Hardware Startup Horror Stories and How to Avoid Them with Dave Millman of BizDev.Global

Predictable Designs Podcast · 23 Mar 2020 · 46m · Episode 12

What this episode covers

Dave Millman of BizDev.Global joins host John Teel to discuss seven hardware startup horror stories, ranging from a health wearable transmitting unencrypted data to a Power Computing clone failing due to swapped capacitors. They analyze specific failures including offshore developers passing off off-the-shelf boards as custom designs, logistics nightmares from excessive SKUs, and shipping rejections due to lithium-ion battery regulations. The conversation highlights the importance of independent design reviews, managing inventory complexity, and navigating changing tariffs and certification requirements for global markets.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • TRADEOFFS · 59m

    Lessons from a Recovering Hardware Founder | Bluesmart, ROOM, Kite Compliance | Brian Chen

    Brian Chen, founder of Kite Compliance, recounts his journey from co-founding Bluesmart, the smart-luggage startup that raised $2.2M on Indiegogo before airlines banned non-removable batteries, to scaling ROOM, a modular office furniture company that reached $60M in annual revenue before being sold to OFS. He explains how Bluesmart's decision to embed lithium-ion batteries for IoT purity led to regulatory backlash, while ROOM succeeded by focusing on direct-to-consumer pricing and supply chain agility. Today, Chen uses his experience to build Kite Compliance, an AI-powered platform designed to help hardware companies navigate complex certification and regulatory hurdles.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 04m

    Year End, 2017

    Dave Jones of AEV discusses the logistical and financial challenges of fulfilling his successful Kickstarter for the AEV Multimeter, including component supply issues and complex international shipping. Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics critiques the Raspberry Pi Foundation's push for commercial use of their boards and discusses the rising cost of prototyping services. The hosts also reflect on industry trends, including the failure of Patreon's fee hike, the stagnation of 3D printing in manufacturing, and the lack of scalable open-source hardware companies.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 00m

    Documentation Is A Waste Of Time

    Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the critical role of documentation in hardware engineering, contrasting the rigorous requirements of military contractors with the 'get it done' culture of startups where knowledge is often lost when key designers leave. They analyze the Foxconn acquisition of Sharp as a supply chain security move by a giant with excess cash, and review the Raspberry Pi 3's integration of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth into its processor. The conversation concludes with a critique of the 'Coolest Cooler' Kickstarter failure, highlighting how poor unit economics and fulfillment planning can lead to bankruptcy despite massive funding.

  • Embedded.fm · 45m

    3: Plenty of Candy, No Guns

    Phil King, a senior hardware engineer at Lytro, joins host Elecia White to discuss the intersection of hardware and software engineering. They cover Phil's interview techniques for software candidates, the critical importance of hardware constraints in embedded design, and the risks of counterfeit components in overseas manufacturing. The conversation also touches on their shared history at ShotSpotter and Leapfrog, and the specific challenges of prototyping and testing.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 15m

    Wrong Hardware, Wrong Software - Fugacious Fan Funding

    Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the challenges of hardware development, including Chris's experience with a Texas Instruments high-voltage motor control kit that failed due to missing power factor correction, and a SparkFun MicroView firmware recall. They also analyze the economics of crowdfunding 3D printers, the triboelectric noise in cables, and recent industry acquisitions like Infineon buying International Rectifier.

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