An Interview with Marcus Schappi - Kit Ketch Kenophobia

The Amp Hour · 19 Mar 2014 · 1h 23m · Episode 189

What this episode covers

Marcus Schappi, founder of Little Bird Electronics and partner at Ninja Blocks, discusses his new Kickstarter for the MicroView, an Arduino-compatible device with a built-in OLED display. He explains how Little Bird consolidated shipping for Australian hobbyists to compete with US vendors, and details the design process for the MicroView, including using SparkFun Electronics for manufacturing to ensure on-time delivery. Schappi also reflects on the challenges of his previous company, Ninja Blocks, particularly the pitfalls of 3D printing enclosures and the strategic shift toward IoT platforms like the Electronic Imp.

Mentioned

Companies
Little Bird Electronics, Ninja Blocks, SparkFun Electronics, Adafruit, Seeed Studio, DFRobot, Pololu, Freetronics, Jcar, Electrodragon, Geek Ammo
Products
MicroView, Arduino, BeagleBone, Raspberry Pi, Makey Makey, Electronic Imp, NinjaSphere
Also
Kit Ketch Kenophobia, Startmate, ifttt.com

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 48m

    44: Light Up Strikes Back

    Josh Chan and Tarun Pondicherry, founders of Lightup, discuss the journey of their electronics education kit from a Kickstarter campaign to shipping the MiniKit. They detail technical hurdles including PCB redesigns due to battery supplier changes and supply chain delays for the Mel 32 U4 microcontroller. The founders also explain their strategy for securing retail partnerships with Makershed and their plans to expand the product line with microcontroller blocks for programming education.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 07m

    90: Stick It in a Pumpkin

    Todd Kurt, co-founder of ThingM, discusses the evolution of his company's smart LED products, specifically the I2C-based BlinkM and the USB-based Blink(1). He explains the technical trade-offs between using ATtiny microcontrollers for I2C communication and Microchip PIC processors for native USB support, highlighting the firmware and timing challenges with WS2812 (NeoPixel) and APA102 (DotStar) LEDs. Kurt details the business strategy behind using Kickstarter for market validation and PR, while recounting specific manufacturing pain points in China, including firmware bugs, PCB layout issues, and CNC machining errors. He also touches on the complexities of managing a small hardware team, dealing with software contractors, and exploring future wireless product directions.

  • Making It · 1h 20m

    429: The Fabric of Your Lungs

    Jaco, Jimmy Diresta's daughter and founder of the brand Giaco, discusses the development of her Kickstarter product, the Darkfade flashlight, explaining how trusting an external electronics engineer initially caused significant delays and stress due to a mismatch in design philosophy. She details the solution: partnering with a specialized LED expert to refine the device's unique 45-degree head and gesture-controlled brightness interface. Meanwhile, Bob Clagett shares a lesson on laser maintenance involving a melted lens, and David Picciuto discusses his strategy of slowing down production on a record player stand to prioritize detail over speed.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 22m

    069 - Canned Cheese and Onion Rings

    Ian from Dangerous Prototypes discusses the evolution of the BusPirate, culminating in the BusPirate 5, which utilizes an RP2040 microcontroller and features an LCD, adjustable power supply, and current sensing. He details the creation of DirtyPCBs and other services like DirtyCables, explaining how he automated PCB ordering in Shenzhen to disrupt the market. Ian also shares anecdotes about his time in Huaqiangbei, including the 'Expressway to Pleasure' project and his experiences with local manufacturing quirks.

  • Embedded.fm · 59m

    350: The State of the Empire Is Good

    Ben Hencke, founder of ElectroMage, discusses the evolution of his Pixelblaze LED controller business from hand-soldered hobbyist projects to a scaled operation using a desktop pick-and-place machine. He details the technical transition from the ESP8266 to the ESP32 microcontroller for the upcoming Pixelblaze V3, highlighting the challenges of multi-core firmware development and race conditions. Hencke also explains his decision to launch V3 via CrowdSupply for its rigorous vetting and fulfillment support, and shares practical advice on solder paste selection and safety.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Amp Hour. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.