The Hardtech Podcast

The Hardtech Podcast

0,0 (0)
TECHNOLOGIE
MONATLICH

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.

9. FEB.

Unlocking Smart Home Innovations with August Home

In this episode of the Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman sit down with Tiffany Mayo, Director of Product Management for Connected Devices at Yale and August Home. Tiffany opens up about her unique career path, transitioning from marketing into the complex world of hardware product management. The discussion highlights the specific challenges of building connected devices, such as optimizing battery life and managing the often-tense relationship between hardware and software engineering teams. Tiffany also details how she builds structured curriculums to train new product managers and why establishing clear responsibilities is the key to shipping successful products. Takeaways: Technical Challenges: Battery life is a critical concern and constraint in the development of connected devices. Validation: Testing and feedback from real users are non-negotiable for effective product development. Team Dynamics: Managing tensions and bridging the gap between hardware and software teams is crucial for success. Clarity: Creating a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) matrix can clarify responsibilities in complex product development cycles. Risk Management: Effective communication strategies are essential for navigating and mitigating risks in product management. New PM Pitfalls: New product managers often struggle with delegation and maintaining clear communication. The Human Element: Building relationships fosters collaboration and trust within cross-functional teams. Project Success: Successful projects rely heavily on strong interpersonal relationships and mutual respect among team members. Special Guest: Tiffany Mayo.

32 Min.
26. JAN.

Finding the Beachhead: How Bailout Systems Pivoted from Firefighting to Arboriculture

In this episode of the Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman welcome Michael Ragsdale, Founder of Bailout Systems, along with engineer Alex Bowersox. The conversation begins with Michael sharing the company's powerful origin story inspired by the tragic events of Black Sunday and details the strategic pivot toward the arbor market to scale their safety technology. The group discusses the gritty reality of a decade-long journey, covering the engineering complexities Alex and the team faced in creating novel climbing devices, as well as the necessity of founder-led sales. They also open up about the vital role pitch competitions played in their funding strategy and the importance of maintaining mental health amidst the pressures of startup life. Takeaways: Mission-Driven Origins: Bailout Systems was founded to address a critical safety gap for firefighters. Strategic Pivots: Shifting focus to the arbor market allowed for easier market entry and more accessible funding opportunities. Funding Strategy: Pitch competitions can provide essential capital and ecosystem support for early-stage hardware startups. Founder-Led Sales: In the early days, direct engagement from the founder is crucial for building relationships and deeply understanding customer needs. Tech for Safety: Innovative hardware has the power to drastically improve safety standards in high-risk climbing and arborist applications. Engineering Hurdles: Unique technology requirements often create unexpected engineering challenges that require persistence to solve. User-Centric Design: Successful products are built by understanding user needs through direct, consistent engagement. Mental Health Matters: The mental toll of entrepreneurship is significant, and prioritizing mental health is a critical aspect of sustainable startup culture. The Nonlinear Path: Product development is rarely a straight line; it is a journey filled with unexpected obstacles and necessary detours. Iterative Learning: Long-term success comes from the ability to learn from both failures and successes along the way. Special Guests: Alex Bowersox and Michael Ragsdale.

39 Min.
19. JAN.

Revolutionizing Meal Prep: The Hot Logic Story

In this episode of the Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman welcome Bernie Youngblood, the Director of Partnerships at Hot Logic. The conversation dives deep into Bernie’s entrepreneurial journey and his mission to revolutionize the food service industry. Bernie explains how Hot Logic is challenging the dominance of the microwave by offering a solution that prioritizes nutrition, convenience, and food safety in the workplace. Beyond the hardware, the group explores the changing landscape of sales and marketing. Bernie shares his philosophy on why "brute force" and grit are often necessary to push innovation forward and why authenticity is the most valuable currency in today's noisy market. Takeaways: Innovation Requires Grit: True disruption often requires "brute force" and the willingness to push boundaries where others won't. Authenticity Wins: In a digital landscape saturated with noise, building authentic relationships is more effective than aggressive sales tactics. Adding Value First: Successful entrepreneurship is rooted in adding genuine value to the customer rather than just pushing a product. Embracing Discomfort: Founders must be willing to step outside their comfort zones to bring new ideas to life. Evolving Sales Strategies: Modern sales require adaptability and a shift away from old-school methods toward relationship-driven approaches. Special Guest: Bernie Youngblood.

57 Min.
14. JAN.

Unlocking Consumer Insights with Smari

On this episode of the Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman are joined by Katie Ittenbach and Mike York from SMARI, a premier market research firm. Together, they explore how the landscape of market research has shifted from traditional methods to modern, data-driven strategies that prevent companies from building products nobody wants. The conversation centers on the danger of relying on assumptions rather than data. Katie and Mike break down the critical balance between qualitative and quantitative research, explaining how to properly time your studies and identify a true Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). To bring these concepts to life, the group dives into a collaborative case study with HOOPTEQ, analyzing how research shaped the strategy for their portable basketball shooting machine. Takeaways: Market research has evolved significantly since 1983; modern tools offer deeper insights than ever before. Assumptions are dangerous: Guessing what customers want often leads to misaligned business strategies. Qualitative research provides the necessary depth and context to truly understand consumer behavior. Pain points drive development: Understanding consumer struggles is crucial for successful product engineering. Timing is everything: Knowing when to engage in market research is just as important as how you do it. Defining the ICP: Identifying an ideal customer profile is often more about personality and behavior than just company size or demographics. Uncovering gaps: Proper research reveals hidden market opportunities that competitors might miss. Data over gut feeling: Data-driven decisions are essential for staying competitive in the hardware space. The value of collaboration: Partnerships between firms can significantly enhance research outcomes. Start somewhere: Some research is always better than no research, regardless of your budget. Special Guests: Katie Ittenbach and Mike York.

48 Min.
13. JAN.

Revolutionizing Healthcare with Smart Wearables

In this episode of the Hardtech Podcast, host DeAndre Harakas and co-host Grant Chapman sit down with Sharlene Jerome from Sensoria Health Inc. to explore the cutting edge of wearable medical technology. What began as a company focused on high-performance smart socks has evolved into a global leader in Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and AI-driven healthcare solutions. Sharlene shares the journey of pivoting toward clinical impact and how Sensoria is bridging the gap between wearable data and actionable medical insights. Key Highlights: The Evolution of Sensoria: Moving from fitness wearables to sophisticated clinical monitoring. Clinical Validation: Why rigorous testing and partnerships with healthcare institutions are non-negotiable for medtech success. AI Integration: How Sensoria uses artificial intelligence to enhance remote monitoring and patient outcomes. Business Strategy: A deep dive into Sensoria’s market approach and business model. Founder Advice: Invaluable lessons for startups navigating the complex landscape of medtech and hardware. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a healthcare professional, or a tech enthusiast, this conversation offers a masterclass in scaling a hardtech company in the medical space. Special Guest: Sharlene Jerome.

33 Min.
09.12.2025

From Formula 1 to Medtech: Geoff Hutchins from IntuiTap Medical

In one of the most actionable medtech episodes we’ve ever recorded, The Hardtech Podcast welcomes Geoff Hutchins, VP of Operations at IntuiTap Medical. IntuiTap has created a first-of-its-kind device that uses a force-sensing array to image spinal anatomy and guide lumbar punctures a breakthrough for epidurals, diagnostic LPs, and emergency medicine. Geoff walks through: How IntuiTap navigated the De Novo FDA pathway for a completely novel device Why lumbar punctures have such high failure rates and how their technology solves it The engineering behind building a force-based imaging system (not ultrasound!) How startups should approach concept development vs. formal design Why risk, requirements, and clinical understanding must start early The pitfalls he sees most often among early-stage medtech founders The realities of value-based care, reimbursement, and hospital adoption How to raise capital and structure milestones without over-promising Geoff blends deep technical knowledge with decades of operational experience, giving founders and engineers a rare inside look at what it really takes to build, fund, validate, and commercialize regulated medical hardware. Special Guest: Geoff Hutchins.

44 Min.
01.12.2025

Reinventing Concussion Diagnosis with Oculogica

Oculogica is reshaping concussion assessment with EyeBOX, the first and only FDA-cleared, baseline-free eye-tracking device for detecting concussion. In this conversation, CTO Joel Sanderson joins DeAndre and Grant to unpack the full journey from the neurosurgical insight that sparked the technology to the engineering breakthroughs required to commercialize it. Joel shares how EyeBOX uses 500-fps infrared eye tracking, specialized optics, and advanced algorithms to detect subtle neurological deficits that clinicians can’t see with the naked eye. He explains the complexities of obtaining a De Novo FDA clearance, the iterative hardware process (from early tinker-toy rigs to a 12-pound clinical unit), and the company’s push toward even smaller, field-ready devices. If you're interested in hard tech, medical devices, optical systems, machine-learning-driven diagnostics, or startup execution within regulated markets, this episode is packed with insights. Special Guest: Joel Sanderson.

31 Min.
24.11.2025

The Hinckley Medical Story with Founder/CEO Tristian Hazlett

When paramedics guess patient weight in the field, lives are at risk. What began as a college project for Tristan Hazlett turned into Hinckley Medical a hard-tech, FDA-regulated medical device company bringing real-time patient-weight measurement to ambulances across the U.S. In this episode, DeAndre and Grant sit down with Tristan to unpack one of the most fascinating hard-tech origin stories we’ve ever featured. From early prototypes that smoked on power-up to solving complex statics equations, waterproofing nightmares, FDA requirements, and real-world field testing, Tristan shares the full journey of building hardware for one of the harshest environments on earth: the back of an ambulance. We dive into: Why weight estimation errors can mean life or death in EMS How Hinckley built an 18-sensor load-cell platform that works at any gurney angle The engineering breakthroughs (and failures) that shaped the product What it takes to build FDA-compliant hardware as a first-time founder Lessons from scaling manufacturing, fundraising, and growing a 10-person hard-tech team The emotional rollercoaster of building regulated medical hardware from scratch Why embracing the suck is the only path in real hard tech If you love stories about real engineering, high-stakes environments, founder grit, and hardware that actually saves lives this is one you won’t forget. Special Guest: Tristen Hazlett.

42 Min.

Alle anzeigen (44)

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.

Erstellt von

The Hardtech Podcast
Jahre aktiv

2022 - 2026
Folgen

44
Bewertung

Unbedenklich
Copyright

© 2026 Glassboard LLC
Sendungswebsite

The Hardtech Podcast