Hardware Podcasts

025: Industrial designer turned product-based business owner, Robson Splane of the Prorise Seat Assist

Product Startup · 1 Nov 2016 · 48m

What this episode covers

Robson Splane, an industrial designer with 30 years of experience, explains how he transitioned from a design consultancy to founding Risability and launching the Prorise Seat Assist. He details rejecting a lucrative licensing deal after 18 months of negotiation to manufacture and sell the product himself, citing the desire for creative and financial independence. Splane describes the iterative prototyping process, which involved 20 initial prototypes and 15 refined models, ultimately settling on a simple mechanical lever system rather than motors or pneumatics. He also discusses the strategic decision to source manufacturing in China and Mexico to meet government procurement requirements and manage costs while ensuring quality through third-party QA.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Risability, Splane Design Associates, Mako Design + Invent, General Motors, United States Veterans Administration
Products
Prorise Seat Assist

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