The Cornerstones Of The Hardware Revolution

Anyone who worked in technology before 2003 can tell you that it’s no coincidence that startups have exploded in the past 10 years – when servers costs when to zero, and open source software caught up to its proprietary counterpart,  it didn’t matter how many people (a lot) were on the web, because scalability was born.  Today’s software companies are born in minutes, which is why today’s VCs are predominantly focused on software; however, if Google’s acquisition of NEST earlier this year, as well as the dozen other hardware & robotics acquisitions it’s made in the past 18 months are any indication, the real money is in hardware.

The “Hardware Revolution,” the idea that, like the software revolution 10 years ago, the cost of building a hardware company will approach zero, is well on its way. Open source hardware like Raspberry Pi and Arduino make learning & building hardware more accessible.  3D Printers & Fab Labs are making rapid prototyping, one of the most costly parts of a hardware company in terms of time, quicker and less expensive. Lastly, with China’s economy opening up internationally, cities like Shengzen are establishing a presence and welcoming foreign hardware startups, enabling hardware CEOs to quickly build relationships with manufacturers.