How PathSpot Built A Hardware Business With Just A 3D Printed Prototype

The Mentors

Hardware is inherently harder to build than software, but advances in technology are making it much easier for engineering minds that are interested in bringing physical products to life.

When Christine Schindler and Dutch Waanders got the idea for PathSpot, a hand scanner that instantly detects invisible signs of bacteria and viruses, they wanted to figure out how to iterate on their product as quickly as possible. After getting accepted to the Venture for America Accelerator, Sergei helped them get access to a 3D printer there and pretty soon they were going door to door to restaurants to pitch their new idea - a revolutionary technology designed to prevent foodborne illness.

In this episode, Christine tells us how she secured meetings with restaurant owners with a simple 3D Printed Prototype, and how her team continuously improved the product over the coming months to eventually secure their first order. Over the course of just a year, the team went on to complete the TechStars accelerator program, raising millions of dollars from investors, and streamlining the manufacturing/supply chain process to handle contracts with restaurant chains that are placing orders for thousands of units.

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