Why Hardware Startups Are Finally Investable Again

OnTrack · 10 Feb 2026 · 43m · Episode 333

What this episode covers

Mihir Shaw and Benji Chia, co-founders of Hardware FYI, discuss the resurgence of hardware startup investment and the evolution of their newsletter from a niche technical publication to a community of 20,000 engineers. They highlight specific companies like Crown Control, which automates aerospace compliance reports, and Sencut, an on-demand sheet metal fabricator, as examples of the new wave of investable hardware ventures. The conversation also covers the challenges of PCB manufacturing complexity, the importance of first-principles content, and the realistic total addressable market for hardware engineering tools.

Mentioned

Companies
Cadence, Summit Interconnect, Crown Control, Sencut, Neros, Altium, ASML, Tesla, Boeing, Lockheed, Y Combinator, SpaceX, Circuit Hub, Quilter
Products
Hardware FYI

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