Brady Forrest
VP at Highway1, hardware accelerator in San Francisco; Founder of Ignite Talks
Discussion
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
I run Highway1, PCH's hardware accelerator, where I help teams become companies and prototypes become products. Highway1 has accelerated 58 hardware startups, which have raised $65 million in venture funding. I recently coauthored The Hardware Startup.
I also cofounded Ignite, a talk series which has been held thousands of times around the world. I help arts organizations stay in SF via CAST.
Previously I was a Venture Advisor at 500 Startups, spent time at Khosla Ventures and wrote for the O'Reilly Radar blog while chairing O’Reilly tech conference around the world. Most years you can find me on the playa.
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Raleigh Murch
@raleighsf · Start-up Founder
Hey Brady, thanks for making time today! What would you tell those of us who are very interested in submitting to HWY 1's program but want to understand where the bar REALLY is for a compelling submission? I expect you would invite most entrepreneurs to submit, but what is it that really stands out?
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
@raleighsf Hi! First and foremost we want to see a prototype that's being built by a dedicated team that's going after a big market. We want you to have a plan towards recurring revenue - generally involving services & content. Never be afraid to put your product in the hands of customers.
-PCB - Product, Company, Business
-Strong team. long history
-compelling market, larger vision
-disruptive tech, new IP, creative take, etc
Russ Frushtick
@russfrushtick
@brady What was the most surprising pitch you've gotten while at Highway1?
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
@russfrushtick
Invisibility cloak, matter transporter - We haven't figured out how to change the laws of physics (just yet)
Emily Hodgins
@ems_hodge · Community and Marketing, Product Hunt
What has been the most exciting startup you've seen at Highway1? The one that perhaps surprised you the most?
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
@ems_hodge Too many! But here are some: I'm just a huge fan of the work being done by cue.me to lower the cost and speed up medical testing. Navdy.com's creation of a new platform for cars is exciting. Modbot.com's modular approach to industrial robotics. Shade.io's plan to help Lupus patients. Finally I love salmon cooked on https://cindercooks.com/
Alex Carter
@alexcartaz · Operations @ 60dB. Ex-PH Podcasts 😻
What do you think the biggest opportunity in hardware is over the next 5-10 years?
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
@alexcartaz I am very bullish on consumer health, but not just measurement devices. Devices + data can give people superpowers. For example, we have a stealth company in our current batch that improves recovery time for athletes. Who wouldn't want that?
Bridget McGraw
@mcgrawbridget · Enchanted Book Inventor
I have a product idea (with a provisional patent) and am applying at Highway1. Do you think I should launch a Kickstarter campaign before I know whether or not I am accepted at Highway1?
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
@mcgrawbridget Hey Bridget! In general, we are not a fan of big crowdfunding campaigns *before* entering our program. However, we do like to see customers. My suggestion would be do a small run and share it with customers. Either through your website or by do a "Kickstarter Beta" where you are limiting the number to something under 100. Our applications just opened though so I would apply first and then decide if you want to do a crowdfunding campaign after you talk with us. highway1.io/apply
John Pritchard
@johnpritch11 · Lead Hardware Engineer
@brady Would you be able to comment on the value of having a presence in the community [of interest] and how it affects the success of a product? Would be great to get your perspective on this. Thanks!
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
@johnpritch11 Tech is very personal. People are trusting you with their data. One of the big learnings from Kickstarter is that letting the community get to know you is powerful. They can be your biggest advocates. Get to know them and let them know you. Or put in bullet points:
- stay close to customers
- build up network of advocates for product
- make user experiences better through feedback
Jorge Selva
@jorge_selva · Minium
@brady Hi Brady, what are some creative ways that companies have managed to acquire validated learning pre-prototype?
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
@jorge_selva A lot of this is redefining what a "prototype" is as a quick learning tool, not necessarily a shiny representation of your final manufactured good. Showing potential users an arduino inside a foamcore box, user interface renderings, or even just talking them through a storyboard of the experience can help validate which features are delivering the value you expected.
Claire Burke
@clairebearburke · Goby, Co-Founder
We're developing our first hardware product (have protos in hand). We are hoping that Highway1 can take our product(s) to the next level and make us think differently about product development going forward. We don't have engineering / technical backgrounds, however. Does this make us more or less attractive to Highway1? How does lack of relevant aptitude impact the Highway1 experience?
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brady forrest
@brady · Ignite Talks & Highway1
@clairebearburke Our engineering model is to educate and coach technical members of the startup team to teach them best practices on engineering development, working with outside partners (e.g. Industrial Design), and preparing for manufacturing. Therefore, we need at least one technical member on each team to participate in Highway1 so that they can learn these skills and apply them not only to developing the current product, but also future revisions.
Claire Burke
@clairebearburke · Goby, Co-Founder
@brady @clairebearburke Thanks very much for your reply!
Ashley Adewuyi
@ash_adew · Founder, LiLoE Co
@brady, Thanks for your time! What do you think is the most impressive demonstration of traction for a hardware startup with a functional (but not pretty) prototype?