# #440.1 - An Interview with the core KiCad development team

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2019-04-29
- Length: 42m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/440-1-an-interview-with-the-kicad-developers/

## Summary

Chris and the core KiCad development team—Wayne Stambaugh, Maciej 'Orson' Suminski, Tomasz Wlostowski, Jon Evans, and Seth Hillbrand—discuss the evolution of the open-source PCB design software KiCad. They cover the project's roadmap toward version 6, the balance between hobbyist usability and professional feature sets, and the recent hiring of Wayne Stambaugh as a full-time developer funded by Witt. The conversation also explores community dynamics, the importance of inclusive culture, and KiCad's growing role in manufacturing workflows and industry standardization.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team#t=0) Introduction and Developer Introductions
- [3:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team#t=211) KiCad Development Philosophy and Professional Goals
- [7:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team#t=441) Balancing Hobbyist and Professional Needs
- [13:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team#t=800) Roadmap, UI Consistency, and Full-Time Development
- [17:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team#t=1039) Community Building and Inclusivity
- [21:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team#t=1287) Workflow Improvements and File Format Integrity
- [26:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team#t=1602) Industry Standardization and Manufacturing Integration
- [32:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-04-29-440-1-an-interview-with-the-core-kicad-development-team#t=1968) Developer Origins and Community Culture

## Topics

- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- KiCad (product)
- Altium (company)
- Cadence (company)
- Zuken (company)
- CERN (company)
- Witt (company)
- GCC (other)
- Gerber (other)

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- [353: Red for the Ones That Might Blow Up](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-11-26-353-red-for-the-ones-that-might-blow-up) (Embedded.fm)
- [Git for Hardware Engineers with Valentina Ratner and Kyle Dumont](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-06-06-git-for-hardware-engineers-with-valentina-ratner-and-kyle-dumont) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [VC-Backed Hardware Design Collaboration is the (All) Spice of Life](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-05-30-vc-backed-hardware-design-collaboration-is-the-all-spice-of-life) (Moore's Lobby)
- [165: Iterative Design Processes & Tools for Hardware Development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-03-02-165-iterative-design-processes-tools-for-hardware-development) (Product Startup)
- [T-25-010 :  Ioannis Papamanoglou and Narayan Powderly - Engineers transforming how we design, test, and build hardware with atopile](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/tradeoffs/2026-01-01-t-25-010-ioannis-papamanoglou-and-narayan-powderly-engineers-transforming-how-we) (TRADEOFFS)

## Citing this page

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