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The problem is that for a startup in hardware the initial investment will be much more important. If you look only at the development tools (for example : simul

by VinzO 19y ago

The problem is that for a startup in hardware the initial investment will be much more important. If you look only at the development tools (for example : simulation tools) it is already very expensive. And if you don't want to be only a R&D startup, you will have to invest in very expensive production hardware. Maybe the easiest way to start alone is to be a hardware consultant.

anupamkapoor 19y ago
umm, maybe sorta true only. currently with the price/performance of fpga's fast approaching custom asic's, i think fpga's are not a bad bet to start hacking stuff on. also, you can buy fpga h/w approx 100k gates etc. for < 1000$ (cheaper if you are student, and can get it via some univ. program). design, and simulation tools are also available for free (with periodic registrations etc.) the only (slight) pain point being that the s/w is generally windows only.
- VinzO 19y ago
  FPGA allows you to do digital hardware. My point of view is that a startup will have troubles competing on digital hardware development. Digital hardware is kinda "easy" developpment that can be done much cheaper in eastern europe or asia. For a startup to have a chance to succeed, I guess it would be better to focus in a niche market which required tricky analog design that can not be outsourced or done much faster by big companies.
  - comatose_kid 19y ago
    Digital vs. analog probably isn't the issue - how well your device solves the user's problem is what people care about. Start with the problem your device should solve first.
    - mnemonicsloth 19y ago
      This is a good thought process for software, where the marginal cost per user is near zero. Unit costs matter in hardware though, so first thoughts should tend more toward markets and demographics -- "what problem should I solve... for how much?" A new Ferrari (or a new Prius) would solve my getting-places problem better than the POS I drive now. I could buy a new Tesla Roadster, which would be better than either one, but that's even less affordable. Of course, since a hardware startup requires some hefty NRI that you'll probably have to borrow from someone else, you might want to start by polishing up your resume.
danw 19y ago
Arduino is a pretty cheap way to get started in hardware.
mixmax 19y ago
I've actually done a hardware startup, and it does face some unique problems that sofware doesn't. I found that the most time consuming and expensive was turnaround time. If you have a bug in your software you fix it, compile, and go. 10 minutes of work. In hardware your turnaround time can be a week or more if you have to solder around on a breadboard to check changes or bugs. For the record we managed to build a display device using RGB LED's, a FPGA to control them, a microcontroller to talk to a mobile phone unit that would be able to send and receive updates from a central server, and of course the server that controlled the displays that were scattered around the country in around 1½ years using roughly $150.000. It was an advertising network - take the display, plug it in to a power outlet, and it would wake up and receive news and ads from the central server over the mobile phone network.

by VinzO 19y ago

anupamkapoor 19y ago

umm, maybe sorta true only. currently with the price/performance of fpga's fast approaching custom asic's, i think fpga's are not a bad bet to start hacking stuff on. also, you can buy fpga h/w approx 100k gates etc. for < 1000$ (cheaper if you are student, and can get it via some univ. program). design, and simulation tools are also available for free (with periodic registrations etc.) the only (slight) pain point being that the s/w is generally windows only.

VinzO 19y ago
FPGA allows you to do digital hardware. My point of view is that a startup will have troubles competing on digital hardware development. Digital hardware is kinda "easy" developpment that can be done much cheaper in eastern europe or asia. For a startup to have a chance to succeed, I guess it would be better to focus in a niche market which required tricky analog design that can not be outsourced or done much faster by big companies.
- comatose_kid 19y ago
  Digital vs. analog probably isn't the issue - how well your device solves the user's problem is what people care about. Start with the problem your device should solve first.
  - mnemonicsloth 19y ago
    This is a good thought process for software, where the marginal cost per user is near zero. Unit costs matter in hardware though, so first thoughts should tend more toward markets and demographics -- "what problem should I solve... for how much?" A new Ferrari (or a new Prius) would solve my getting-places problem better than the POS I drive now. I could buy a new Tesla Roadster, which would be better than either one, but that's even less affordable. Of course, since a hardware startup requires some hefty NRI that you'll probably have to borrow from someone else, you might want to start by polishing up your resume.

danw 19y ago

Arduino is a pretty cheap way to get started in hardware.

mixmax 19y ago

I've actually done a hardware startup, and it does face some unique problems that sofware doesn't. I found that the most time consuming and expensive was turnaround time. If you have a bug in your software you fix it, compile, and go. 10 minutes of work. In hardware your turnaround time can be a week or more if you have to solder around on a breadboard to check changes or bugs. For the record we managed to build a display device using RGB LED's, a FPGA to control them, a microcontroller to talk to a mobile phone unit that would be able to send and receive updates from a central server, and of course the server that controlled the displays that were scattered around the country in around 1½ years using roughly $150.000. It was an advertising network - take the display, plug it in to a power outlet, and it would wake up and receive news and ads from the central server over the mobile phone network.