8
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm
- Listen: https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/podcast/ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm

## Summary

Massimo Banzi, co-founder of Arduino, explains how the platform evolved from a classroom tool in Ivrea, Italy, to a global standard for prototyping and industrial automation. He details the design philosophy of lowering barriers to entry for non-engineers, the backlash from traditionalists, and the strategic pivot toward commercial applications like the Portenta H7 board for machine learning and precision agriculture. Banzi also reflects on the painful legal disputes with former co-founders and the importance of clear governance in open-source hardware companies.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm#t=1) Introduction and Early Life
- [12:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm#t=771) Origins at the Interaction Design Institute
- [18:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm#t=1114) Creating Wiring and Arduino
- [23:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm#t=1406) Community Growth and Professional Backlash
- [29:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm#t=1765) Arduino in Industry and Maker Hype
- [34:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm#t=2059) Industrial Applications: Factory Automation and Agriculture
- [45:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-04-29-ep-23-arduino-co-founder-massimo-banzi-on-how-arduino-took-the-world-by-storm#t=2754) Legal Disputes and Founder Lessons

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Arduino (product)
- Massimo Banzi (other)
- Olivetti (company)
- Wiring (product)
- Processing (product)
- Basic Stamp (product)
- Arduino Portenta (product)
- TensorFlow (product)
- Google (company)
- LoRa (product)
- Medtronic (company)
- GE Industrial (company)
- Apple (company)
- Bosch (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Arduino's Invisible Touch with Massimo Banzi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-06-17-arduinos-invisible-touch-with-massimo-banzi) (The Amp Hour)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-06-27-293-skateboard-tricks) (Embedded.fm)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-12-23-293-skateboard-tricks-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [Can't We All Just Get Arduino? - Tardiloquent Trademark Tirade](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-26-cant-we-all-just-get-arduino-tardiloquent-trademark-tirade) (The Amp Hour)
- [Ep. 33 - Guest: Bar Smith of Maslow CNC](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2024-11-21-ep-33-guest-bar-smith-of-maslow-cnc) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)

## Citing this page

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