The path from innovation to scaled-up production represents a critical juncture for hardware startups. For companies developing novel technologies, selecting the right manufacturing partners can determine whether a breakthrough technology turns into a viable product and whether the company successfully commercializes its developments. When selecting a manufacturing partner, startups often gravitate toward established industry giants. However, I've observed that eagerness to collaborate with new technologies is often inversely correlated with the size and maturity of the potential partner. Every new manufacturing process carries inherent risk. Larger, more conservative companies tend to avoid these risks by either rejecting the project outright or shifting costs onto the startup. They may also demand long-term capacity commitments ' an unrealistic expectation for a new business with an uncertain growth trajectory. On the other hand, smaller, more agile contract manufacturers often...
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