Fika Bytes: Hardware Founder Stories

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Jun 2025

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Interviewing hardware entrepreneurs to bring you a behind-the-scenes look into building and shipping innovative physical devices that change our interactions with the real world.

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21 recent

June 18, 2025Episode 2049 min

Quitting Apple to go all in on a hardware startup - with Dhaval Patel, Lotus Founder & CEO

✍️ Show NotesIn this episode, we get an inside look into the mind of a high performing Big Tech engineer-turned hardware founder. Dhaval Patel began his career at Apple, working through the ranks from an intern all the way to senior manager. At one point, he started to feel the itch to build his own product - and so he made the leap. What gave him the confidence in starting from scratch? How did he know the problem he was solving was worth solving? What did Apple teach him? All that and more in this insightful episode.🔗 getlotus.com🔑 Bytes:If you are worried about leaving your Big Tech job, remember this: you can always come back. Going the other way is a lot harder - the longer you wait, the tighter the golden handcuffs.Designing products for accessbility doesn't necessarily limit your product to a specific audience. Design for accessibility to create an intuitive, easy-to-use product for all.At the risk of starting to sound like a broken record... Talk to your customers! Especially early on, doesn't matter if you're the founder, CEO, whatever, get on 1:1 calls with your customers. The key insight is: listen to their problems, not the solutions they may offer.📖 Chapters00:00 Introduction to Dhaval and Lotus00:28 The Genesis of Lotus: Solving Personal Challenges02:01 Dhaval's Journey at Apple: From Intern to Manager06:20 Transitioning from Big Tech to Startups11:05 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Timing in Entrepreneurship16:43 Skills Gained at Apple and Their Application in Startups23:33 The Importance of Seeking Expertise24:54 Embracing Efficiency Over Perfection29:54 The Journey of Prototyping and User Feedback37:46 Human-Centered Design: Listening to Users42:15 Vision for Lotus: Telekinesis ProductizedKeywords: startup, product development, human-centered design, founder journey, technology, innovation, consumer hardware, disability solutions, entrepreneurship, user feedback

May 20, 2025Episode 1931 min

Building for yourself then pivoting into a life-saving niche

✍️ Show NotesMark Condon built the iPupPee device to address a very personal pain point he felt with his chocolate lab, Champ. Not long after he started sharing his product with the people around him, he realized that what he had built had much bigger, life-saving possibilities within the service dog community.🔗 iPupPee.com🔗 @ipuppee on Instagram🔑 Bytes:- Be willing to listen to the market and take your product where it can have the most impact, even if it means a pivot and rebranding.- Accept that you may not be an expert in certain fields and be humble, but don't waver on your confidence about your strengths.- The importance of putting yourself out there comes across in how the number of opportunities coming your way drastically multiply when you do so.📖 Chapters00:00 Introduction to iPupPee and Its Inspiration02:53 Mark's Entrepreneurial Journey and Background05:37 Navigating Hesitations as a Non-Technical Founder08:44 The Pivot to Service Dog Training11:32 The Importance of Market Feedback14:16 Challenges in Transitioning to Service Dog Space17:13 Growth Strategies and Future Plans for iPuppy19:57 Testing and Development of the iPuppy Device22:48 Creating Opportunities Through Networking25:36 Marketing Strategies for iPuppy28:28 Financial Insights for Hardware Founders🔍 KeywordsiPupPee, dog training, service dogs, entrepreneurship, hardware startup, product development, marketing strategies, financial planning, non-technical founders, pet technology

April 20, 2025Episode 1829 min

Academic Research to Product: Filling the gap between the lab and the launch

✍️ Show NotesJana Rieger of Breth Tech is a clinician-scientist who turned her research into a hardware product, co-founding and becoming CEO of True Angle. She shares her story and her passion to see more research outcomes turning into useful consumer products🔗 Breth Tech: the Fitbit of breathwork🔗 @bretchtech on Instagram🔑 BytesThink specifically about the people you are helping and let them form your Go To Market strategy. Just because you're in health tech doesn't mean you should exclusively sell to healthcare providers.A winning recipe for an academia-turned-founder is a combination of science, engineering, and business knowledge. You don't have to be an expert in all three, but be curious and open to learning.Universities are increasingly supporting their research labs with startup accelerator support. If you're in a research lab, think of real world impacts of your work.📖 Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background03:03 Starting True Angle: From Research to Commercialization07:33 Overcoming Hesitation and Building Confidence09:10 Development of the Mobili-T Product11:32 The Importance of Smart Wearables in Rehabilitation13:11 Improving Adherence and Patient Outcomes14:22 From Idea to Product: The Development of True Angle18:45 Navigating the Medical Device Market: Challenges and Strategies23:39 Breath Tech: Expanding the Potential of Breath Work33:00 Bridging the Gap: Universities and Commercialization of Research35:51 Exploring Jana's Story and Its ImpactKeywords: technology, founder, hardware, entrepreneurship, medical devices, startup, breathwork, hardtech, academic research, product development

April 11, 2025Episode 1729 min

From Ivy League engineer to hardware founder

✍️ Show NotesNaom graduated from an Ivy League and was scrolling through his 'Ideas' notes page trying to figure out what he wanted to do next when he decided to create a heated vibration massager to help his jaw pain. This is the story of how he built the product and the business, myTMJ Relief.🔗 Noam’s YouTube - great example of building hardware in public (https://www.youtube.com/@noamaiz)🔗 myTMJrelief.com (https://mytmjrelief.com/)🔑 Bytes:* Noam’s approach to learning skills you don’t have: use the wealth of resources freely available, build the thing, and get feedback from experts before you finalize it.* Why share your journey with "Build in Public"? To create a sense of community, transparency, and brand credibility * Ideation is a skill that can be developed over time; it’s not just a stroke of pure luck.📖 Chapters:00:00 Understanding TMJ and its prevalence07:47 Developing a product for TMJ relief11:58 Challenges in design and manufacturing19:32 Building in public and connecting with customers26:27 Advice for aspiring hardware founders#podcast #productdevelopment #hardware #founder #tmjdisorder #ideation #engineering #startup #smallbusiness #technology #entrepreneurship #tech #startup

March 14, 2025Episode 1643 min

Trend to Tribe: How Totem turned virality into community

✍️ Show NotesCarter Fowler, CEO & co-founder of Totem Labs, shares the incredible journey of going viral and building hardware tech for music festivals. Carter shares valuable lessons in building not only a brand, but also an engaged community of loyal fans, with thoughtful product design and exceptional customer service.🔗 Article about where Totem is at today🔗 totemlabs.com🔑 Bytes:In the beginning, do the things that don’t scale - e.g. The CEO responding to Instagram DMs and talking 1:1 to potential customers about their experience.The shorter the brand message, the easier it is to explain new tech to someone. e.g. The word 'compass' leverages ancient knowledge to effectively communicate the concept of location finding.When you’re doing customer research, your product DOESN’T MATTER. The only thing that matters is the customer, and the problem they are facing.📖 Chapters:00:00 The Origin Story of Totem Labs11:23 Creating a Brand for the Music Festival Community15:42 The Importance of Founder Market Fit25:56 The Story of Going Viral35:37 Creating Screen-Free and App-Free Products36:17 Integrating with Festivals and Events40:23 Revolutionizing the Attendee Experience#podcast #productdevelopment #hardware #founder #userengagement #branding #customerresearch #viral #marketing #musicfestivals #technology #entrepreneurship #startup

March 6, 2025Episode 1531 min

Combining AI and Robotics

✍️ Show NotesMahesh Krishnamurthi, co-founder of Vayu Robotics, gives an inside look at the journey of creating an AI-powered delivery robot. Important questions we discuss: how to know when you have product market fit, how to grow a talented team, and how to know when you should raise money.🔑 Bytes:Prototyping should always start with off-the-shelf components to minimize cost and speed up development.There's a fine balance between confidence and arrogance when it comes to pitching investors - lead with humility and quiet confidence.Be cautious if you're raising capital before you hit the flywheel of product market fit.🔗 Check out Vayu Robotics: ⁠vayurobotics.comChapters00:00 Introduction to Vayu Robotics03:18 Ideal Customer Profile06:04 Iterative Prototyping Process08:45 Transition to Proprietary Technology10:35 Co-Founders and Backgrounds12:02 Building a Team with Complementary Skills14:26 Soft Skills and Team Culture17:48 Raising Capital and Investor Advice21:00 Deciding to Raise Money or Bootstrap22:36 Future Plans and Vision

February 14, 2025Episode 1436 min

Turning a Love for Music into a Hardware Product

✍️ Show NotesTobias Butler shares his journey of building Tuneshine, blending software and hardware. He talks about the challenges of switching to hardware, the importance of prototyping, and what he learned along the way. He also dives into supplier relationships, scaling smart, and the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship—all while finding joy in creating something meaningful.🔗 Check out Tuneshine: tuneshine.rocks🔗 Follow on Instagram: @tuneshine.rocks🔑 Bytes: Understanding the assembly process helps in improving design. It's important to focus on growing the business, not just building products. Creating a physical product can bring joy and delight!Chapters:00:00 Intro01:26 From Prototype to Production07:06 Navigating the Hardware Development Journey09:43 Building a User-Centric Product12:40 The Role of Software in Hardware15:46 Feedback and Iteration18:19 Scaling Production and Supplier Relationships20:59 The Transition from Artisan to Entrepreneur23:37 Future Aspirations and Growth StrategiesKeywordsTuneshine, hardware development, prototyping, production, entrepreneurship, software engineering, supplier relationships, product design, startup journey, founder stories

June 21, 2024Episode 1337 min

Building Hardware to Strengthen Mind-Muscle Connection with Ethan Pollak

✍️ Show Notes Joining us this week is Ethan Pollak, co-founder of Pulse Device, a small nifty device that incorporates the idea of muscle tapping to help you get the most of your weightlifing workouts. Ethan quit his job in finance to go full-time on his idea, partnering with a design studio and building his network along the way. As a non-technical founder, he shares a lot of valuable insights into how he brought this hardware to life by being consistent, helpful, and always willing to learn. 🔗 Check out Pulse Device: pulsedevice.com 🔗 Give their IG a follow: @pulsedevice 🔑 Bytes: Have a solid plan ahead of time, and don't expect overnight success. Take a value-add approach to networking: Reach out to interesting people and always add value. If you're a perfectionist and it's getting in the way of shipping your product, think of 5 everyday products that you (and millions around the world) use. You can probably think of a few things that need improvement right? So ship your product and then build upon it. Keywords: hardware, tech, entrepreneur, startup, founder, fitness, fittech, product development

June 14, 2024Episode 1232 min

Wearables That Unlock Women’s Potential in Midlife - featuring Loewen Cavill, CEO @ Amira

✍️ Show Notes: Loewen Cavill joins us this week to share her story as the founder and CEO of Amira, a health tech company helping women unlock their full potential. We touch on all things product development including prototyping, meeting manufacturers, and raising venture capital. It's an exciting time for Amira as they begin to ramp up manufacturing and start seeing their product improve lives around the world. 🔗 Check them out here: www.amira.care 🔑 Bytes: If you're a curious person, be disciplined about where your curiosity goes, and trust your team. Prioritize face to face conversations when building relationships, like initially reaching out to manufacturers. Don't get caught up in R&D before you prove your core business proposition, focus on building a sustainable business with revenue prioritized. 🔍 Keywords: product development, hardware, wearable, prototyping, manufacturing, founder story, women's health, hotflash

June 7, 2024Episode 1132 min

Starting a Hardware Business in College with Cade Spector

✍️ Show Notes Cade Spector was just a sophmore in college when his brother tragically took his own life due to substance abuse. With no formal engineering or business background, Cade knew he had to find a way to honor his brother's legacy, and he has done exactly that. He is now a college graduate working full-time on GreySun Technologies, and is gearing up to run a Kickstarter campaign and help improve people's relationship with alcohol. 🔑 Bytes: When two things that don't usually go together, go together, there's an opportunity. Example: safety and fun. Reach out to family and friends as a strong support system for initial feedback and testing. Keep high standards for quality but at the same time don't get paralyzed seeking perfection. 🔗 Reserve yours at ⁠get.greysuntechnologies.com⁠ 🔗 Check out ⁠Greysun Technologies⁠ 🔍 Keywords: product development, business, hardware, technology, startup, tech, hardtech, engineering