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How to run an open source hardware company
Businesses designing and selling open source hardware, making millions
[email protected]@ladyada.net
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Make:
What is opensource hardware?
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Make:
The designer will:
• Provide design files (in the preferred format for making modifications to them).
• Allow the modification and redistribution of the design files.
• Allow the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of devices from the design files or modifications of the design files.
• Publish documentation and/or any software it has developed that is essential to the proper functioning of the device.
Source: OSHW definition v 0.2 4/30/2010
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Make:
The designer may require others to:
• Provide attribution when distributing design files based on the original designer's.
• Provide attribution when manufacturing devices based on the original designer's design files or derivatives thereof.
• Release as open-source hardware devices based on the original designer's design files or derivatives thereof.
Source: OSHW definition v 0.2 4/30/2010
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Make:
Manufacturers of a derivate device must not:
• Imply that the device is manufactured, tested, warrantied, guaranteed, or otherwise sanctioned by the original designer.
• Make use of any trademarks owned by the original designer without explicit permission .
Source: OSHW definition v 0.2 4/30/2010
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Make:
0
100
200
300
400
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 est. 2011 est.
Total projects
Open source hardware projects:
Source: OSHW annual - Torrone, MAKE magazine
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Make:
Approaching $1m Over +$1m Over +$10m
Who is doing open hardware?
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Make:
Adafruit Industries
New York, NY
Educational electronics, Arduino products, tutorials & culture jamming
Over one+ million in revenue
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Make:
Arduino
Italy, worldwide
Open source physical computing platform. Open dev, documentation, ADC, I/O. Over 150,000 sold
Over one+ million in revenue
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Make:
Worldwide
Low cost fan-less, computer board. Expandable, 3rd party manufactures, Digikey, Mouser TI
BeagleBoard
Over one million in revenue
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Make:
New York, NY
“LEGO” computers. Plug and play, modular system for building devices, rapid prototyping, VC funded
Approaching one million in revenue, est. 2010
Bug Labs
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Make:
Chumby
San Diego, CA
Open source ambient computer. Web connected, licensing to 3rd parties. Chumby patent, VC funded
Over one+ million in revenue
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Make:
Netherlands
Open source reverse engineering tool, new to OSH, started as a community project on Hack-a-day
Dangerous Prototypes
Approaching one million in revenue, est. 2010 - 2011
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Make:
San Francisco, CA
Open source micro-sized civil UAVs for aerial mapping and education. Community driven, project co-founder EIC Wired
DIY Drones
Approaching one million in revenue, est. 2010
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Make:
Oakland, CA
Open source educational projects. Craft and hack, hardcore OSH. Fully OSS tool chain. Fun projects
Evil Mad Scientist Labs
Approaching one million in revenue, est. 2010
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Make:
Brooklyn, NY
Open source 3D printer kit. Based on RepRap. Companion 3D repository “Thingaverse”, funded
Over one million in revenue
MakerBot Industries
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Make:
Sebastopol, CA
Bring making things to pop culture, Make magazine, TV show, Maker Faire - gift shop is the Maker Shed
Maker Shed
Over one+ million in revenue
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Make:
Parallax
Rocklin, CA
Kit heritage (BASIC stamp, PIC). Robotics, education, tutorials, “New” entry in OSH
Over one+ million in revenue
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Make:
Shenzhen, China
Arduino derivatives, break out boards, sensors, rapid manufacturing & proximity to supply chains
Over one million in revenue
Seeed Studios
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Make:
Solarbotics
Calgary, Canada
Educational electronics, robot kits, BEAM robotics, solar kits, OSH - Arduino related
Over one+ million in revenue
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Make:
Boulder, CO
Educational electronics, break out boards, large selection, BatchPCB, rapid manufacturing
SparkFun Electronics
Over TEN million in revenue
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Make:
The numbersthe future
• These are just a few companies representing approx. $50 million
• There are currently about 200 OSHW projects, 300+ in 2011
• Most of the $1m+ companies are rapidly approaching $5m
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Make:
How we runour business
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Make:
LAMP
LinuxApacheMySQLPHP
Open source Software
Adafruit.com
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Make:
ServIntVPS $80 plan
Hosting Provider
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Make:
Shopping Cart
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Make:
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Make:
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Make:
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Make:
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Make:
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Make:
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Make:
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Make:
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Make:
Credit Card processor
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Make:
Paypal Payments
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Make:
Paypal Payments
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Make:
Embedded Content (blog)
Wordpress
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Make:
Embedded Content (blog)
Wordpress
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Make:
Measurements (Traffic, source, etc..)
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Make:
Forums Customer support & community
phpbb forums+tweaks
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Documentation Customer support & community
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Make:
Tools Shipping, office & beyond
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Make:
Tools Shipping, office & beyond
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Make:
Tools Shipping, office & beyond
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Make:
Tools Shipping, office & beyond
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Make:
Tools Shipping, office & beyond
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Make:
Tools Shipping, office & beyond
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Make:
Your turn• You need a skill or interest
• Think of a memorable name for your company
• Register the domain name, file a DBA
• Get a digital camera
• Get 2 to 4 projects under your belt
• Take photos, take the “money shot” - show product in action
• Put documentation online
• For pricing, allow a 40% profit margin or about a 66% markup (resellers too)
• Buy enough parts to make 25, start off with Paypal “buy it” button
• Create a support network, mailing list / forums, make a FAQ, update it
• Fill out the web site with all purchasing info, make it easy to copy/paste for lazy bloggers
• Include contact information
• Send emails to sites in your arena
• Watch the web stats
• Repeat
• Profit