Product Startup

Magnus Skold, a seasoned industrial designer with two decades of experience under his belt, has traversed a remarkable journey in the world of design. His career commenced by crafting opulent interiors for private jets exclusively reserved for international royalty. From there, he transitioned to collaborating with major commercial airlines before further honing his skills with renowned brands, including Dell and several others. For the past few years, Magnus has held the distinguished role of senior industrial designer at Mako Design. Today, we are fortunate to have Magnus join us to delve into the art of product sketching, elucidate its profound significance, and explore the diverse realms of ideation sketching crucial for shaping innovative hardware inventions. Here are the key takeaways from this episode: The importance of sketch design for new hardware products Types of sketches: 1) Written hand sketches, 2) Digital sketches, 3) CAD sketches Product Evolution: Progression through different product elements, emphasizing significant changes at the outset, and refining with smaller changes as the process advances Design Approach: Pyramid funneled approach for efficiency and cost-effectiveness and consideration of the minimum viable product for inventions Magnus Skold Links: LinkedIn The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Andre Tiemann holds the position of Director of Production at Hot Pop Factory, a renowned company specializing in 3D printing, laser cutting, etching, and small-scale consumer product manufacturing. In this episode, Andre will impart invaluable insights aimed at inventors, startups, and small manufacturers. He will cover topics such as the fundamentals of 3D printing, its various types, the diverse materials used in 3D printing, and its significance at three critical stages in the product development journy of hardware startups. Here are the key takeaways from this episode: 3D printing is a layering additive method. The majority of 3D printing involves plastic printing, with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) being a common technique. Stereolithography (SLA) is a resin-based 3D printing process. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) uses lasers to sinter powder, creating 3D printed parts. Multi-material printing allows for versatility in materials. Initially, ABS was the primary material, but now there are numerous material options available. Three key phases in utilizing 3D printing for new hardware product development: 1) Rough ideation of design, 2) Engineering prototyping and, 3) Short-run low-volume hardware manufacturing for new inventions. Short-run manufacturing provides an opportunity to alleviate uncertainty and ensure project success through customer feedback. Andre Tiemann Links: LinkedIn | Hot Pop Factory The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Lloyed Lobo is the co-founder of Boast.ai & Traction, boasting an impressive $100 million in funding, and the esteemed author of "From Grassroots To Greatness: 13 Rules to Forge Iconic Brands through Community-Led Growth". He is here to impart invaluable insights to inventors, startups, and small-scale manufacturers. In this episode, Lloyed unveils the crucial stages of audience engagement, their profound impact on hardware product sales, and actionable tools to initiate immediate community-building efforts. Here are the key takeaways from this episode: Every obscure concept that evolves into a global sensation traverses four distinct phases. Understand the progression from an audience to a cohesive community and eventually into a dedicated cult brand following. Discover how to transform an obscure idea into a devoted cult brand by focusing on communication, creation, and unwavering consistency. Embrace inbound marketing strategies to educate and engage your audience effectively. Recognize that your audience evolves into a community when they come together around a shared purpose that transcends your product. Foster an unyielding belief in your mission, as yesterday's innovation can quickly become today's commonplace, as seen by Nike, Harley, and Apple. Cultivate a feedback loop that transforms customers into brand evangelists, driving organic growth. Build a thriving community by adhering to six core values that unleash happy "CAMPERs" – Connection, Autonomy, Management, Purpose, Energy, and Recognition. Identify your ideal customer profile to effectively target your community-building efforts. Map out your circle of influence to discover the platforms where your potential community members congregate. Choose the type of community you wish to create, be it a community of practice, product enthusiasts, or playful engagement. Focus initially on building your audience, subsequently nurturing them into a thriving community. Concentrate on acquiring email addresses as a key step in your journey to interact and engage with your audience effectively. Lloyed Lobo Links: LinkedIn | Boast.AI | Book The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Mark Pecota is the Co-Founder of LaunchBoom, the original and largest crowdfunding agency globally. He's also the author of the top-selling Amazon book "Crowdfunded," a guide covering the end-to-end crowdfunding process, which has held its top spot for over 3 years. Additionally, Mark co-hosts the Crowdfunded Summit, an event I've had the honor of keynoting several times and will be speaking at again from September 12th to 14th. Mark shares some invaluable insights tailored for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers. He delves into the mechanics of sales growth before and during a crowdfunding campaign for new hardware products. Mark also sheds light on the online advertising tools instrumental in driving sales, while highlighting the best practices to optimize your return on advertising investment when selling your novel invention through platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo. Here are some key points from the discussion: Crowdfunding serves as a potent avenue to bring hardware products to fruition. The beauty of crowdfunding lies in generating pre-orders, with the funds earmarked for manufacturing. A crucial misconception is assuming that products on crowdfunding platforms will naturally gain immense traction. Establishing a robust pre-launch strategy is pivotal to leverage crowdfunding algorithms. Harness advertising to cultivate email subscriber lists. Facebook stands out as the primary platform for launching new products, both in pre-launch and during crowdfunding. The cornerstone is consistent, scalable, and high-quality traffic. In the pre-launch phase, the focus is on constructing a meticulously curated email list. During the live campaign, the goal shifts to driving actual sales. Accurate targeting is vital, with Facebook audiences revolving around user interests. Utilize Facebook's suggestions to build a comprehensive list of user interests. The visual content of ads holds paramount importance, with the creative element (photo or video) being particularly critical. Crafting scroll-stopping ads is a key strategy. When choosing Facebook objectives, prioritize those yielding tangible ad results over awareness campaigns. Mark Pecota Links: LinkedIn | Boast.AI | Book The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Thomas Ask is a Professor of Industrial Design at Penn College, which stands as a sibling institution to Penn State. With extensive experience spanning over three decades in the realm of hardware product development, he has also played pivotal roles in nurturing two hardware startups. Thomas's academic journey culminated in the acquisition of a PhD in Industrial Design, further enhancing his expertise. Today, Thomas is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on what ethnocentric design is, why it is valuable for a hardware startup, and the process to ensure you do a great job at getting inside the mind of your customer so that you can best achieve both design and sales success for your invention product. Today you will hear us talk about: Defining what ethnocentric design Different cultures Different demographics Subject matter expert Inventing something and inventing something for someone A lot of design and invention has ego, but you should take out the ego. Instead, look at data. Identify the problem. Develop empathy for the user. What is going on in their life. Interview your customer, or prospective customer types. Formal ethnographic techniques. Processes, understand the user, ideation, feedback. Ideation is where you create ideas to match and infuse them to what you have learned from your customer. Cultural consensus questionnaire First, ensure your end customers are the correct people. A structured questionnaire. Human observation. Many people don’t want radical change from traditional methods, even if it is better. If it doesn’t work well and it is not intuitive, people will not use it. A dynamic feedback loop ensures success. Thomas Ask Links: LinkedIn | Penn College The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Paul McEnroe is the creator, developer, and leader behind UPC barcodes for IBM. The work he did is still the standard over 50 years later on almost all products worldwide. Since then he has been the head of engineering and eventually President for hardware companies, and sits on a number of boards and educational institutions. Today Paul is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on the type of team you need to build for your hardware product, how to manage that team, and how to ensure smooth communication so that your team can make sure your new hardware product is a big success. Today you will hear us talk about: When you see someone that has a huge part of the market, and they aren’t doing it well, you know there is lots of opportunity for new innovation. Innovation and execution does not happen overnight, it can take years to get it built, then to market, then to scale. The power of team in building a new hardware product Ensure you have a great technical team in building a hardware product, especially as a hardware. Have experience in fields that you do not have yourself. What do you want to do with your product, and how does that bring about a team? Each team member can not be focusing just on themselves, they need to recognize the power of the whole. What do you want others to do? Communicate openly, in both directions Individual Skills, Whole goal, and communication. You have your people, the designers and engineers in the shop, Explain it in simple terms to people that have the money, or are buying the product. To improve your business communication among your team, learn some of the skills of a college debate team. Put your mind in the place of the person you are communicating with, not just your own perspective. Ensure that everyone on your team is in full understanding. Help out the quieter people in the room, as their insight is potentially just as important. Make yourself, as the leader, as available as can be. If someone comes up with an issue, do not let it bubble up, especially interpersonal issues. Paul McEnroe Links: LinkedIn | Book The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Suresh Sethi is a Professor in Industrial Design at the University of Illinois. Prior to that, he ran a product design studio for 15 years, and before that, was a VP and Design Director at Whirlpool, among other high-level design roles at various companies. Today Suresh is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on why customer storytelling is so important in the early development phases of designing a new physical consumer product invention, and how to best maximize the success of your product through the findings from his Ph.D. thesis on this very subject. Today you will hear us talk about: Creating products is about connecting to the business world. Feasible in terms of cost and the ability to sell in the market. Optimized material for the least waste in designing the product. Remove ego from design. Understand the client’s story and the meaning of the product. No product designers work in isolation, so you create an ecosystem that works together. Ability to understand and communicate. What leads a designer to love the form of their design? By focusing on the story and making a better product to fulfill that story, you will inadvertently create a more profitable and marketable product. It is the connection between people and the opportunity of the product. Evoke emotions Building a connection with your product People remember stories, not products People remember experiences, not products Creating a product that people want. Communicating clearly If your product doesn’t make a profit, your story doesn’t work either. Products come out of your own life experiences. Use narratives to design and build a product to Think about the business, not just the product. Connect emotionally with your customers. Create a name that is memorable. Design simple and timeless forms. Suresh Sethi Links: LinkedIn The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Lamees Butt is the Senior Vice President of Zoovu, a 250-person e-commerce data platform company that works with hardware startups all the way through to some of the leading hardware brands in the world. She has spent over 15 years in the world of e-commerce tools, working with brands such as Mercedes Benz, 3M, Microsoft, and more. Today Lamees is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on what product discovery is for e-commerce products, how to get potential customers to find your product, and how to maximize the success of return on ad spend for scaling up e-commerce sales for your new hardware product invention. Today you will hear us talk about: Bridging the gap between retail stores and e-commerce How to understand Product discovery (potential buyers finding your product) The human factor behind product discovery for a new hardware product online The power of having a connected customer experience online via e-commerce Different demographics of potential customers use different mediums and techniques to discover new products that can solve their pain points or help them with their opportunities. Websites are just indexes, you need to branch past that Enhancing the e-commerce experience to increase conversions Understand your product data Product information management platform There are many formats for humanizing the technical specifications Developing trust with your customers Time is precious, so if you can save time to help your potential customers find your product, so you increase the retention rate of those customers Understanding your customer, even post-purchase is quite important to figure out how to sell to your future customers. Use AI to identify common threads with your paying customers. What is applied AI to find the answer. Customer-first methodology. Over time segment your customers so that you really understand your different groups of people, so that you can best advertise to those groups of people. Once you capture the views of potential customers, how do you capture them into paying customers. Lamees Butt Links: LinkedIn | Zoovu The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

David Brown is a design engineer at Mako Design. He has both a product engineering and an industrial design background. Today David is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on what photo-realistic product renderings are, how they are designed and produced for hardware products, and why they are so valuable for hardware startups whether you are using them to raise money or using them to capture new hardware product sales. Today you will hear us talk about: There are many different types of hardware invention renderings Low fidelity renders CAD renders Great renders first require the foundation of great computer-aided design. Rendering is a whole art, and is no simple. Renders determine the materials, finishes, lighting, reflections, background, etc. Video can be quite exciting, especially for investors. Hero shots, zooming in and out, fading, exploded view. Exploded view is very powerful. David Brown Links: LinkedIn | Mako Design The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Rich Walsh is the CEO of CorVent Medical, which is the eighth company Rich has helped build. Prior to CorVent, Rich was a part of many different companies building them from early phases right to exiting through either acquisition or going public. He has been in the space for over 25 years. Today Rich is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on how rewarding building a hardware startup is, how to move fast to accomplish big goals much faster than big companies, and how to be a repeat serial hardware startup entrepreneur. Today you will hear us talk about: Hardware startups are leading the pack for innovation in 2023 The hardware world is extremely rewarding when done right. Startups are very nimble, they can develop far faster than a big company, even though big companies have so much more money. Company vision is key to bringing on many different stakeholders. Build a quality product and sales and financing will come. The culture of your startup and the stakeholders you work with will be important. The sooner you start, the better. Even young people can have multiple exits before they even hit mid-career. Rich Walsh Links: LinkedIn | CorVent Medical The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Ethan Escowitz is the founder of Arris Composites, a company that makes advanced manufacturing processes and materials. He also sits on a number of boards in the hardware space, given his 20-year history in the industry working with many Fortune 500 companies and hardware startups. Today Ethan is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on what short-run manufacturing is, why iterative manufacturing is so important to hardware startups, and how to scale through feedback on low-volume production runs of your new hardware product invention. Today you will hear us talk about: New manufacturing capabilities that unlocks opportunities for product developers How do you produce product as quickly as possible. Low volume parts that don’t require the up front tooling cost How do you use technology to enable low volume production Consumer-facing products vs non-consumer-facing products. Consumers want beautiful parts that look very close to high-quality manufactured products Technology that enables beautiful parts, with unique surfaces, that are different from conventional molding methods. The manufacturing world traditionally does not accommodate Use a first production run to learn how the customers will buy more units, and how the engineering will be improved. Product engineering is hard enough as it is. So as soon as you start to introduce new capabilities and technologies, it becomes more difficult, but also that’s where the rewards are too as you can figure out amazing technology. Both an innovation, and a new technology, lead to extremely high equity valuations for your product invention and the technology behind that invention. Hardware startups have a huge advantage of being more agile and innovative. Don’t feature creep on your first version, used your customers. Steve Jobs pushed the idea of knowing that there is an unmet need, so also consider your own path and communicate your idea on a product which is new and never been really seen in this way before. Ethan Escowitz Links: LinkedIn | Arris Composites The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Yohan Jacob is the Founder and President of RetailBound, an agency that helps emerging hardware brands get into major retail stores and sales channels. RetailBound has been around for 14 years and has worked with over 4,000 product companies. Yohan himself has spent 30 years in the industry, including being a major buyer for Sears and Office Max. The last episode we talked about scaling up when in retail stores. Today Yohan is going to explain to inventors, startups, and small manufacturers why retail is a huge sales opportunity in 2023, how to overcome objections to going the retail store route, and how to smartly begin your relationship with a retail store chain. Today you will hear us talk about: Retail stores are not dead Retail stores have got better at being omni-channel, where they also sell online and in collaboration with their physical stores There are many elements of value in selling an invention through retail stores. Leverage the presence of your product in retail stores to use that media to increase the value of your product online and with various stakeholders of your product and product business. Think about selling to distributors who then sell to retailers A basic marketing plan Start small when going into the retailers, then grow. Profitability Leveraging online sales to sell more product Don't overcomplicate things, and don’t have fear. Yohan Jacob Links: LinkedIn | RetailBound The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Brian Thompson is the head of CREO CAD software at PTC. He spent the first 16 years of his career doing CAD design engineering for hundreds of products, many of which are still in production today, then the last 14 years building CAD software solutions to allow designers to make better hardware products. Today Brian is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on what the leading trends are right now for design for manufacturing so that products can be designed, engineered, prototyped, and manufactured faster, more efficiently, and at better quality. Today you will hear us talk about: Customers are re-engaging in using new technologies in design. Simulation integrated into design tools. Additive manufacturing. The markets are more competitive than ever Hardware products can’t afford to have manufacturing issues, to have quality issues, to take long to get to market, etc. Design for manufacturing in additive tools in CREO. Significant increase in model-based product development. Design is an iterative process The standard definition of model-based. Simulation, NC toolpaths, tool design, manufacturing fixture assembly, marketing. brochure development, etc. Pushing manufacturers to utilize the 3D CAD data. Brian Thompson Links: LinkedIn | CREO | PTC | Onshape The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Neha is Project Manager Lead at Meta for Ads Manager Reporting. Before this, she spent 5 years with Google in a number of roles including Google Analytics manager and Head of Merchant Growth. She also invests in a number of startups. Today Neha is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on what direct-to-consumer digital marketing is, best practices for leveraging organic content to prepare for paid ads, and how to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of paid digital advertising for amplifying your new hardware product’s growth. Today you will hear us talk about: What is direct-to-consumer digital advertising Direct-to-customer allows you to preserve your margins Focus on organic content to start selling units, this helps you establish product market fit. Generative AI has made the cost of organic content much less, faster, and easier. Interview experts in your area that surround your product, and that will drive organic content. Blogs are helpful, but people have changed the way they interact with them. Use both audio, video, and written blogs. Find out which customers are your fan, and get them to tell your story, get lots of reviews. Think about experimentation when you start to run ads. Most people start with one type of ad. Instead, try multiple different ads, and try different types of advertising. You can again use AI to create a lot of options for testing your ads. Customer segmentation and target audience Customer needs, preferences, and pain points. Build personas based on the job to be done or the skill level of your customer, and target that audience Branding and positioning. You don’t need a lot of money to build a brand. Word of mouth is powerful for brand building Data driven decision making. Measure the effectiveness of your spend. Influencer marketing can be much cheaper than traditional marketing. Be creative on how to drive customers to your hardware product. Ensure you set up digital tracking early on. Every customer touch point needs to be monitored. Run A/B tests, then block time in your calendar to identify the insights. Three key things for hardware sales on digital platforms are campaign objectives, audience targeting, and ad performance analysis. EPISODE LINKS: Neha Bansal Links: LinkedIn The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Greame Whitehead is a client of our very own Mako Design who invented the CNCT Cooler, an ultra high-end cooler that has won 3 international product awards including Indigogo, CreativePool and the NY Product Design Awards. He is a corporate Vice President that invented, designed, manufactured, and sold his product as a side-gig, still to today. Today Graeme is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on how to design a quality consumer product, tips for getting to manufacturing and working with manufacturers, and how to leverage influencers to gain early product exposure and traction in the marketplace for your invention idea. Today you will hear us talk about: Identify what you don’t know. Focus on quality Know that you are a customer yourself Ask the right questions from your design team Manufacturing is a key stakeholder as we get into production Manufacturers push back because they don’t want to do things. Talk to multiple different manufacturers Focus on getting to production Multiple awards Manufacturing in the USA Leveraging influencers Shipped product for free to influencers and got free coverage EPISODE LINKS: Graeme Whitehead Links: LinkedIn | CNCT Coolers The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Nick Allen is an industrial design at Mako Design. Nick has been designing products for 15 years, working with over 100 products and earning multiple design awards including the coveted Red Dot award. Today Nick is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on how to start working on a project with your hardware product development partner so that you can maximize the value of the relationship, thus leading to creating a top notch product and even more important, a successful hardware startup business Today you will hear us talk about: Focus on your vision. Know what you know, don’t worry about what you don’t know. Leverage your experience. What the product needs to do and what it needs to do. Write it down. Have a basic sketch of your idea Bullet point notes on your customer Must have, must not have. Design intent Accept pushback from the design engineers. Must have vs want to have features / MVP Work with your design team to reign in the feature creep. Team effort in original features You can always release version 2.0 EPISODE LINKS: Nick Allen Links: LinkedIn | Mako Design The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Toph Day is the CEO of Elevate Ventures, a Venture Capital firm that has many hardware companies in its portfolio of over $220 million of investments under management. He has founded 8 companies with over $600 million in transactions over the past 30 years. Today Toph is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on what venture capital funding is, if VC funding is right for you, and some advice on how to plan for and pitch your hardware startup to VC firms. Today you will hear us talk about: Venture capital is later stage, more sophisticated, and usually beyond Make your pitch and plan to be very tight. It is important understand what your venture capital firm invests. Make sure the venture capital firm invests in hardware technology. Relationship build with your investors about a year in advance. Keep your pitch to the pitch, don’t embellish Structure of Venture Capital funding When you start your company, start with a very clean legal structure. Use a convertible note for your investors When raising capital, check out all the programs and grants available Don’t include grants as revenue Hardware startups can grow to be successful slowly You can also grow hardware companies much quicker Surround yourself with partners, rely more on partners than hiring. Prototypes require multiple iterations Narrow and deep plays into hard tech, keep the product’s first version simple EPISODE LINKS: Toph Day Links: LinkedIn | Elevate Ventures | Rally Conference The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Justin Chen is the Co-Founder of PickFu, a platform that helps businesses survey real people about their key visual decisions. They have administered over 5 million queries over the last 12 years. Today Justin is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on why hardware product packaging is so important, how to design great packaging, and how to use real feedback to iteratively improve and perfect your package design. Today you will hear us talk about: Friends and family feedback is okay, but Look at the competition to understand what the standards are for packaging Packaging as an afterthought is a mistake, as packaging is a big part of your Eye catching. Make sure you stand out from the competition Put badges on the packaging to attract customer Informative packaging is about what the important selling points are of a product Have people rank selling points. What are the questions that a buyer may have? Hardware packaging is essentially a digital billboard. Include your physical packaging in your digital marketing materials The more attention to detail you put on your product packaging, the more confident you are on the product. Make a few variations of your packaging design, then start with big picture creative options, then show them to people for them to pick their favorite. Then keep iterating and narrowing down the packaging over and over. Then test that package design on competitors. This method de-risks packaging. A big question to ask customers is to say, what does your new hardware product do? Hardware startups should factor in high quality packaging and more informative packaging. EPISODE LINKS: Justin Chen Links: LinkedIn | PickFu The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Mike Fata has done over $500M in physical product sales, launching over 25 products to over 16,000 retail stores, which thus lead to three different 9-figure exits. He is also the author of the book Grow:12 Unconventional Lessons for Becoming an Unstoppable Entrepreneur. Today Mike is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on the importance of showcasing your passion in your invention idea to be able to best maximize success. Today you will hear us talk about: How important the founder product market fit is. People want to know why the founder behind a hardware product made this hardware product You can compete Other people like you is one of the easiest ways to sell product Be authentic, that is the foundation, everything grows from there. Tell the story of the challenges you faced along the development path Trade shows are a great way to get in front of like-minded people in a community. Non-profit organizations are a place to build communities around the problems. Don’t forget to give back. Reach out to other hardware founders on LinkedIn Be loud and proud of your story. EPISODE LINKS: Mike Fata Links: LinkedIn | Book: Grow The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.

Larry Richenstein has been in the hardware sales, development, and investment world for over 40 years. He is an angel investor in the New York Angels network and is currently the CEO of WePower Technologies, his latest hardware venture. Today Larry is going to share some valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on what angel investing is, what stages of development you need to get your product to in order to pitch to a professional angel investor, and how to do a good pitch once you are in the door. Today you will hear us talk about: An angel investor is usually an independent investor or a group of investors that invest in startup businesses. Angel investing are considers Angel investment is the first round, then venture capital. When it comes to products, there is a lot more that goes into them from a product development standpoint. Measure twice, cut once. You have to have all the development People that have ideas, get no funding. People that come up with a rough prototype or a rough prototype, it’s interesting but generally still too early. What investors really want to see, is a working prototype. De-risking the investment occurs the further you push the product down the road. First, find angels that invest in hardware. Angel investors for hardware are out there. Come in with a pitch that proves that you have a strong likelihood of success Hardware and software are starting to come together. Crowdfunding is a powerful way to prove market validity. You no longer have to build for the masses, you can build for niche industries. Avoid feature creep, especially for your first version. Crowdfunding is a way to avoid outside investors. EPISODE LINKS: Larry Richenstein Links: LinkedIn | WePower Technologies The Product Startup Podcast Links: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Mako Design Links: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter Kevin Mako Links: Instagram | LinkedIn | Quora | Facebook | Twitter Partner: PTC’s best-in-class software solutions Onshape: The only cloud-native product development platform that delivers full-featured computer-aided design (CAD), integrated product data management (PDM) and enterprise analytics in a single system, and Creo: 3D CAD solution that provides designers with the most innovative tools to build better products faster, such as generative design, additive manufacturing, real-time simulation, IIoT, and augmented reality. Producer: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories.