“Reaching another generation of entrepreneurs” is how Nick Langston, Market Development Manager for TE Connectivity, describes Arrow’s Incubation and Certification programs. Speaking at International CES2017, Langston explains how Arrow’s programs help entrepreneurs transform an idea into a proof-of-concept, raise financing through crowd-funding (e.g. their partnership with Indigogo) and bring in partners to ensure the end-product is designed for manufacture.

What this allows is, what Langston refers to as a, “hardware renaissance,” with a proliferation of new and unique products in the market. It is also allowing small teams to convert new ideas into hardware in a minimal amount of time. Mix in crowdfunding, and these entrepreneurs can finance a working product faster that traditional approaches and have an idea that a market exists, before having to make major investments in development, manufacturing and product inventory.

Really, the customers are effectively the investors, as well as product advocates. It is also changing the nature of the hardware business to one that is more akin to the music industry, where there are many one-hit wonders.

Stay tuned for a follow-up interview about a specific product that benefited from Arrow’s program.