The 1-1/2 day event kicks off with a VC panel, "Pitch Your Prototype," and "Getting Started, case studies of maker pros with early stage products. The Innovation Showcase follows, a unique opportunity to casually engage with over two dozen makers who have their cutting-edge products and devices on display. Creating an almost magical atmosphere where hardware innovation and creative genius generates spirited ideation, the Innovation Showcase is not to be missed. Wednesday was an all-star lineup with over 30 speakers representing leading entrepreneurs and thought leaders at the forefront of the maker movement. Investors, industrial designers, product development teams - anyone looking for insight into the early stage companies with the potential to change the global business landscape - should attend.

1. Scott N. Miller
CEO and co-founder
Dragon Innovation
Incubation: Mentorship and Resources

2. Mentorship & Resources Panel
Scott N. Miller
CEO
Dragon Innovation, Inc.
scott@dragoninnovation.com

3. Dragon Mission:
Help entrepreneurs succeed.

4. Typical Characteristics of
HW Entrepreneurs
• Start companies instead of joining established firms
• View problems through a different lens
• Empowered by trying something new
• Innovate in spaces and volumes that large companies cannot compete
• Are disruptive (Pebble, Makerbot, nest, etc)
• Move fast
• Embrace Minimum Viable Product and fail quickly to succeed sooner
• Leverage power of collaboration & crowdfunding
• Are close to customers and have a constant two-way dialog

5. Phases From the Idea to the Customer
• Phase 1: Functional Prototype
– Prove concept can be implemented
– Test initial market / Build community
– De-risk and raise money to scale
• Phase 2: Scaling One -> Many
– Design for Manufacture and Assembly
– Quality Planning
– Factory Selection
– Costing & Sourcing
– Handover
– Pre-Production
– Production

6. Phase 1: Prototyping
It’s Getting Easier …

7. Mechanical Systems

8. Workshops

9. Electrical

10. ME / EE / SW Components

11. Hardware Accelerators

12. Phase 2: Scale & Delivery

13. Challenges

14. Factory Selection
• Network -> Long List
• Make a check list
• Visit & Vet
• Short List
• RFQ / A2A (Pareto, terms, COGS)
• Negotiate
• Select the winner

15. Control Costs
1. Deconstruct the BOM
2. Separate special components
3. Transparent
4. Compare to standards
5. Inclusions
Understand Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)

16. Quality – “Is the product good”?
• Customer Satisfaction = Performance – Expectations
• Late changes are expensive
• Customer returns are very expensive
• Incoming Quality Control
• Functional Tests
• Life Tests
• Abuse
• In-Process
• Transportation (ISTA-3A)
• Final Inspection

17. Additional Resources
• http://blog.dragoninnovation.com/blog/
• http://www.bunniestudios.com/
• http://www.makerbot.com/blog/

18. Questions?
scott@dragoninnovation.com
www.dragoninnovation.com
@dragoninnovate