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Human Centered Design: Better Products through Empathy and Iteration

My favorite type of product is one that I hardly notice—something that’s in my life every day, improving it significantly, yet blends seamlessly into my routine. For example, a wristwatch fits gently but snugly around your wrist, keeps time with a tiny precision mechanism, is easy to glance at when you need it, and fades […]

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2017 State of Hardware Report

To transform an idea into a commercially-viable hardware product requires vast reserves of curiosity, creativity, and grit. But there are so many valuable learnings along the way that can make the process of hardware development more seamless and efficient. Things like: part symmetry is your friend. And you should never underestimate the value of strategic […]

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10 Amazing Engineering Jobs We’d Love to Have

No one becomes an engineer for the cubicle view. Whether inspired by inventors like Edison or falling into engineering because of math talent, we don’t dream of paperwork and taupe upholstery. Looking for more? Engineers at these great companies are changing the world and creating inspiring new technology. These are jobs we’re jealous of—jobs that […]

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Keeping Copycats Away: A Guide to Patents for Hardware Products

As an entrepreneur, you’ve probably heard this many times: “Ideas are worthless until you get them out of your head and see what they can do.” Every big idea starts with a small first step and many leaps of faith to get it realized. However, you’ve probably also seen big Kickstarter projects get funded, only […]

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2017 State of Hardware Survey

Last year we created and shared our first Fictiv State of Hardware Survey with our community of engineers and designers. Your responses culminated in our inaugural 2016 State of Hardware Report, where we shared information on: How much time you allocate to build a functional prototype Most popular CAD software programs Top-of-mind challenges in bringing […]

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What is DMLS, and Why is it Taking over Aerospace?

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), a fancy way of 3D printing metal, is the new trend in aerospace engineering. DMLS uses a Ytterbium fiber laser to fire into a bed of powdered metal, welding the material together to create a solid structure. It’s great for complex metal parts that you can’t build with conventional manufacturing […]

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Sustainable Packaging Design: Keeping Your Electronics, and the Planet, Safe

We’re insulated from the cost of our garbage in America. As kids, we were trained to carefully place trash in the cans lining our streets. I’ll never forget the shock of seeing that same trash scattered along the streets in urban West Africa, but it did get me thinking: They can see their waste. What […]

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Problem-Solving for R&D

Why was Boeing’s 747 such a huge success, while BAC’s Concorde is currently out of commission? It’s because Boeing thoroughly researched their target market before developing their product, while BAC jumped right to the development, skipping the research. Boeing’s research revealed the need for a plane that could carry more passengers, while BAC incorrectly assumed […]

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Dissecting the Apple-like Aesthetic for Consumer Product Design

The Apple aesthetic is easily recalled even by people who aren’t consumer electronics design enthusiasts. What do you think of when you are asked to describe an Apple product? Metal and glass? White? Minimalist? Someone once commented that a prototype I had built looks very “Apple.” It was a rectangular prism with rounded edges, constructed […]

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Crowdfunding for Hardware Companies: The Dos and Don’ts of Successful Campaigns

As a hardware incubator and VC, we at SVV look at a few key things when considering a company to invest in. One thing that will automatically set you apart from other companies when attempting to raise institutional funding is a successful crowdfunding campaign. If you have one, we immediately take your company much more […]