Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#1

Post by michaelisaok » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 8:07 PM UTC

I've got a startup idea for a web-based application that unfortunately also has a hardware component to it. I know web apps; I don't know hardware.

What's everyone's opinion on places to go to find a partner who might be into this? I could probably survive for a while just finding someone to build a prototype, but someone to partner with would be more ideal.

Are there organizations for people like this? I'm completely un-knowledgeable on the subject.

Just to get the simple answers out of the way - I've exhausted my personal network, and I've posted to Craigslist with limited [but in the end no] success.

I'm in Boston for what its worth.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#2

Post by noonespecial » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 8:12 PM UTC

We do embedded work with arm and geode mostly in the networking and remote telemetry realm. I might have some advice to give. What sort of device were you looking to build?

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#3

Post by brk » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 8:28 PM UTC

I'm in Boston too and my experience is 99% with hardware based startups (from big networking switches to little embedded security cameras).

If you want to get together for a coffee (days are better for me) sometime I'd be happy to share with you what I know or can help with.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#4

Post by michaelisaok » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 8:36 PM UTC

It would be a device that plugs into your car's onboard computer. There are dozens of devices out there that do things on the hardware side that are very similar to what I'm looking for, but just not exactly. I don't think I'm going to get very far asking them to change their products either, since the changes I'd be asking for are too specific to what I want to do.

Does that help you point me in the right direction? It doesn't seem like an overwhelming project for anyone, but none the less, someone would need to dedicate themselves to getting it built, and I just don't know how to find that person.

I also have the chicken/egg scenario here where I'd love to get funding for it, but need to partner up with someone on the hardware side to at least get it to the prototype stage.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#5

Post by beagle3 » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 8:52 PM UTC

Go to your nearest hackerspace - http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces - 4 are listed in Boston.

MakerBot, the maker of affordable, open source, 3D printers, grew out of Resistor in NYC.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#6

Post by ewams » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 8:52 PM UTC

Here is a pretty good list. Also, including some information in your profile can't hurt either.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1052950

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#7

Post by HeyLaughingBoy » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 8:53 PM UTC

michaelisaok wrote: post #4

It would be a device that plugs into your car's onboard computer. There are dozens of devices out there that do things on the hardware side that are very similar to what I'm looking for, but just not exactly. I don't think I'm going to get very far asking them to change their products either, since the changes I'd be asking for are too specific to what I want to do. Does that help you point me in the right direction?…

By "plugs into your car's onboard computer" do you mean through the OBD port? If so, there are a few open source projects out there. Searching the usual OSS repositories may turn up a hardware engineer who's startup minded. There must be lots in Boston!

Here are a few search results to get you started:

http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1222013546

http://hackaday.com/2009/05/12/obd-ii-automotive-data-loggin...

http://sourceforge.net/projects/obdgauge-plus/

http://github.com/benvm/garmon

A mix of hardware & software, but you can take it from there. Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#8

Post by michaelisaok » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 8:54 PM UTC

brk - That would be great, thanks for the offer.

Send an email over to michaelisaok@mailinator.com so we can connect.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#9

Post by michaelisaok » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 9:12 PM UTC

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #7

michaelisaok wrote: post #4

It would be a device that plugs into your car's onboard computer. There are dozens of devices out there that do things on the hardware side that are very similar to what I'm looking for, but just not exactly. I don't think I'm going to get very far asking them to change their products either, since the changes I'd be asking for are too specific to what I want to do. Does that help you point me in the right direction?…

By "plugs into your car's onboard computer" do you mean through the OBD port? If so, there are a few open source projects out there. Searching the usual OSS repositories may turn up a hardware engineer who's startup minded. There must be lots in Boston! Here are a few search results to get you started: http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1222013546 http://hackaday.com/2009/05/12/obd-ii-automotive-data-log…

Thanks, great idea. Yes, I do mean interfacing through the ODB port, so these would be a great place to start.

Re: Ask HN: What do you do if your startup idea involves hardware?

#10

Post by djb_hackernews » Tue, Mar 16, 2010, 9:41 PM UTC

an OBD ii interface isn't that complicated. I bet you could find an upper level EE student or grad student willing to partner up pretty easily. Put a decent bounty on it and they could use it for a class project or self study credit.

I don't think you need to go to a boutique engineering firm.