# Footprints and Symbols with Natasha Baker

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2021-02-22
- Length: 1h 18m
- Episode: 531
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/531-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker/

## Summary

Natasha Baker, Founder and CEO of SnapEDA, explains how her experience at National Instruments and a frustrating project with a Texas Instruments reference design led her to build a centralized library of symbols and footprints for PCB designers. She details the challenges of establishing trust with engineers, the importance of IPC 7351 standards, and how SnapEDA uses a neutral meta-format to export native-like libraries for tools like KiCad, Altium, and Eagle. Baker also discusses SnapEDA's growth through Y Combinator, their strategy of providing anonymized analytics to suppliers, and their future vision of using data to proactively assist engineers during the design process.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker#t=0) Introduction: Natasha Baker and SnapEDA
- [0:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker#t=51) Natasha's Background at National Instruments and IPC Standards
- [7:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker#t=455) The Genesis of SnapEDA: Frustration with Library Creation
- [15:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker#t=901) Early Challenges: Bootstrapping, Y Combinator, and Trust
- [28:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker#t=1733) Engineering Preferences: Trust, Customization, and Symbol Design
- [34:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker#t=2086) Technical Implementation: Neutral Formats and CAD Tool Quirks
- [38:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker#t=2339) Future Vision: Proactive Assistance and Supplier Relationships
- [55:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-02-22-footprints-and-symbols-with-natasha-baker#t=3338) Analytics, Trends, and Data Privacy

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- SnapEDA (company)
- National Instruments (company)
- IPC 7351 (other)
- KiCad (tool)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- Y Combinator (company)
- Altium (tool)
- Eagle (tool)
- OrCAD (tool)
- Allegro (tool)
- DigiKey (company)
- PCB123 (tool)
- Proteus (tool)
- Target 3001 (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Solving PCB Library Issues: Expert Advice from Elizabeth Bustamante](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-19-solving-pcb-library-issues-expert-advice-from-elizabeth-bustamante) (OnTrack)
- [384: What's a Board File?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-08-19-384-whats-a-board-file) (Embedded.fm)
- [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)
- [Solving PCB Library Nightmares with Kristen Aguiar](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-21-solving-pcb-library-nightmares-with-kristen-aguiar) (OnTrack)
- [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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