The Hardtech Podcast

Hosted by The Hardtech Podcast

Technology Entrepreneurship Education

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Jun 2026

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About the show

The Hardtech Podcast pulls back the curtain on the bold ideas, design challenges, and engineering breakthroughs behind today’s most innovative hardware products — and the people who make them happen. From first sketch to final build, we dive deep into the minds shaping the future of physical tech.

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54 recent

June 29, 202643 min

From PT Clinic to Wearable: Cooper Boydston (Alenthia Run)

What if the gait analysis that normally takes a lab full of motion-capture cameras could ride along on every run? That's the bet behind Alenthia Run. Cooper Boydston, the company's CTO, joins DeAndre and Grant to talk about turning lab-grade running science into a small wearable that sits on your sacrum, reads your biomechanics, and flags the form problems that lead to injury. It's two conversations in one: how the technology actually works, and the very real hardware-founder journey of getting a device like this out of the lab and onto real runners. What we get into: How running-form analysis used to work: locked in a lab, on a treadmill, covered in motion-capture markers, reviewed by an expert, and usually only after something already hurt How Alenthia makes it continuous and portable: data on every run, not just one visit The tech under the hood: pairing a well-placed accelerometer with lab-grade motion capture as the "true source," then using machine learning to turn noisy signal into a visual "fingerprint" of your gait DeAndre's flag-football hamstring story, and why small changes in form prevent injuries The hardware journey: shrinking a whole physical-therapy clinic into one device, and why "the first rule of hardware is to try not to do it" Why UX and industrial design have to come in early (the classic "where's the power button?" moment), instead of getting bolted on at the end The "lily pad" path of prototyping: lab accelerometers wired to a laptop, to a dev kit in a 3D-printed box, to a real wearable Being your own first customer, and the pivot from selling to clinics toward the consumer market The surprising core early adopter: people who would have visited a clinic but live where none exists, and why they happily forgive rough early hardware Product-market fit and Mike Seibel's "hair on fire" test The vision for V2 and V3: on-device compute vs the phone's "walled garden," and the resurgence of standalone, bespoke hardware Building the team as "three guys in a garage" while still running the lab, plus closing advice for hardware builders (the 90/10 rule, and the mountain you would never climb if you saw the top) A few lines that stuck with us: "A frog never jumps all the way across the pond. He goes lily pad to lily pad." "It takes 10% of your time and budget to get 90% of the way there, and 90% to get the last 10%." "You were three steps away about 300 steps ago." About the guest: Cooper Boydston is the CTO of Alenthia Run, which builds a wearable sensor that brings lab-grade running biomechanics out of the clinic and onto every run. The company grew out of a physical-therapy practice. The Hardtech Podcast is hosted by DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman of Glassboard.Special Guest: Cooper Boydston.

June 8, 20261 hr 4 min

Moats & Multiples in Hardtech with Venture Declassified

This one is a crossover. Grant sat down with the team behind Venture Declassified, a podcast about what it actually takes to invest as an angel, for a freewheeling conversation about how hard tech companies get evaluated differently from software at the earliest stages. Grant plays the founder in the room and asks three active investors, Jacob Schpok (Elevate Ventures), Mike Kelly (Start Something Ventures), and Ben Pidgeon (VisionTech), to tell him what they're really thinking. It runs from definitions to deal mechanics, with plenty of detours along the way: why your fridge is designed to die, whether subscription hardware is a fad, and a real worked example of a hard tech company that sold to John Deere. There's a companion episode on the Venture Declassified feed, so go find that one too. What we get into: Where the lines are between hard tech, deep tech, and a plain product company (and why quantum computing is "deep tech" until it ships) The business-model twist: hardware waking up to recurring revenue and lifetime value (Ozlo, Plunge, and a hypothetical kitchen subscription), and the financing gymnastics that requires Whether subscription hardware is durable or a fad, the Gen Z economics behind it, and how the speed of innovation killed the resale market Why so much modern hardware is "designed to fail" after the warranty, the uncanny valley of quality (cheap vs mid vs expensive purchases), and when to design for delight instead of indestructibility The opposite extreme: med device and oil-and-gas hardware, where the cost of a single failure is enormous The core investing question: how you underwrite a technical founder, why software is just as "diverse" as hardware, and what changed now that 3D printing and dev kits let almost anyone build a "banger" prototype Power law, and why a software company "looks better" early because going zero-to-one is so much cheaper The flip side: the hardware moat, why hardware gets acquired for the technology (not the sales engine), and why copying Uber had almost no technical risk Multiples and returns: 7x for SaaS vs 2-3x for product companies, and the angel's case for putting hard tech in a portfolio (hint: it looks a lot like life science) The Smart Apply story: a LiDAR-guided sprayer that reportedly saved a farmer about $800K in year one and sold to John Deere, and exactly how the investors underwrote it Closing wisdom: founder vs opportunity, what "coachability" really means, the danger zone of conflicting advice, and the quiet part out loud (if no one will fund you, you might be the problem) A few lines that stuck with us: "Once you graduate your product, you're hard tech. While you're still in Bell Labs, you're deep tech." "The same chasm the founder needed to cross to get from zero to one is the same chasm any competitor would also face." "If you're pitching the right market with the right numbers and no one is giving you money, you might be the problem." About the guests: Venture Declassified is a podcast about angel investing featuring Jacob Schpok (Partner and Head of Platform at Elevate Ventures), Mike Kelly (co-founder of Start Something Ventures and operating partner at Elevate Ventures), and Ben Pidgeon (Managing Director of VisionTech). This is a Hardtech Podcast crossover, hosted by Grant Chapman of Glassboard with the team from Venture Declassified.Special Guests: Ben Pidgeon, Jacob Schpok, and Mike Kelly.

June 8, 202641 min

One Device for Depression, Anxiety & Insomnia: Fisher Wallace Labs

This one is a deep dive into the unglamorous reality of building a prescription medical device. Kelly Roman, co-founder and CEO of Fisher Wallace, flew in from New York to sit down with Grant Chapman and Drew Westrick (Glassboard's CTO is back in the co-host seat) to talk about brain stimulation for depression, anxiety, and insomnia, and the nearly 17-year road to getting it through the FDA. Kelly's path is anything but typical: a Harvard English major who worked in early social media, adapted Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" into a graphic novel for HarperCollins, and then took over a crude brain-stimulation prototype in 2009 because, antidepressant side effects aside, the thing actually worked on him. What follows is a masterclass in the parts of hardware most founders never see: how you design a placebo ("sham") for a device people can feel, why depression is regulated as a Class III device, and why getting through the FDA is only half the battle. What we get into: Kelly's unlikely route into med tech, from Harvard English and early social media to a graphic-novel "Art of War" How Fisher Wallace sold a research device for 14 years (2009 to 2023) under a quirk of FDA regulation, while running trials on it the whole time The 165-first-responder anxiety study that came back a "home run," and the pivot to a Beats-inspired, wire-free form factor Device classes 101: why anxiety and insomnia are Class II but depression is Class III, and the difference between "cleared" and "approved" The placebo problem in mental-health trials, why it's even bigger in at-home studies, and how SSRIs separate from placebo by only about two points The hardest design challenge of all: a sham device you genuinely can't feel, made possible by a high-frequency carrier waveform and a successful blinding assessment How the FDA weighs efficacy against severity, the suicide-risk calculus, and the "wellness paradox" where any risk outweighs benefit for a healthy person A category essentially frozen since 1976, brass-bulb devices from the turn of the century, and Fisher Wallace's multi-year fight to create a Class II path Why FDA clearance is not reimbursement, and the real-world-evidence game (IQVIA, healthcare-utilization data, employer pilots) that actually gets a device paid for Pricing and distribution: DME, upfront fee vs monthly billing, the VA and Medicaid, and recurring revenue from software rather than hardware The IP moat: a prescribable waveform, electric-field modeling, and one device for the three most common conditions A few lines that stuck with us: "It's never going to happen again in our space." "You have to strategically bake in a very high placebo effect in any mental health trial." "Just because you prove it's safe and effective doesn't mean the insurance carriers are going to cover it." About the guest: Kelly Roman is the co-founder and CEO of Fisher Wallace, which develops wearable brain-stimulation devices for depression, anxiety, and insomnia. He's based in New York. The Hardtech Podcast is hosted by Grant Chapman and Drew Westrick of Glassboard.Special Guest: Kelly Roman.

June 8, 202647 min

The Art of the Hardtech Agency with Justin Sirotin (OCTO)

Season 3 is back, and this one's a treat. Justin Sirotin, founder and CEO of OCTO, sat down with DeAndre and Grant, and the three of them were so deep in agency talk before we hit record that we basically lost the first few minutes to it. Justin and Grant have walked the same road from opposite ends: industrial design and engineering, accidental consultancies that outgrew the "real" company, and years of learning the unglamorous economics of building a product development firm. What starts as two agency founders comparing war stories turns into one of the most honest conversations we've had about how these businesses actually survive, and why the hardest part is almost never the work itself. What we get into: The "accidental agency" origin stories, Grant's college go-kart company that became Glassboard (2015), and Justin's path from industrial design to founding OCTO The two kinds of entrepreneurship, and why a profitable bootstrapped consultancy is a totally different animal from a venture-backed rocket Justin's 2020 survival playbook: waking up from a three-week illness into a global pandemic, refusing client cancellations, being first in line for PPP, and going to zero salary at the top so nobody got laid off, then bonusing the team back How that crisis built so much trust it turned 2021 into a rocket ship Launching a China-made cycling product during the worst possible supply-chain moment (no boats, no containers, manufacturing-by-Zoom) The "one more thing" magic that makes a good agency, and why you have to burn a few projects to the ground before you're any good Rory Sutherland's bees and the "waggle dance": why big companies are wired for mediocrity and outsource their risk to firms like OCTO and Glassboard Why sales, not engineering, is the most expensive, slowest, hardest job, and why you only get a handful of real new logos a year Services-business go-to-market: long lead times, sky-high LTV, and the patience it demands Cramming your ego into a trash can, learning to say no, and letting clients "graduate" so they're acquirable instead of dependent The Charlie Armor story, recruiting talent on a client's behalf, and trauma-bonding through the Valley of Death Closing advice for anyone starting an agency: you can't theorize your thesis, you have to get burned into it, and BRAS (Build Relationships At Scale) is the whole game A few lines that stuck with us: "I buy people annually and I day-trade them monthly, that's what a consultancy actually is." "If there's not money in solving the problem, there's money in prolonging it. But that's not us, I want you to go to market as fast and as cheap as humanly possible." "You can say no with a healthy smile, and say yes with honest eagerness." About the guest: Justin Sirotin is the founder and CEO of OCTO, a product development firm. He came up through industrial design and trained as an attorney along the way. The Hardtech Podcast is hosted by DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman of Glassboard.Special Guest: Justin Sirotin.

May 18, 202647 min

Inside gBETA: Building Hard Tech Founders Nationwide

What does it really take to build a hard tech company from the ground up? In this episode, DeAndre Harakas welcomes Davide Dantonio, Director at gBETA Accelerators (part of Generator), to talk about the mechanics of building hard tech and Industry 4.0 startups in Indiana and across the Midwest. Davide brings a global perspective; studying in Italy, France, Spain, and London before working at Kraft Heinz and Amazon Pay, and now leads cohorts focused on Smart & Circular Manufacturing, IoT, hard tech, energy, supply chain, cybersecurity, and workforce. We cover: (00:00) Welcome & Davide's path from Napoli to Indianapolis (03:30) What Generator and gBETA actually do: 50+ communities, 400+ accelerators (08:20) How DeAndre's view of being a founder has evolved (12:00) Action vs. planning: why founders who fail fast win (14:00) "Investor ready through customer focus": lessons from Amazon Pay (19:00) Inside the upcoming gBETA Industry 4.0 cohort (starting June) (22:00) The August Locks / Doma founder story and designing alongside customers (25:00) Two categories: early traction founders vs. university-affiliated IP innovators (27:00) Real founder examples: truck AI, optical lens manufacturing, pothole-scanning, animal gut health (38:00) What makes an accelerator program actually work (40:00) The financing & milestones framework (43:00) Why getting "no" is the best signal you can chase (46:00) The Five Whys and root-causing every customer rejection Applications open for gBETA Industry 4.0: a 7-week, free, no-equity accelerator for Indiana-based founders in Smart & Circular Manufacturing. Cohort starts early June.Special Guest: Davide Dantonio.

May 6, 202652 min

From Clinician to $100M MedTech Giant: Dr. David Albert, Founder of AliveCor

In this episode of The Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman sit down with Dr. David Albert; serial founder, inventor with 100+ patents, former chief scientist of GE Healthcare Cardiology, and the mind behind AliveCor's KardiaMobile, the world's first smartphone-connected FDA-cleared EKG. Dr. Albert shares how a viral YouTube video in 2010 accidentally launched AliveCor into the spotlight, attracting investors like Vinod Khosla, Qualcomm Ventures, Mayo Clinic, and GE Healthcare. He details the first-principles engineering that went into bypassing Apple's locked-down Bluetooth by transmitting EKG data ultrasonically through the iPhone's microphone, a workaround that still powers products today. The conversation covers the full spectrum of building regulated hardware at scale: bootstrapping $1M in first-year revenue by selling to veterinarians before FDA clearance, designing custom automated test equipment for overseas factories, navigating ISO 13485 and international regulatory frameworks, diversifying supply chains across Asia, and balancing two very different customer bases, direct-to-consumer wellness buyers and clinical cardiology teams. Whether you're a first-time hardware founder or deep in the regulated device world, this episode is packed with hard-won lessons on resilience, quality systems, and why the root word of hardware is hard. Topics covered: The origin story of AliveCore and the accidental viral video that started it all First-principles engineering: ultrasonic data transmission, Mophie case prototypes, and RadioShack components Guerrilla go-to-market: selling to veterinarians before FDA 510(k) clearance Scaling regulated hardware manufacturing under ISO 13485 Custom automated test equipment and supply chain diversification Navigating FDA, European MDR, cybersecurity, and AI regulations Balancing DTC consumer electronics with B2B clinical healthcare Advice for first-time founders entering regulated device spaces Special Guest: David Albert.

March 20, 202642 min

Modernizing Legacy Medtech with Norbert Leinfellner

In this episode, Norbert dives into the complex and critical world of medical device development. He shares his expert insights on the ongoing push for hardware miniaturization, the importance of intuitive industrial design, and how integrating IoT is ultimately driving better patient outcomes. Whether you are in the medtech space or simply fascinated by hardware innovation, this conversation is packed with valuable lessons on building life-changing devices. What We Discuss: Medical Device Miniaturization: The engineering challenges and triumphs of making complex medical hardware smaller and more accessible. Patient-Centric Industrial Design: Why form, function, and user experience are critical when developing healthcare technology. Integrating IoT for Better Outcomes: How connected devices are revolutionizing patient care and data tracking. Lessons Learned & Future Trends: Overcoming the unique hurdles of the medical industry and a look at what is next for medtech. Tune in to discover the challenges, lessons learned, and future trends shaping the next generation of medical technology!Special Guest: Norbert Leinfellner.

March 9, 202642 min

Solving Grid Peaks from the Kitchen with Electra

What does it take to turn a kitchen appliance into a tool for global climate action? In this deep dive on the Hardtech Podcast, DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman sit down with Bert Muthalaly to discuss the mission behind Electra. With a career spanning 15 years at the intersection of tech and climate, Bert Muthalaly is now tackling one of the biggest hurdles in home electrification: the kitchen. The conversation moves beyond typical "green tech" talk to look at the real-world engineering hurdles of power electronics. They explore how Electra is removing the friction of switching from gas to electric by designing high-performance stoves that bypass the need for specialized home wiring. It’s a masterclass in how smart battery integration can solve infrastructure problems while simultaneously upgrading the user experience. Top Insights The 15-Year Journey: Bert Muthalaly discusses how his decade-and-a-half in climate tech led to the founding vision for Electra. Frictionless Switching: By allowing stoves to run on standard outlets, Electra eliminates the costly electrical work that usually stops people from ditching gas. Smart Grid Impact: Integrated battery tech isn't just for backup; it’s a tool to slash peak energy demand and stabilize the home. Safety by Design: A look into how Electra prioritizes rigorous safety standards within their proprietary battery systems. Scaling the Vision: From current models to potential larger stove sizes, the roadmap is built on making efficiency the "easy choice." Leadership Philosophy: Why a healthy, supportive internal culture is the secret ingredient for solving complex hardware problems. Episode recorded on 09/18/2025Special Guest: Bert Muthalaly.

March 2, 202656 min

Revolutionizing Golf Training with Power Tee

In this episode of the Hardtech Podcast, host DeAndre Harakas and co-host Grant Chapman sit down with Martin Wyeth, the visionary founder of powerTee. With over 20 billion balls hit on their systems to date, powerTee has fundamentally changed how golfers practice. Martin shares the story behind the invention, born from a desire for better training, and the gritty reality of scaling a hardware company. The conversation dives deep into the resilience required to navigate major global shifts—from the 2008 financial crisis to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by COVID-19. As they look to the future, Martin Wyeth discusses the rapid growth of the home-use market, strong investor interest, and the innovations that are keeping powerTee at the top of the leaderboard. Key Takeaways Massive Impact: powerTee has facilitated the hitting of over 20 billion golf balls worldwide. The Origin: The invention was driven by Martin Wyeth's personal observation of the need for more efficient golf training aids. Resilience is Key: The company successfully navigated significant economic hurdles, including the 2008 financial crisis. Pandemic Pivot: COVID-19 presented a mix of operational challenges and new growth opportunities for the business. Future Growth: There is rising investor interest in the brand, specifically regarding the rapidly growing home-use market for golf tech.Special Guest: Martin Wyeth.

February 27, 202633 min

From Sketch to Scale: Hardware Best Practices with Sam Holland

Taking a hardware concept from a basic sketch to a market-ready product is never easy. In this episode, Sam brings a wealth of hands-on experience to help founders and engineers navigate that journey. From the earliest stages of design to the final hurdles of manufacturing, this conversation is loaded with actionable advice on how to build smarter and scale faster. What We Discuss: Choosing the right product development partner: How to properly vet partners and align your technical goals. Client relationships and best practices: Proven strategies for managing expectations and maintaining healthy, productive communication. Managing regulatory and safety compliance: Proactive steps to clear the complex hurdles of hardware regulations without derailing your timeline. Whether you are building your first prototype or gearing up for a major production run, tune in to learn how to turn your hardware vision into a successful reality!Special Guest: Sam Holland.