The Amp Hour · 5 Sept 2017 · 1h 12m · Episode 358
Chris Gammell announces his move from Supply Frame to Hologram as a Hardware Advocate, discussing the role of cellular connectivity in IoT. Dave Jones and Chris Gammell review recent industry mergers, including Altium's acquisition of Upverter, Avnet's purchase of Dragon Innovation, and Little Fuse's acquisition of Ixys. They also analyze a Plethora article on why crowdfunding hardware projects fail, citing design and manufacturing issues, and discuss legal liability for engineers and trademark disputes involving Lily Drones.
early-stage companies and large enterprises
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Host John Teal outlines 13 common reasons why new hardware products fail, categorized into technical, financial, and sales/marketing challenges. He emphasizes critical pitfalls such as underestimating development time, neglecting design for manufacturing (DFM), and running out of cash flow due to inventory costs. Teal also highlights the importance of validating customer demand early through crowdfunding and building an audience before launch.
Hosts Amelia Cook and Christopher White reunite with guests Star Simpson and Jen Costillo to reflect on the evolution of the hardware hobbyist landscape over the two years since their first appearance. Star Simpson, who works at Orion, discusses her wearable device project and her open-source FPGA toolchain initiative called Balboa, while also recounting the challenges of crowdfunding the Octopart reference card. The group analyzes the shifting attitudes toward privacy and security in the Internet of Things, the rise of accessible prototyping tools like 3D printing and Crowd Supply, and the changing ecosystem of development boards including the Odroid and Arduino.
Brian Chen, founder of Kite Compliance, recounts his journey from co-founding Bluesmart, the smart-luggage startup that raised $2.2M on Indiegogo before airlines banned non-removable batteries, to scaling ROOM, a modular office furniture company that reached $60M in annual revenue before being sold to OFS. He explains how Bluesmart's decision to embed lithium-ion batteries for IoT purity led to regulatory backlash, while ROOM succeeded by focusing on direct-to-consumer pricing and supply chain agility. Today, Chen uses his experience to build Kite Compliance, an AI-powered platform designed to help hardware companies navigate complex certification and regulatory hurdles.
Carrie Sundra, founder of Alpenglow Industries, discusses her transition from dyeing yarn to building 'frivolous circuits' and tools for makers. She details the design and crowdfunding of the SkeinMinder and SkeinTwister, explaining how she bypassed Kickstarter for the latter by using her own website and the now-defunct Celery payment processor. Sundra also covers the engineering challenges of her FUnicorn board, the PS-I Hate You soldering kit, and her live-streaming efforts to promote representation for women in hardware.
Helen Leigh, Head of Community at Crowd Supply, discusses organizing the Teardown 2024 conference in Portland and her role in vetting indie hardware projects for the platform. She details the logistical challenges of hosting the event in a semi-abandoned mall, the criteria for accepting campaigns (requiring functional prototypes and open documentation), and common pitfalls for creators, such as underpricing and ignoring tariffs. The conversation also covers her personal journey of learning KiCad 7 and the RP2040 microcontroller for a sequencer project, while highlighting the importance of real-life community building over social media.
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