haxlr8r

[haxlr8r]

New program is coming

... in early 2013! Applications will open in Fall :-)

[haxlr8r]

HAXLR8R graduates 9 startups in San Francisco

The aftermath: it took us that long to get back home and finally post something about the end of the first program :-) It was THAT good. We'll be back with some more substance but if you want to know more about what happened, have a look on Forbes. And for a great write up on startups and their potential, go to Xconomy.

We'll be back with pictures, write-ups, videos and surprises in a bit.

Oh, and next batch will be in winter!

[haxlr8r]

HAXLR8R announced Dragon Innovation as a new operational partner

HAXLR8R, the first accelerator program for startups building physical products, announced the addition of Dragon Innovation, a Boston and Hong Kong based product design and manufacturing firm, as a new operational partner.

Startups participating in the program will now be able to leverage Dragon Innovation's 200+ years of combined experience in DFMA and high volume manufacturing, boosting best sellers such as the Zeo Sleep Manager, Nanda Home's Clocky, and the Sphero Robotic Ball (Orbotix). As the former team behind iRobot’s Roomba and Scooba robots, Dragon Innovation provides firsthand insight into the inner workings of product development and manufacturing.

Cyril Ebersweiler, founder of HAXLR8R, says “the program was standing on its feet… now it can run!”. “Dragon Innovation is thrilled to be part of this great adventure and share our experiences in Far East manufacturing,” added Scott N. Miller, CEO of Dragon Innovation.

HAXLR8R launched in March this year and has been adopted by the entrepreneur community as the go to place for creating hardware startups. The program, based in the Bay and in Shenzhen, boasts an impressive mentor roster that covers the physical product spectrum and includes Brad Feld (Foundry Group), Sean O'Sullivan (Avego), Benjamin Rubin (Zeo), Zach Hoeken (Makerbot), Mathew Ingle (Best Buy Ventures) and Richard Kelly (IDEO).

[haxlr8r]

You will recognize us in the street now.

[haxlr8r]

At the Shenzhen mini maker faire today... Thanks to Eric and @seeedstudio for putting on such an awesome event. Hope there are many more!

[haxlr8r]

This is how we do birthdays in the lab. It's delicious, it plays music, and it smells a little like burning plastic.

[haxlr8r]

Learning how plastics are mass-produced from silicon molds at a factory in Zhongshan, on the other side of the Pearl River delta. Warm like freshly baked cookies when they come out of the oven. Also saw first hand how injection molding works, how product enclosures are prototyped and silkscreened, and much more.

[haxlr8r]

Visited a local PCB factory today. Gives one a new appreciation for the hard work that goes into mass production of prototypes and even the most innocuous of consumer electronic devices. Attention to detail and quality control is everything.

[haxlr8r]

Spent the day with our teams at the (numerous) Shenzhen electronics markets, sourcing parts for project prototypes. Maker heaven?

[haxlr8r]

Ready to rock!

[haxlr8r]

This year, Enter the Dragon with HAXLR8R!

[haxlr8r]

Having fun with B-Squares

HAXLR8R friends and laboratory mice "B-Squares" are shipping their awesome products and people from all over the world are taking notice.

Here is a nice shout from Tree Hugger: B-Squares' Brilliant Plot to Take Over Electronics With Lego-Like Gadgets

Meet the founders while hacking in Shenzhen at HAXLR8R!

[haxlr8r]

Hardware accelerator showing off development resources in China. I'd drop everything to work with @haxlr8r. More please

@derekkozel

[haxlr8r]

It's a small world, after all

HAXLR8R is not only the first hardware accelerator program, but it's also the first real international one: gathering startups from all over the world and putting them into a completely different environment for a few month is something never seen before in the short history of tech startups.

Scary? Fun? Scary fun? Well, just fun fun fun really. It will take you a few weeks to get used to your new life as we've done the experience in the past through Chinaccelerator with companies such as Buz (Ireland), eProf (Canada) and few others. Ask them what they thought about it.

On our side we've been working with partners from all over the world to create this melting pot of startups. Our "Glocal Partner" in the Middle East is "Wamda", a platform that empowers entrepreneurs in the MENA region and takin a 360 degree approach to providing the support that entrepreneurs need in the emerging MENA ecosystem. 

Wamda is spearheaded by Habib Haddad, founder of Yamli.com and YallaStartup and Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum. And of course, now mentor at HAXLR8R.

For those who can't think about a hardware startup coming from this part of the world on top of their head, check out Littlebits and just enjoy. 

You can read the coverage and more about Wamda directly through this great write up.

[haxlr8r]

While in Shenzhen, you will be able to work from the Chaihuo Hackerspace (chaihuo.org) at anytime, on top of the "regular" office with the classroom and all. Located downtown, this space is just awesome to chill at and to meet unbalanced people at all times of the day or the night. There are some cafes and Japanese restaurants around, and someone working on a DIY beer project. Just sayin'.

[haxlr8r]

Hardware is a bitch

Boonsri from Business Insider is talking about us today, with a great quote from our mentor Ben Rubin: "Hardware is a bitch". More to read here.