# 107: Using Hardware Incubators for Product Startups

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2021-12-22
- Length: 28m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-22-107-using-hardware-incubators-for-product-startups
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/

## Summary

Alex Dantas, CEO of CircuitLaunch, explains how hardware startups can leverage the 40,000-square-foot facility in Oakland to transition from garage prototyping to scaling production. He advocates for the 'co-factory' model, which supports short-run manufacturing of 100-500 units, allowing founders to build tangible products early rather than spending capital on business development. Dantas emphasizes that building a working prototype is the most critical step for securing investor confidence and validating market demand before attempting to scale.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-22-107-using-hardware-incubators-for-product-startups#t=0) Introduction: Alex Dantas and CircuitLaunch Overview
- [2:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-22-107-using-hardware-incubators-for-product-startups#t=128) Alex Dantas's Background and Building CircuitLaunch
- [7:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-22-107-using-hardware-incubators-for-product-startups#t=477) The Value of Hardware Community and Ecosystem
- [12:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-22-107-using-hardware-incubators-for-product-startups#t=727) The Importance of Building a Product First
- [14:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-22-107-using-hardware-incubators-for-product-startups#t=843) The Co-Factory Model and Short-Run Manufacturing
- [20:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-22-107-using-hardware-incubators-for-product-startups#t=1239) Inverting the Corporate Development Triangle
- [25:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-12-22-107-using-hardware-incubators-for-product-startups#t=1512) Education Programs and Future of CircuitLaunch

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- CircuitLaunch (company)
- Mako Design (company)
- Kickstarter (company)
- Google Ventures (company)
- Stanford (company)
- MIT (company)
- Carnegie Mellon (company)
- Booster Boards (company)
- Tech Shop (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S2E37 Defied the odds:  A Physical Product Development Firm That Focuses on Startups & Small Businesses, Mako Design + Invent –Kevin Mako](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-08-23-s2e37-defied-the-odds-a-physical-product-development-firm-that-focuses-on-startu) (Being an Engineer)
- [Introducing: It's only a Prototype Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-04-09-introducing-its-only-a-prototype-podcast) (It's Only a Prototype)
- [#025 - How to benefit for your startup from the one and only hardware accelerator of Southern California, with Shaun Arora of Make in LA, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-05-10-025-how-to-benefit-for-your-startup-from-the-one-and-only-hardware-accelerator-o) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [186: Sleeping on the Factory Floor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-02-09-186-sleeping-on-the-factory-floor) (Embedded.fm)
- [#027 - Rapid prototyping - a platform and its essential tools, with Finbarr Watterson of Fictiv, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-05-24-027-rapid-prototyping-a-platform-and-its-essential-tools-with-finbarr-watterson) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)

## Citing this page

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