Hardware is hard.
That’s an opening line that could be used for any of our articles. But for deeptech startups, this adage is even more relevant.
Deeptech startups stand out by their focus on developing cutting-edge technologies based on scientific research and innovation. In this context, they face difficulties that are specific to them. They leverage advanced technologies rooted in scientific disciplines such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, biotechnology, nanotechnology, robotics, quantum computing, and more. These technologies often represent significant scientific breakthroughs and have the potential to disrupt industries and solve complex problems. But the underlying assumption is usually that no one has done it before, with all the grey areas that entails.
Going from a laboratory proof-of-concept to an industrialized product, and then to a first manufacturing unit, poses major regulatory, technical and financial challenges.
- Technical: they work on technologies that have never been developed before.
- Financial: investors’ reluctance to invest in these long-term tech projects is a reality.
- Regulatory: it’s essential to anticipate these issues at an early stage, and often the startups concerned don’t have the necessary hindsight.
All these problems are condensed in the valley of death phase, also known as industrialization. After years of R&D culminating in the filing of a patent, a whole bunch of questions arise… How industrialize the innovation? With which machine? Which subcontracting? What type of process?…
At Kickmaker, we’ve been working with companies of all sizes and in all sectors, from prototype to mass production, for 7 years now. And we know a thing or two about deeptech! So here’s a small selection of what we’ve identified as 4 most common mistakes to avoid when it comes to industrialization.
1- Underestimating development time and costs:
Hardware development projects frequently take longer and cost more than initially anticipated due to unexpected technical challenges, iterations in design, and prototyping. Our experience has taught us that all startups underestimate development time and costs
At this step, this is important to leverage expertise though advisory boards, mentors, and external subcontractors. Many players can help.
2 – Poor design for manufacturability (DFM)
Neglecting to design hardware products with manufacturability in mind can result in designs that are difficult or costly to manufacture at scale, leading to production delays and increased costs.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles should guide the early stages of product development. By considering the production process from the outset, you can avoid the need for significant redesigns later, which can escalate costs and timelines.
3 – Overengineering and lacking of focus on user needs
Deeptech startups may fall into the trap of overengineering their hardware solutions, adding unnecessary features or complexity that inflate costs and delay time-to-market without providing significant value to end-users. This is often the case when you don’t know the costs of industrialization and the production and design effort required. This problem is also associated with a fail to prioritize user needs and preferences! That can lead to the development of hardware solutions that don’t effectively address market demands or solve real-world problems.
That’s why it’s often recommended to mix technical and business skills in the founding teams.
4 – Failure to consider regulatory requirements:
This is THE point! As in the medical field, regulatory and certification anticipation is essential. At Kickmaker, we have specific engineers who deal exclusively with this subject, so important is it that it requires cutting-edge expertise. Neglecting to understand and comply with regulatory requirements applicable to hardware products, such as safety standards and certifications, can lead to legal and regulatory problems that impede market entry (failed laboratory tests, production delays) and can be fatal to the company.
Of course, there are many other mistakes being made that we won’t go into in this article, but which concern the insufficiency of testing and validation, the lack of scalability in the dev, specs changed repetedly, wrong industrial partners, wrong supply chain management…
If you’d like to find out more, come and visit our offices, ask for advice or additional content, feel free to reach us out. We love to share our expertise.
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