From Concept to Prototype to Market for Your New Electronic Product
Masterclass for entrepreneurs, startups, inventors and small companies developing and selling a new electronic product.
This course starts on Monday March 13th.
In this masterclass course you will learn all of the steps to take your new electronic product from concept to prototype, scale it up from prototype to mass production, and then bring it all the way to market!
Bringing a new product from concept to market can feel like an overwhelming process. This is especially true for more complex products that include electronics.
Electronics design, mechanical design, programming, prototyping, patents, funding, certifications, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and the list goes on and on.
This is why I’m offering this new flagship course which will take you through all of the steps from concept to prototype and then to market.
In the product development lessons, we’ll design both the electronics and the enclosure for a specific product example, and then order actual prototypes.
We’ll start by reviewing the different development platforms including Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi (Pico), and STM32.
Then we will build a proof-of-concept prototype using an Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense board, and migrate that to a custom design that can be mass manufactured.
For the custom design we will use the same nRF52840 microcontroller that is used in the Arduino Nano 33 BLE development board.
For the firmware development we will be using the Arduino IDE throughout the course. The Arduino IDE can be used not only with Arduino boards but also with other microcontrollers.
We will be using the free open-source software KiCad for the electronics design and Fusion 360 (also available in free versions) for the enclosure design.
If you are designing much of your own product, then in this course you will learn both the product development side of things, as well as all of the other things you need to understand in order to turn a product into a successful business.
If you are less technical, and you need to hire engineers to do most of the development, then I also will provide overview lessons on product development which will give you just enough insight into development to allow you to effectively manage others doing the development.
If you are instead strictly focused on product development right now, then you can skip some of the business related modules and just do the technical parts of the course on development.
This course will be a cohort style where ideally everyone goes through it together.
This makes for a much more engaging experience, and I think you are more likely to finish so you can actually meet your product goals.
However, I know this doesn't work for everyone, so you are more than welcome to go DIY at your own pace once the lessons are released.
Each week I will send out 3-4 lessons arriving on Monday through Thursday. These lessons will be about 10-20 minutes in length.
From my experience, long videos tend to lose students, so I plan to keep them as concise as possible.
The lessons themselves will be pre-recorded, but each week there will also be optional live support with myself and other experts for you to ask questions.
Once released all of the lessons will be available to you at any time.
The course will start on Monday March 13, 2023.
MODULE #1 – RESEARCH AND PLANNING STAGE
– Research market and competition
– Define and specify your product
– Validate your idea with potential customers
– Pick your development strategy
– Estimate your costs
– Consider your funding options
– Decide on intellectual property protection strategy (patent)
MODULE #2 – PRE-MARKETING STAGE
– Building your online presence
– Building your online audience or community
– Begin building trust with audience
– Gather feedback from your audience
MODULE #3 – PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STAGE
– Overview of prototyping process and stages
– Review of development kits
– Build a POC works-like prototype [Arduino Nano]
– Use off-the-shelf enclosure for the early POC prototype
– Program the POC with the core functionality [Arduino IDE]
– Show your POC to potential customers for feedback
MODULE #4 – ELECTRONICS DESIGN STAGE
– Design the Schematic [Arduino Nano]
– Design the PCB layout [Arduino Nano]
– Order the PCB prototypes
– Migrate the firmware [Arduino IDE]
– Evaluate and debug the PCB and software
MODULE #5 – ENCLOSURE DESIGN STAGE
– Introduction to 3D modeling
– Introduction to 3D printing
– Design the enclosure 3D model [Fusion 360]
– Order 3D printed prototypes
– Evaluate and debug the enclosure prototype
MODULE #6 – MANUFACTURING STAGE
– Manufacturing strategies (Domestic, China, Hybrid)
– Find a manufacturing partner
– Negotiate terms with manufacturing partner
– Prepare enclosure design for mass manufacturing
– Finalize electronics for certifications and manufacturing
– Create a production test plan
– Setup pilot production line for small initial quantity
MODULE #7 – SALES STAGE
– Use small sales tests to prove/estimate market demand
– Obtain necessary electrical certifications
– Sales and distribution strategy
– Logistics
– Cash flow and funding inventory
– Growth and future new product innovation
This course starts on Monday March 13th.
My Audacious Personal Guarantee!
Most online courses offer a standard 30-day money back guarantee, so I'll always honor that with no questions asked.
But, I'll do much better than that for you, especially since one of the main things I teach is that you need to always minimize your financial risks so you can use your limited budget most efficiently.
If you go through this course, actively participate, and do the work necessary including the assignments, then I'm confident you will make a transformation that will allow you to succeed with your project!
In fact, I'll give your money back up until 30 days AFTER the course finishes on May 5th if you did the work but got no results.
Of course, I can never guarantee that your project will be a success. But, I can guarantee that if you engage throughout this course you will leave with the knowledge needed to meet your goals.
John Teel is a product design engineer, serial entrepreneur, and the founder Predictable Designs and the Hardware Academy.
As a senior design engineer at Texas Instruments he designed dozens of successful electronic microchips. His designs can be found in all kinds of popular electronic devices including some from Apple and Intel. You likely own a product or two with one of his chip designs inside.
Before starting Predictable Designs, John founded a hardware startup named MicroLite Tech that developed and manufactured consumer lighting devices. His product was sold in hundreds of retail locations across multiple countries.
In addition to developing the product he also oversaw manufacturing in China, marketing, trade shows, logistics, financing, and sales. John had a team of over 20 sales representatives across the U.S. selling his product at one point.
For the past 5 years his full time passion has been helping entrepreneurs like you to develop and bring new electronic products to market.
John received a Master’s in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) degree from the University of Texas with a focus in Microelectronics.
"Rarely do you find someone who is both a talented engineer, driven entrepreneur, and is fun to work with. John does this and makes it look easy."
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"John is simply the best engineer I have ever worked with. His passion, in-depth knowledge, attention to every detail, professionalism, and steadfast work ethnic make John a rare breed and truly remarkable person to work with. He has my respect and highest recommendation."
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long are the lessons and how many are there?
Each week I will send out 3-4 lessons arriving on Monday through Thursday. These lessons will be about 10-20 minutes in length. From my experience, long videos tend to lose students, so I plan to keep them as concise as possible.
Can I go at my own pace and do the course DIY?
This course will be a cohort style where ideally everyone goes through it together. This makes for a much more engaging experience, and I think you are more likely to finish so you can actually meet your product goals.
However, I know this doesn't work for everyone, and you are more than welcome to go at your own pace once the lessons are released.
I have a job during the day, can I still register?
Yes, definitely! The lessons will be pre-recorded and available for you to view when it's convenient for you.
If you upgrade to the All-Access Pass then you also get both live Q&A sessions each week and on-demand support inside a private forum area.
If you work during the day and can't attend the live Q&A sessions, then a recording of each week's session will also be made available to you. You can also ask your own questions at any time inside the forum area regardless of when you are available.
What software will I need for the product design portion of the course?
I will be using KiCad for the electronics design, and Fusion 360 for the enclosure design. KiCad is free open-source software. Fusion 360 offers a free non-commercial version or a 30-day free trial.
If you plan to use the Fusion 360 free trial be sure you don’t start it before we get to those lessons or your trial may expire before we finish the design.
Will I have access to all of the lessons? If so, for how long?
The lessons will be released on a daily basis, but once they are published you will always have access to them.
What are the prerequisites for this course?
There are no formal prerequisites for this course. Although some type of tech background will be beneficial for the product development lessons.
What preparation is required before the course begins?
The main preparation necessary is for you to come with an open mind ready to learn!
If you plan to do the product design sections, and design some of your own product, then some type of technical background will be highly beneficial.
You'll also need the free PCB software KiCad, the enclosure design software Fusion 360 (also available free), and an Arduino Nano (although other Arduinos will work too).
Are the lessons live or recorded?
The lessons themselves will be pre-recorded, but each week there will also be optional live support with me and other experts for you to ask questions.
Does the course include any support or community?
Yes it does, if you upgrade to the all-access pass that will be offered to you at checkout. This pass will give you access to live weekly Q&A sessions with me and other experts to answer your questions about the topics taught that week.
You will also get access to an active forum where you can ask me and other experts all of your questions. And you get access to thousands of incredibly valuable discussions that already exist.
Oh yeah, and you get immediate access to about 20 of my other courses, plus more!
If I’m an engineer will this be a good fit for me? If I’m not very technical will it be a good fit for me?
The answer is yes, and yes!
This course is for those who are more technical that wish to design some or all of their own product, AND also for those who are less technical that need to outsource most of the development.
For the product development modules there will be two levels of lessons. Level 1 technical lessons will present an overview of each product design step. If you are outsourcing most of the development these lessons will be sufficient to teach you enough so you can better oversee the development.
In the level 2 lessons we’ll actually design an example product, and these lessons are for those who are more technical and want to develop much of their own product, or just better understand the process.
I’m mostly interested in the product development modules right now, can I skip the business related lessons?
Yes, that's fine. Just be aware there will be a some weeks where you get no new lessons.
Can I design my own project during this course instead of the course project?
Yes you are welcome to instead work on your own project design during this course, although you will almost surely require additional help and support.
If you upgrade to the All-Access Pass then you also get both live Q&A sessions each week and on-demand support inside a private forum area.
Most of the questions asked during the Q&A sessions will need to be either specific to the course project, or more general in nature.
For detailed questions about your own specific design, especially if it's more complex than the course project, then you will need to ask those questions in the forum area.
Will there be assignments?
Yes, there will be various assignments in order for you to get the most out of this course.
Can I pay with Paypal instead of a credit card?
Yes, but you will need to use this link. Also if paying via Paypal and you want to upgrade to an All-Access Pass in order to get live support from me and other experts during this course, you will need to purchase that separately here.
This course starts on Monday March 13th.
My Audacious Personal Guarantee!
Most online courses offer a standard 30-day money back guarantee, so I'll always honor that with no questions asked.
But, I'll do much better than that for you, especially since one of the main things I teach is that you need to always minimize your financial risks so you can use your limited budget most efficiently.
If you go through this course, actively participate, and do the work necessary including the assignments, then I'm confident you will make a transformation that will allow you to succeed with your project!
In fact, I'll give your money back up until 30 days AFTER the course finishes on May 5th if you did the work but got no results.
Of course, I can never guarantee that your project will be a success. But, I can guarantee that if you engage throughout this course you will leave with the knowledge needed to meet your goals.
