# An Interview with Ben Einstein

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2018-08-06
- Length: 1h 36m
- Episode: 402
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/402-an-interview-with-ben-einstein/

## Summary

Ben Einstein, founder of Bolt, explains how his firm supports early-stage hardware startups through deep technical involvement, including prototyping facilities in San Francisco and Boston. He details Bolt's investment strategy, which ranges from $100,000 to $1 million, focusing on helping founders navigate the transition from idea to engineering prototype (EP) while avoiding the pitfalls of over-engineering. Einstein emphasizes the importance of 'founder-market fit,' genuine networking, and building 'good enough' products quickly rather than pursuing perfection, citing the failure of Juicero as a cautionary tale of misaligned value propositions.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=0) Introduction and Sponsor Read
- [1:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=110) Bolt's Model: Early-Stage Hardware Venture Investing
- [4:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=291) Einstein's Background and Inheriting a Product Design Company
- [12:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=762) Raising the First Fund and the Role of Networking
- [28:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=1690) Why Hardware Was Underfunded and the Rise of Connected Products
- [32:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=1972) Bolt's Investment Process and Check Sizes
- [43:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=2610) The Engineering Team and 'Good Enough' Product Philosophy
- [56:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=3400) Case Study: Why Juicero Failed and Recurring Revenue Models
- [1:08:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=4113) Team Building and the 'Solar System' of External Partners
- [1:13:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=4380) Bolt's Prototyping Facilities and Engineering Support
- [1:27:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein#t=5267) Avoiding Over-Funding and the 'Bumpers' Analogy

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Bolt (company)
- Juicero (product)
- Roomba (product)
- Dyson (company)
- MakerBot (company)
- Fitbit (company)
- Sphero (company)
- Tempo Automation (company)
- Onshape (other)
- Peloton (product)
- Keurig (product)
- Sense (company)
- SpeechWorks (company)
- Apple (company)
- Aero.com (company)
- Arrow.com (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)
- [S1 E7: Level Up Your Hardware Product Pitch with Haje Kamps](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2023-06-27-s1-e7-level-up-your-hardware-product-pitch-with-haje-kamps) (The Builder Circle)
- [063: Hardware Startup Tips from a 22 Year Apple Exec](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-02-17-063-hardware-startup-tips-from-a-22-year-apple-exec) (Product Startup)
- [Tips for Early-Stage Smart Device Prototyping](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-03-24-tips-for-early-stage-smart-device-prototyping) (Over the Air)
- [For Hardware Startups by Hardware People: Building The Builder Circle with Host, Sera Evcimen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2026-01-06-for-hardware-startups-by-hardware-people-building-the-builder-circle-with-host-s) (The Builder Circle)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-08-06-an-interview-with-ben-einstein. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.