Interviewing hardware entrepreneurs to bring you a behind-the-scenes look into building and shipping innovative physical devices that change our interactions with the real world.
Quitting Apple to go all in on a hardware startup - with Dhaval Patel, Lotus Founder & CEO
Lotus Founder and CEO Dhaval Patel discusses leaving Apple to launch a hardware startup, emphasizing customer feedback and accessible design, in this interview episode.
20 May 2025
Building for yourself then pivoting into a life-saving niche
✍️ Show NotesMark Condon built the iPupPee device to address a very personal pain point he felt with his chocolate lab, Champ. Not long after he started sharing his product with the people around him, he realized that what he had built had much bigger, life-saving possibilities within the service dog community.🔗 iPupPee.com🔗 @ipuppee on Instagram🔑 Bytes:- Be willing to listen to the market and take your product where it can have the most impact, even if it means a pivot and rebranding.- Accept that you may not be an expert in certain fields and be humble, but don't waver on your confidence about your strengths.- The importance of putting yourself out there comes across in how the number of opportunities coming your way drastically multiply when you do so.📖 Chapters00:00 Introduction to iPupPee and Its Inspiration02:53 Mark's Entrepreneurial Journey and Background05:37 Navigating Hesitations as a Non-Technical Founder08:44 The Pivot to Service Dog Training11:32 The Importance of Market Feedback14:16 Challenges in Transitioning to Service Dog Space17:13 Growth Strategies and Future Plans for iPuppy19:57 Testing and Development of the iPuppy Device22:48 Creating Opportunities Through Networking25:36 Marketing Strategies for iPuppy28:28 Financial Insights for Hardware Founders🔍 KeywordsiPupPee, dog training, service dogs, entrepreneurship, hardware startup, product development, marketing strategies, financial planning, non-technical founders, pet technology
20 Apr 2025
Academic Research to Product: Filling the gap between the lab and the launch
✍️ Show Notes
Jana Rieger of Breth Tech is a clinician-scientist who turned her research into a hardware product, co-founding and becoming CEO of True Angle. She shares her story and her passion to see more research outcomes turning into useful consumer products
🔗 Breth Tech: the Fitbit of breathwork (https://getbreth.com/)
🔗 @bretchtech on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/brethtech/)
🔑 Bytes
Think specifically about the people you are helping and let them form your Go To Market strategy. Just because you're in health tech doesn't mean you should exclusively sell to healthcare providers.
A winning recipe for an academia-turned-founder is a combination of science, engineering, and business knowledge. You don't have to be an expert in all three, but be curious and open to learning.
Universities are increasingly supporting their research labs with startup accelerator support. If you're in a research lab, think of real world impacts of your work.
📖 Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:03 Starting True Angle: From Research to Commercialization
07:33 Overcoming Hesitation and Building Confidence
09:10 Development of the Mobili-T Product
11:32 The Importance of Smart Wearables in Rehabilitation
13:11 Improving Adherence and Patient Outcomes
14:22 From Idea to Product: The Development of True Angle
18:45 Navigating the Medical Device Market: Challenges and Strategies
23:39 Breath Tech: Expanding the Potential of Breath Work
33:00 Bridging the Gap: Universities and Commercialization of Research
35:51 Exploring Jana's Story and Its Impact
Keywords: technology, founder, hardware, entrepreneurship, medical devices, startup, breathwork, hardtech, academic research, product development
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
3,948
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
22
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
71
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