# Hipster Fodder

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2020-08-25
- Length: 1h 04m
- Episode: 506
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-25-hipster-fodder
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/506-hipster-fodder/

## Summary

Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss a range of hardware engineering and business topics. Gammell shares his experience hiring tutors on Upwork to learn FreeRTOS and nRF52 firmware, while Jones details his decision to downsize his office space and his interest in writing a textbook after discovering a lost 1980s circuit design book. The conversation also covers the SBIR grant program for small businesses, the design of Arrival's electric delivery vans, and solder paste application techniques.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-25-hipster-fodder#t=0) Introduction and Office Downsizing
- [11:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-25-hipster-fodder#t=695) Hiring Firmware Tutors on Upwork
- [28:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-25-hipster-fodder#t=1684) Solder Paste Application and Fixturing
- [34:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-25-hipster-fodder#t=2041) Lost Information and Out-of-Print Textbooks
- [46:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-25-hipster-fodder#t=2771) SBIR Grants for Small Business R&D
- [59:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2020-08-25-hipster-fodder#t=3549) Arrival Electric Delivery Vans and Battery Apps

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- ResMed (company)
- Upwork (tool)
- Fiverr (tool)
- FreeRTOS (tool)
- nRF52 (chip)
- Arrival (company)
- DigiKey (company)
- Maxim (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [122: Glue a Board to Your Resume](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-10-21-122-glue-a-board-to-your-resume) (Embedded.fm)
- [527: At The Jellyfish Conference](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2026-06-12-527-at-the-jellyfish-conference) (Embedded.fm)
- [405: Bacta Tank for Your Brain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-03-11-405-bacta-tank-for-your-brain) (Embedded.fm)
- [123: Banished from Running Linux](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-10-28-123-banished-from-running-linux) (Embedded.fm)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-12-23-293-skateboard-tricks-repeat) (Embedded.fm)

## 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/2020-08-25-hipster-fodder. 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.