Hardware Accelerator: Week 6 + 7

Curious what happens during the Rev summer Hardware Accelerator? Here’s a quick recap of Week 6 and 7. Be sure to join us on August 10th for Hardware Demo Day, where the teams will get to show off their prototypes. 

While there was no formal programming the week of July 4th, teams continued to work at Rev ’round the clock, using the Prototyping Shop and workspace. In Week 7, teams wrapped up proof of concept by preparing for a design review.

Tech Instructors Rose Agger and Aaron Zufall trained the teams to use Rev’s media room for product photography and short videos. Having photo and video content allows the teams to clearly illustrate product features to potential customers, partners, and investors.

Tech Instructor Brendon Jackson showed teams how to create 3D models with Autodesk’s Fusion 360 software. Using these models helps the teams refine their 3D printed prototypes, bringing them even closer to a prototype to present on August 10th at Hardware Demo Day.

As a special event, teams were invited to attend a reception for the 76West Clean Energy Competition, held at Rev. During the evening they got the opportunity to connect with competitors from early and pre-revenue clean energy startups, allowing them to network with entrepreneurs who have launched and scaled a business in the manufacturing space.

To top off the action-packed week, former Disney Imagineer Liz Woods stopped by Rev to train staff and teams on the brand-new Toyota sewing machine. Learning to use a heavy-duty sewing machine is critical for many hardware entrepreneurs, as soft goods play a role in many products. Check out last year’s Hardware team, OrthoFit, for a great example of the unexpected role materials can play in a product.

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