An Interview with Ken Burns

The Amp Hour · 16 Sept 2019 · 1h 33m · Episode 458

What this episode covers

Ken Burns, founder of Tiny Circuits, explains how his company evolved from a Kickstarter-funded hardware startup into a small-scale manufacturer in Ohio. He details the painful but necessary transition to in-house SMT production, highlighting early failures with solder paste and low yields that were eventually solved by hiring experienced staff and upgrading to modern equipment. Burns also discusses his new 'Whiskers' sensor platform, which simplifies IoT prototyping with stackable sensors and CircuitPython support, while noting the strategic importance of selling through distributors like DigiKey and Mouser.

Mentioned

Companies
Tiny Circuits, Avid, Mac tech, SparkFun, Adafruit
Products
TinyDuino, Whiskers
Also
DigiKey, Mouser, CircuitPython

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