# #037 - Disrupting with digital manufacturing, with Nick Pinkston of Plethora, USA

- Show: [The Hardware Entrepreneur](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur)
- Published: 2017-09-13
- Length: 37m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa
- Listen: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thehardwareentrepreneur/037.mp3

## Summary

Nick Pinkston, founder and CEO of Plethora, explains how his company automates CNC machining to provide real-time design feedback and instant pricing, aiming to make manufacturing as easy as pizza delivery. He details why hardware startups often fail by not engaging manufacturers early enough to understand cost trade-offs and production constraints. Pinkston also discusses the growth of the San Francisco Hardware Startup Meetup, which he co-founded, and shares lessons on scaling operations, hiring management early, and maintaining organizational culture between factory floor and office staff.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=0) Introduction: Nick Pinkston and Plethora's Vision
- [4:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=250) Why Hardware Startups Fail: Manufacturing Engagement
- [8:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=522) Plethora's God-like Vision and Automated Factory
- [12:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=747) Plethora vs. Proto Labs: Vertical Integration and Competitors
- [16:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=974) Scaling Production and the 'Scaling the Scaling' Challenge
- [20:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=1206) History of the San Francisco Hardware Startup Meetup
- [25:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=1533) Scaling Challenges and Escape Velocity
- [27:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=1622) Management Mistakes and the OODA Loop
- [30:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-09-13-037-disrupting-with-digital-manufacturing-with-nick-pinkston-of-plethora-usa#t=1802) Time Travel Advice and Neil Gershenfeld's Fab

## Topics

- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Plethora (company)
- CloudFab (company)
- HackPittsburgh (other)
- Proto Labs (company)
- MakerBot (company)
- Pebble (company)
- Fitbit (company)
- Dragon Innovation (company)
- Fictiv (company)
- Platform 88 (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [211: Establishing Product Manufacturing Operations](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-01-28-211-establishing-product-manufacturing-operations) (Product Startup)
- [Episode 2 - The Hardware Story of Ethereal Machines w/ Kaushik Mudda | Building a Deep tech Mfg company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-story/2024-10-02-episode-2-the-hardware-story-of-ethereal-machines-w-kaushik-mudda-building-a-dee) (The Hardware Story)
- [186: Sleeping on the Factory Floor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-02-09-186-sleeping-on-the-factory-floor) (Embedded.fm)
- [180: Hardware Startup Tips for Non-Technical Founders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders) (Product Startup)
- [196: Common Gaps Being Ready for Manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-10-05-196-common-gaps-being-ready-for-manufacturing) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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