An Interview with Avidan Ross

The Amp Hour · 16 Dec 2016 · 1h 20m · Episode 327

What this episode covers

Avidan Ross, founder of Root.vc, discusses the realities of seed-stage venture capital for hardware startups, emphasizing that early funding is often insufficient to cover Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) and tooling costs. He critiques consumer hardware investments like Juicero and Pebble, arguing that industrial and B2B applications offer clearer value propositions and lower risk. Ross also explores the dynamics of open-source hardware, noting that while it builds community trust, true unicorns typically emerge from hardware-enabled services rather than the hardware itself.

Mentioned

Companies
Root.vc, Particle, Shaper Tools, Instrumental, MakerBot, 3D Robotics, DJI, Electric Imp, Fitbit, Kiva, GE
Products
Juicero, Pebble, Raspberry Pi, Arduino

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