# Rapid Hardware Iteration with Luka Mustafa

- Show: [The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast)
- Published: 2023-04-19
- Length: 47m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa
- Listen: https://agileembeddedpodcast.com/episodes/rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa-o_BSqNVH

## Summary

Luka Mustafa, founder and CEO of Erinus, explains how his 16-engineer product development firm achieves hardware iteration cycles of roughly two weeks by keeping CNC machining, PCB assembly, and firmware development entirely in-house. He details the 'Erna Sprints' methodology, where cross-functional teams collaborate in 2-3 week sprints to rapidly converge on product specifications, avoiding the pitfalls of traditional waterfall hardware development. Mustafa highlights the strategic use of Zephyr RTOS, in-house tooling like automated testing rigs, and a unique student-internship model to overcome the scarcity of embedded engineers in Slovenia.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=0) Introduction: Luka Mustafa and Erinus
- [1:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=115) The Philosophy of Rapid Hardware Iteration
- [4:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=245) In-House Capabilities: CNC, Pick-and-Place, and 2-Week Cycles
- [7:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=461) Organizational Efficiency: Engineers Building Their Own Designs
- [12:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=732) Agile Project Management: The Erna Sprints Method
- [17:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=1040) Team Structure: 16 Engineers, Fluid Roles, and Support Phases
- [23:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=1436) Project Leadership and Product Owner Integration
- [28:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=1681) Client Reactions and Case Study: Embedded ML and Hardware Redesign
- [32:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=1945) Pricing Models: Selling Sprints and Balancing Discovery vs. Features
- [34:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=2083) Testing, Validation, and Usability Engineering
- [37:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=2224) Talent Strategy: Student Internships and Local Engineering Scarcity
- [41:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2023-04-19-rapid-hardware-iteration-with-luka-mustafa#t=2461) The Tooling Gap: Automated Testing, Power Measurement, and Remote Debugging

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Erinus (company)
- Zephyr RTOS (other)
- Manifold (company)
- Memfault (company)
- GDB (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#016 - Developing with a hardware engineering company, with Karoly Molnar of ProDSP Technologies, Hungary](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-03-08-016-developing-with-a-hardware-engineering-company-with-karoly-molnar-of-prodsp) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [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)
- [205: Advances in Electronic Product Engineering Methods](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-12-14-205-advances-in-electronic-product-engineering-methods) (Product Startup)
- [#017: Building and Scaling a Startup in the Ultra-Competitive Health Wearables Market](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-10-29-017-building-and-scaling-a-startup-in-the-ultra-competitive-health-wearables-mar) (Coredump Sessions)
- [#030 - Makers of the fastest production drone on Earth and beyond, with Chris Hsiao of Gossamer, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-06-14-030-makers-of-the-fastest-production-drone-on-earth-and-beyond-with-chris-hsiao) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)

## Citing this page

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