Designing Joy Through Hardware: Ashley from Aura Frames

October 28th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  51 mins 56 secs

In this episode of The Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman talk with Ashley Phillips, Head of Product at Aura Frames, about building hardware that connects families through shared memories. Ashley shares her journey from software to hardware, Aura’s vertically integrated approach to design and engineering, and how the company creates “joy delivery devices” that millions of people love. The conversation explores Aura’s product philosophy, their decision to forgo subscriptions, and how product-market fit can be achieved by focusing relentlessly on customer happiness.

From Apple to AI Soccer Cameras: Alex Krause from Trace

October 14th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  40 mins 16 secs

In this episode of The Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman sit down with Alex Krause, Director of Hardware at Trace, to explore how AI, hardware, and software intersect in the world of sports technology. Alex shares his journey from building Face ID systems at Apple to leading hardware innovation at Trace where his team designs AI-powered soccer cameras that capture every play automatically. The conversation dives into hardware-as-a-service, the balance between edge and cloud computing, and the lessons learned from building scalable, user-first products in a fast-moving industry.

Redefining Men's Sexual Wellness: Jeff Bennett founder of MOR

October 14th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  39 mins 56 secs

In this episode of The Hardtech Podcast, DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman interview Jeff Bennett, founder and CEO of Morari Medical, a company pioneering innovation in sexual wellness through neurostimulation technology. Jeff discusses his journey from the medical device world to launching a groundbreaking wellness product that empowers men with safe, effective, and stigma-free solutions. The conversation covers FDA approval, user experience design, direct-to-consumer marketing, and the realities of fundraising in a sensitive category.

Smarter Training, Fewer Injuries with VERT Performance

October 6th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  52 mins 6 secs

In this episode of The Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman sit down with David Gil, Managing Partner at VERT Performance, to explore how technology is revolutionizing the world of volleyball. The conversation dives into how jump tracking, load management, and landing mechanics are shaping the next generation of athlete performance and injury prevention.

Autonomous Lawn Care: The Greenzie Story

September 29th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  42 mins 17 secs

In this episode of The Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman sit down with Charles Brian Quinn (CBQ), CEO and founder of Greenzie, to explore the future of autonomous mowing and outdoor robotics.

Designing Better Coffee: Basheer Tome on Product Development at Fellow

September 22nd, 2025  |  Season 2  |  52 mins 41 secs

In this episode of the Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre and Grant welcome Basheer Tome, a senior manager in product design at Fellow, to discuss the intricacies of designing coffee equipment. The conversation explores the intersection of industrial design and user experience, the challenges of hardware interface design, and the importance of balancing complexity with usability. Basheer shares insights on navigating stakeholder feedback, the significance of user research, and innovative methods for gathering user feedback. The episode also delves into the value of portfolios for aspiring designers and offers advice for those starting their careers in design.

From Plant Killer to Shark Tank and CNN: The Flora Story

September 8th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  48 mins 15 secs

In this episode of the Hardtech Podcast, Aabesh De shares his journey from being a self-proclaimed 'serial plant killer' to founding Flora, a company that merges IoT with gardening. He discusses the challenges of integrating hardware and software, the lessons learned from appearing on Shark Tank, and the impact of the show on his business growth. Aabesh emphasizes the importance of user experience and the need for a strong app to support the hardware. He also shares insights on the future vision for Flora, aiming to create a comprehensive ecosystem for plant care.

Beyond Compliance: Quality Systems in MedTech

September 1st, 2025  |  Season 2  |  38 mins 47 secs

In this episode of The Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman sit down with Ashkon Rasooli, founder and CEO of EnGenius Solutions, to explore the realities of building quality into medical devices. Ashkon shares insights from the No BS QMS manifesto, explaining how to design efficient quality management systems that improve outcomes without unnecessary bureaucracy.

From Startup to Amazon Supplier: The Modjoul Story with Founder Eric Martinez

July 28th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  48 mins 37 secs

Eric Martinez, CEO of Modjoul, joins us to share how his startup went from idea to landing Amazon as a client. We dive into the evolution of Modjoul’s workplace safety technology, the emotional weight of building products that protect people, and what it really takes to scale a hard-tech company in industrial environments.

Scaling the Connected World with John Grady of Ayla Networks

July 22nd, 2025  |  Season 2  |  42 mins 24 secs

In this episode, John Grady, CEO of Ayla Networks, joins the Glassboard team to explore what it takes to deliver seamless, scalable connected experiences. From smart home devices to emerging applications in medtech and industrial IoT, John shares lessons from supporting over 50 global brands and activating more than 13 million devices. The conversation dives into hardware-software integration, user experience design, and why the first 30 seconds of setup can make or break a product.

Backing Hardtech: A VC’s Perspective with Dipalo Ventures

July 14th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  46 mins 48 secs

In this episode of The Hardtech Podcast, hosts DeAndre Harakas and Grant Chapman sit down with Rafiq and Monica from Dipalo Ventures, a venture capital firm backing ambitious hard tech startups. They unpack the realities of investing in hardware: long timelines, capital intensity, and the critical role of early user validation. The conversation explores why community, patience, and deep technical conviction are essential for success in hard tech and how founders and funders can better align around the journey.

Navigating Project Management in Medical Devices

July 7th, 2025  |  Season 2  |  54 mins 13 secs

healthcare innovation, healthcare systems, keywords hard tech, light therapy, medical devices, podcast, project management, reperfusion injury, technology transfer, waddell group

In this episode of The Hardtech podcast, the hosts discuss the unique challenges and innovations in the medical device industry with the Waddell Group. They explore the importance of project management in bringing medical devices to market, the specific challenges faced in healthcare systems, and the innovative use of light therapy to address reperfusion injury. The conversation highlights the need for effective project management, the complexities of healthcare systems, and the opportunities for innovation in medical technology.