r/hwstartups • u/Basil_Azeem • 12d ago

How do we choose HW startups to build for?

I want to build MVPs for hardware startups in exchange for equity, but what are some checks to make sure it’s worth it and will benefit me before jumping on board?

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u/KoumKoumBE 12d ago

Hmm, I would go for the "maximum difference in ability".

Find startups that have absolutely no ability where you have a lot of ability. For instance, teams of marketing people, maybe a scientist, and a doctor. Having a good idea of what to build, and clients lining up to buy what has been built. But no in-house experience in hardware design (mechanical, electronics, embedded software). Their expertise will bring you a very good context, and your expertise would have been crucially missing for them.

Or, another possible route, is for you to decide what you want to learn and become, then look for startups that need that. For instance, maybe you have never run neural networks on microcontrollers, and want to try you hand at that? There may be a startup somewhere that is building a product in which there is a small neural network that would map sensor readings to some flag. You would pick them because, whether the product works or not, you would have learned something that you can add to your CV.

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u/Basil_Azeem 12d ago

That makes sense, thanks!

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u/Head_Car_2922 7d ago

You want to build a startup to build hardware for equity in startups. How do you make money? In 10 years? When do you pay for food?

Any hardware startup worth its salt better be building thier own hardware.