From Corporate World to Freelancing to Running a Hardware Startup with Roberto Weiser of Developpa

Predictable Designs Podcast · 29 Jun 2020 · 53m · Episode 23

What this episode covers

Roberto Weiser, founder of Developpa and Air Develop, explains his transition from corporate engineering roles at Lear and Cambridge Audio to freelancing and launching a low-cost air purifier in Thailand. He details the decision to use off-the-shelf components to minimize costs and the challenge of manufacturing in Thailand with Western management to balance cost and communication. Weiser describes a critical supply chain failure during the coronavirus pandemic, where delayed molds forced an improvised CNC-machined enclosure solution to fulfill pre-orders. Finally, he outlines his strategy to pivot from direct retail sales to wholesale distribution in Thailand and internationally to achieve business stability.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Product Startup · 21m

    180: Hardware Startup Tips for Non-Technical Founders

    Graeme Whitehead, a corporate Vice President and non-technical founder, explains how he designed, manufactured, and sold the CNCT Cooler, an ultra-high-end cooler for Tesla storage spaces, as a side hustle. He details the importance of identifying knowledge gaps, collaborating with Mako Design + Invent to achieve specific industrial design and mechanical engineering goals, and navigating manufacturing pushback. Whitehead also discusses leveraging rotational molding for quality, sourcing US-based manufacturers, and gaining traction by shipping free units to influencers without contracts.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 16m

    Chris Becomes Self Employed - Quixotic Quitting Quaere

    Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics announces he is becoming self-employed after his employer rejected his request to work part-time, a decision driven by the growth of his own business and consulting pipeline. Dave Jones of EEV Blog discusses the operational details of his successful Kickstarter, including a $40,000 capital outlay for genuine parts, pilot run hiccups with Maxim components, and his transition to a drop-shipping model with his local assembler. The hosts also analyze the strategic implications of Tektronix's new MDO 3000 mixed-domain oscilloscope and the broader economic impact of manufacturing industry closures in Australia and the US.

  • The Hardware Entrepreneur · 40m

    #016 - Developing with a hardware engineering company, with Karoly Molnar of ProDSP Technologies, Hungary

    Karoly Molnar, co-founder and CEO of ProDSP Technologies, a hardware engineering firm in Budapest, explains how the company grew organically from university projects into a self-sustaining business serving industrial automation and hardware startups. He details their dual revenue model of engineering hours and manufacturing services, and describes the critical parallel development of 'works-like' and 'looks-like' prototypes that converge into an engineering prototype. Molnar also shares insights on bootstrapping, productivity habits like the Pomodoro technique, and the importance of detailed video documentation when managing cultural differences with Chinese manufacturing partners.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 33m

    An Interview with Ken Burns

    Ken Burns, founder of Tiny Circuits, explains how his company evolved from a Kickstarter-funded hardware startup into a small-scale manufacturer in Ohio. He details the painful but necessary transition to in-house SMT production, highlighting early failures with solder paste and low yields that were eventually solved by hiring experienced staff and upgrading to modern equipment. Burns also discusses his new 'Whiskers' sensor platform, which simplifies IoT prototyping with stackable sensors and CircuitPython support, while noting the strategic importance of selling through distributors like DigiKey and Mouser.

  • Thoroughly Considered · 40m

    3: Onward

    Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss the failure of their Obi Kickstarter campaign and how it led to a strategic pivot toward smaller, lower-risk products. They detail the development of the Apple TV Remote Stand, which they manufactured in-house using a desktop CNC router, and the iClip for Apple Watch, produced via Shapeways. The hosts analyze the financial and operational lessons learned from these contrasting approaches to product design, manufacturing, and timing.

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.