# 010: I have an idea, now what? Developing, testing & prototyping physical products.

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2016-06-14
- Length: 30m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-14-010-i-have-an-idea-now-what-developing-testing-prototyping-physical-products
- Listen: http://www.theproductstartup.com/episode-10-idea-now/

## Summary

Filip Valica, host of the Product Startup Podcast and engineer at Mako Design + Invent, explains how to validate product ideas and build prototypes on any budget. He argues that ideas have little value until validated through customer feedback and iterative prototyping, warning against the 'if you build it, they will come' trap. Valica details a spectrum of prototyping methods, from DIY cardboard and dollar-store 'Frankenstein' builds to using 3D printing services like Shapeways and outsourcing to manufacturers or invention promotion companies.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-14-010-i-have-an-idea-now-what-developing-testing-prototyping-physical-products#t=0) Introduction and Market Validation Philosophy

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch

## Mentioned

- Mako Design + Invent (company)
- Filip Valica (other)
- Gordon Firemark (other)
- SketchUp (tool)
- TinkerCad (tool)
- Shapeways (other)
- Arduino (other)
- Raspberry Pi (other)
- Lego Mindstorms (product)
- David Brankle (other)
- Brad Sumney (other)
- Savage Jerky (company)
- Mat Hofma (other)
- Erik Polumbo (other)
- Mini Materials (company)
- Kelsey Duffy (other)
- Versakini (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [How to Validate Your Product Idea Before You Spend Serious Money On It](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-07-13-how-to-validate-your-product-idea-before-you-spend-serious-money-on-it) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [S2E01 How to Determine if an Idea is Worth Pursuing – Mechanical Engineering Professor at MIT | Alexander Slocum](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-08-s2e01-how-to-determine-if-an-idea-is-worth-pursuing-mechanical-engineering-profe) (Being an Engineer)
- [IDology #2 - Prototyping in product development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2022-11-15-idology-2-prototyping-in-product-development) (IDology)
- [452: I Wish I’d Thought of That](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-08-23-452-i-wish-id-thought-of-that) (Making It)
- [186: Sleeping on the Factory Floor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-02-09-186-sleeping-on-the-factory-floor) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-06-14-010-i-have-an-idea-now-what-developing-testing-prototyping-physical-products. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Product Startup.