Hardware Podcasts

Development Costs for Hardware Startups

Predictable Designs Podcast · 7 May 2020 · 27m · Episode 18

What this episode covers

John Teel, host of the Predictable Designs Podcast, outlines development cost ranges for hardware startups, advising non-technical founders to avoid large US design firms ($100k+) and instead consider small firms ($10k-$30k) or freelancers. He warns against the risks of cheap freelancers on platforms like Fiverr, citing examples of wasted money and incomplete designs, and strongly recommends hiring a technical advisor or co-founder to manage development. Teel suggests simplifying products to core functionality, using existing dev kits for early prototypes, and prioritizing customer feedback over initial profitability to minimize risk and cost.

Most relevant to

founders before launch

Topics

Mentioned

Products
Arduino
Chips
STM32
Also
John Teel, Fiverr, Hardware Academy, SCORE

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