Hardware Entrepreneurs: A Big Picture Mentality
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Hardware Entrepreneurs: A Big Picture Mentality
Developing a Preliminary Design Plan
Planning ahead is always a good idea when it comes to building a hardware product and launching a startup. A preliminary design plan is a good first step to help you get a firm grasp on the “big picture”. With a preliminary design you clarify budgets and timelines—which leads to better decision making as you head towards commercialization.
“A preliminary design (pre-design) focuses solely on the decisions that impact the big picture for your product. This includes your product’s cost, profit margin, performance, features, development feasibility and manufacturability. A pre-design ignores any details that don’t impact the big picture for your product. You can worry about those later. After you complete the pre-design you need to accurately estimate all of the costs required to launch your product. This includes the cost to develop, prototype, certify, scale, and most importantly the cost to manufacture your product. Knowing these costs ahead of time will allow you to plan the best strategy forward” (Predictable Designs).
The Benefits of Planning Ahead for Your Hardware Startup
By starting with a preliminary design, you will be able to focus on the big picture and the overarching goals you have established for your startup, as well as:
Take the time now to plan ahead—your startup will thank you in the end.
Have questions about your preliminary design plan? We are happy to help. Please send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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Exploring 3D Printing Technology for Business
While, 3D printing is taking off for businesses and industries around the world, it isn’t exactly movie magic. Just like with any other tool or instrument, you need to have background knowledge and an understanding of CAD and 3D printing technology to successfully develop and print a 3D object. If your startup is interested in exploring the technology further, we have gathered a few of our popular 3D printing blog posts and listed them below.
3D Printing: Competitive Advantage of the Technology
Prototyping to Production—What’s 3D Printing Used For?
The Transformation of 3D Printing Technology
Improving Medical Devices Through 3D Printing
Three Areas Where 3D Printing Shines
Have additional questions about 3D printing? Send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com. Interested in receiving a 3D printing quote? Head on over to our Quote Request page.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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3D Academy STEM Enrichment Camps
3D Academy, a Division of 3D Innovations specializes in developing and integrating industry technologies with STEM programs and education. 3D Academy promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education programs that integrate 3D Technology into K–12, as well as university classrooms. Using hands-on and project-based learning strategies, we have been effective in providing students with opportunities to excel in the areas of STEM and to integrate industry applications into their learning experiences.
STEM Enrichment Camps
Throughout the year our 3D Academy hosts frequent STEM Enrichment Camps for students. Our final camp of the summer is coming up in less than a week, 3D Printing & CAD Design with Legos®. In this enrichment camp, co-hosted with Bricks4Kidz, students will learn the fundamentals of 3D Design, 3D Printing, CAD Design and Spatial Environments to create their own custom Lego design and part while learning about the various principles that integrate with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Students are introduced to the world of 3D Printing, CAD Design, Engineering, and prototyping all while being in an immersive STEM learning environment.
3D Academy STEM enrichment camps are a great introduction to STEM education. No prior engineering classes or skills are required to attend a camp. We start with the fundamentals and help students build upon those.
Our STEM Enrichment Camps align with the Hawaii Public School calendar and occur during school breaks (i.e. Winter, Spring and Summer break).
If you have a student that would be interested in attending one of our STEM Enrichment camps, we share all camp details and registration information over on our 3D Academy website as well as on the 3D Innovations Facebook page. If you have questions about our STEM camps, please send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
STEM education teaches valuable life skills: problem solving, innovative thinking, teamwork, and organization skills to name a few. Read more about “The Long-Term Benefits of a STEM Education”.
Meet Lulu of 3D Academy
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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Marketing Your Hardware Product
Below are three reasons why you should be thinking about marketing throughout the early stages of product development.
Receive Customer Feedback
Feedback is critical during product development. You aren’t going to know if you are on the right track without feedback from your target market; thus, you are going to want people in your target market to test your product (not just family and friends). It is helpful to get feedback that is both honest and actionable.
By creating an inexpensive prototype and gathering feedback from it, you will be in a much better position as you build your product. This feedback loop is important until the final design is ready.
Build a Community
Around every successful product is a community rallying around it. In today’s global competitive marketplace, having a strong network and community interested in your product cannot be overlooked or overstated. A community will share your product launch information, help you create a buzz and end up being your first customers.
Crowdfunding has grown to be extremely popular because of the sense of community it gives hardware startup founders. Using a crowdfunding campaign for your startup lets you build this community before you even have a product ready to be shipped. While crowdfunding does have its drawbacks, its ability to build a community and rally support is a primary benefit for your hardware product.
Create a Buzz
Have you ever found yourself on a website that said something along the lines of, “Launching soon! Join our mailing list to be the first to know about our launch”? We all have the desire to be the “first to know” and inevitably add our email to the mailing list. This is an example of a startup building their community and creating a buzz. Creating a buzz gives customers a sneak peek about what’s to come and builds that sense of anticipation.
When you use customer feedback early-on, you start to create a buzz with your product testers. From there you want to build on this interest and loyalty. Social media is a great way to start creating a buzz for your product.
Thinking about your marketing strategy early-on, and developing a marketing plan, will help ensure that you have a supportive community by the time you launch your product.
Have additional questions about product development or marketing? We are happy to help. Please send an email to info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
3D Printing: Competitive Advantage of the Technology
Today, you can head to any number of business related websites and are bound to stumble across at least one article mentioning 3D printing or it’s impact on the entire manufacturing industry. While we don’t doubt that 3D printing is a revolutionary technology—the fact remains that the technology still has a long way to go before it changes manufacturing as we all know it.
As the technology stands today, its strength, its competitive advantage and its usefulness remain in the realm of prototyping. Visual and functional prototyping are imperative when designing a product and this is where 3D printing really excels.
Visual Prototyping
“When it was invented, 3D printing was referred to as rapid prototyping, a method for automating and reducing the labor required to create a prototype model for design validation. Since then, it has found use in a number of other applications, but the technology is still widely implemented to create visual models and functional prototypes. (Engineering)”
A visual model of your product lets you get a better idea of how the product will look and feel. With the rapid expansion of 3D printing materials and colors available, you have more options than ever when it comes to product design materials. Most hardware entrepreneurs start with a visual model and then move forward with a functional prototype for design validation and testing.
Functional Prototyping
A functional prototype allows you to test the form, fit and functionality of your product. Testing and validating your product design with a functional prototype is highly recommended so that any potential errors can be fixed before heading into manufacturing.
The benefits of a functional prototype extend beyond your design. With a functional prototype you can also gather critical market feedback, rally financial support as well as file for a patent.
A major misstep that can derail any hardware startup is to skip the development of a functional prototype.
There is no doubt that 3D printing is changing the manufacturing landscape and is proving to be a useful tool for makers and professional alike.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
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Visit Us at the Honolulu Mini Maker Faire — June 23rd
The 5th annual Honolulu Mini Maker Faire is this Saturday, June 23rd from 12pm to 5pm at ‘Iolani School. Our President, Collin Kobayashi, will be at our 3D Innovations booth answering your 3D printing, prototyping and product commercialization questions. This is a great chance to talk with Collin about the product development process and learn more about what it takes to bring a product to life.
The Honolulu Maker Faire is open to all ages and encompasses a wide range of interests and technologies. This is a family-friendly event where people can share their interests and knowledge and spark the Maker spirit in others. Tickets to the event are free, however we do suggest that you register for a ticket ahead of time to speed up the entry process.
Maker: Collin Kobayashi
WHAT I DO: I help companies in all industries bring new products to market, reduce prototyping costs, ensure requirements and quality are achieved, and develop manufacturing and go-to-market strategies.
WHY IT WORKS: I’ve spent almost 20 years in Design/Manufacturing sectors and understand the challenges and needs of companies doing R&D. Using our expertise in prototyping and manufacturing along with industry standard software and equipment, we will accelerate your development process and bring products to market faster.
HOW IT WORKS: The first step in the process is to schedule a consultation to discuss your project goals, objectives and challenges. Through this initial session, we will be able to outline a high level strategy and plan for bringing your product to market. I’ll also make a professional recommendation for the next steps that should be taken to ensure you can take your product to market!
What is a Maker Faire?
Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these “makers” to show hobbies, experiments, projects.
We call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth – a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness. Glimpse the future and get inspired!
To learn more about the Honolulu Mini Maker Faire, head on over to the official website.
See you there!
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
Building a Hardware Startup Isn’t a ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Process
Below are three challenges that first-time hardware entrepreneurs don’t always foresee.
Importance of Customer Feedback
Feedback is critical during product development. You aren’t going to know if you are on the right track without feedback from your target market. You are going to want people in your target market to test your product (not just family and friends). It is helpful to get feedback that is both honest and actionable.
By creating an inexpensive prototype, and gathering feedback from it, you will be in a much better position as you build your product. This feedback loop is important until the final design is ready.
Long Lead Times
Developing a hardware product takes time. Product development doesn’t happen overnight, especially if you are gathering customer feedback along the way and making the necessary adjustments. Depending on your product, product development could take months or even years before you are confident that it is ready to head into manufacturing.
Manufacturing is another area that has a long lead time. Whether you decide to manufacture locally or internationally, you are going to be playing the waiting game. The thing with long lead times is that if you know they are coming, expect them, and plan accordingly, they are less likely to derail your journey to success.
Understanding the Product Space
To understand your market, you need to research it. What products succeed in this space? Is there a similar product to yours that has found success in this product space? What did their journey look like? Has a similar product failed? What information can you glean from other startups’ success and failure in this space?
If possible, get out and talk to people already in this product space to see what they say about it. By understanding the market, you will get a better understanding of where your product will fit into it.
Each product and each startup will face their own challenges on the way to market; by preparing yourself for these twists and turns along the way, you will be in a much better position to successfully navigate them.
Have additional questions about bringing a product to market? Send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
Intellectual Property Protection for Hardware Startups
With the spread of technology and globalization, a solid intellectual property strategy has never been more critical. Copycat products are popping up at an alarming rate—which is bad for business and dangerous for consumers. Having a strong intellectual property strategy early-on or having the patent process started, is a great way to protect your invention, attract or solidify partnerships and secure funding.
Below are links to help you get familiar with intellectual property terminology, resources, and strategies.
Intellectual Property Strategies for Hardware Startups
Intellectual property (IP) protection is an important consideration for any startup, and possibly even more so for hardware startups. Patents are a way to not only protect an idea, but to also minimize competition and act as a defense mechanism against infringement claims from others. Here are four considerations for your startup’s intellectual property strategy.
FAQ: The Basics of Intellectual Property and Manufacturing
No two products are alike; therefore, a custom-tailored strategy is necessary when it comes to navigating these two areas of product development.
On the IP side, a decision must be made about what type of patent (design patent or utility patent) makes sense for the invention and budget. On the manufacturing side, everything about the design, even the smallest details, must be accounted for when selecting materials and where to manufacture the product. Having insight and answers early-on in the startup journey helps entrepreneurs understand the full spectrum of what it takes to bring a product to market.
The Benefits of a Provisional Patent Application for Your Hardware Startup
A provisional patent application early-on can be very beneficial for a hardware startup if your business goal is to either license your invention or proceed with a patent filing.
How to Prepare for Your First Patent Attorney Meeting
If you are planning to manufacture your product abroad, considering a crowdfunding campaign, wanting to speak with potential investors or find yourself constantly worrying about someone copying your invention, then meeting with a patent attorney is a great idea.
Navigating IP on the Path to Commercialization
Whether you are at the helm of a startup that plans on crowdfunding a product or a SME working on a new and innovative technology, securing and protecting your intellectual property (IP) rights to that invention is key to successful commercialization.
General Information Concerning Patents (USPTO)
Some people confuse patents, copyrights, and trademarks. Although there may be some similarities among these kinds of intellectual property protection, they are different and serve different purposes.
Have additional questions regarding an intellectual property strategy for your startup? We are happy to help. Send us an email at info@3d-innovations.com
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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3D Academy Summer STEM Enrichment Camps—Registration Now Open
We have brought back our popular Summer STEM Enrichment Camps this year and are partnering with Kalvio, a local electrical engineering and electrical contracting company. In the month of June we will be offering two different camps that are sure to excite your child’s inquisitive mind.
‘3D Design and Drone Building’—All Day STEM Enrichment Camp (Gr. 6-12)
3D Academy and Kalvio collaborate to create an in-depth and immersive camp experience for your child through the STEM Summer program. Students will learn the fundamentals of 3D Design, 3D Printing, CAD Design and Spatial Environments and be able to build their own Drone while learning about the various principles that integrate with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Students will be introduced to the world of 3D Printing, CAD Design, Engineering, Electronics, and prototyping all while being in an immersive STEM learning environment.
‘3D Printed Rocket Building’—All Day STEM Enrichment Camp (Gr. 2-6)
3D Academy and Kalvio collaborate to create an in-depth and immersive camp experience for your child through the STEM Summer program. Students will learn the fundamentals of 3D Design, 3D Printing, CAD Design and Spatial Environments to create their own custom Co2 mini rocket while learning about the various principles that integrate with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Students will be introduced to the world of 3D Printing, CAD Design, Engineering, and prototyping all while being in an immersive STEM learning environment.
We have streamlined the registration process and you can quickly register for these camps over on our website: 3D Academy STEM Enrichment Camps
*For both camps, all campers must bring a peanut free lunch, snack and drink. Visit www.3d-innovations.com/3dacademy or contact Collin Kobayashi at collin.kobayashi@3d-innovations.com or 808.722.8667 for more information.
About 3D Academy
3D Academy promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education programs that integrate 3D technology into K–12, as well as university classrooms. Using hands-on and project-based learning strategies, we have been effective in providing students with opportunities to excel in the areas of STEM and to integrate industry applications into their learning experiences.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
Subscribe to the 3D Innovations newsletter on our Facebook page!
Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today
The Long-Term Benefits of a STEM Education
As a nation, our education industry has recognized that our students are not receiving the best hands-on, STEM-focused, education possible for a myriad of reasons. This means that our students are falling behind in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math subjects, and that they are missing out on other valuable lessons as well. Below are some of the areas in which STEM helps students thrive.
STEM Education Teaches Valuable Life Skills
Problem Solving Skills
Hands-on lessons for STEM subjects often revolve around solving real world problems. Students are required to assess a situation and develop a solution. Problem solving skills are immensely beneficial both inside and outside of the classroom. Having the ability to stop, assess, analyze, hypothesize and solve a problem is a skill every individual needs at every age level.
Innovative Thinking
We are all aware of the benefits of “thinking outside the box”, however, this does not always come naturally. Learning to ask questions and develop diverse solutions helps to instill an inquisitive mindset.
Teamwork and Collaboration
Working as part of a team starts from a young age and continues on into the workplace. Learning how to collaborate and work together is a necessity. Teamwork helps students learn about different perspectives, respecting other ideas and coming up with a solution together.
Organization Skills
Scientific linear methodology requires organization—there is a set manner in which to approach a problem. All STEM subject areas require a step 1, step 2, step 3 and so on; you can’t solve a math equation by skipping steps. Students learn the importance of being organized and why it is important to their everyday lives as well.
STEM education can be taught through lectures; however, it has been proven time and again that hands-on learning is the best method for teaching and instilling these concepts. Giving students an opportunity to use technology, use their hands, ask questions and see concepts in action sparks excitement in them as well as a desire to learn more.
STEM Enrichment Camps
This summer our 3D Academy is offering two STEM Enrichment Camps, “3D Design and Drone Building” and “3D Printed Rocket Building”. Students will learn the fundamentals of 3D Design, 3D Printing, CAD Design and Spatial Environments and be able to build their own Drone/custom Co2 mini rocket while learning about the various principles that integrate with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Students will be introduced to the world of 3D Printing, CAD Design, Engineering, Electronics, and prototyping all while being in an immersive STEM learning environment. Learn more about both camps and easily register, over on our website: 3D Academy STEM Enrichment Camps.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn today