It’s not real until it ships.
Everything else is just a prototype.
Everyone talks speed, but few know how to actually ship market-desired hardware. That’s why this week we spotlight Hardware Velocity and its founder, Michael Pica. His no-BS frameworks help hardtech startups go from prototype to production. Faster, smarter, and with results that hold up.
But hey, this is Nordic Hardtech. Why feature someone from the US?
Because Pica’s work hits a massive blind spot in hardtech everywhere: what happens after the prototype. His insights apply whether you're sourcing from Shenzhen, assembling in Skåne, or scaling in Silicon Valley.
Nordic Hardtech Partners 🤝
Nordic Hardtech is a community for builders of complex tech companies based on physical products. Here are some of our outstanding partners.
- Lightbringer: AI-powered patent platform helping tech companies protect their edge fast, with in-house legal expertise. Missed our recent IP webinar? Watch the replay!
- Recuro: Growth partner for hardtech and deeptech. Strategy, marketing, and scalable business models that drive real traction. Book an intro.
- SISP (Swedish Incubators & Science Parks): The network for 60+ incubators and science parks in Sweden, powering innovation and scaleups across the country. Find yours here.
- The Yard: Gothenburg’s industrial-chic hub for startups. Co-working, community, and serious hardware energy. Explore their memberships.
Nordic Hardtech Spotlight 🔦
This week: Why belief isn't validation and how founders can make the leap.
Your product isn’t ready — and Michael Pica knows why
“What matters is understanding how people behave”
Hardware Velocity’s Michael Pica has a message for hardtech founders: stop assuming, start validating. In a world obsessed with speed, he helps teams focus on what really matters — building something people actually want, and proving it before they run out of time, money or luck.
In a recent webinar hosted by Neon Labs and Granite Peak, Michael Pica, Mike Simmons, and Jason Poure unpacked why most hardware startups fail, and what can be done to change the odds. The talk covered everything from demand validation and product requirements to early-stage prototypes and crowdfunding traps.
As founder of Hardware Velocity, a US-based advisory firm that helps hardware startups validate demand, define their product, and de-risk the path to production, Pica works with teams who’ve often learned the hard way.
– Too many startups raise money, start building, and only realize late in the game that no one’s going to buy. Or worse, that they can’t even manufacture the thing, he says.
The root of the problem? Belief. Founders fall in love with their idea — and skip the proof.
– A lot of startups assume success, even though they haven’t validated what people actually need or value, Pica explains.
To avoid that trap, Hardware Velocity — alongside insights from Granite Peak’s Mike Simmons — applies a framework that helps teams validate early, long before it’s too expensive to pivot. Validation methods range from social listening and market research to interviews, low-fidelity prototyping and crowdfunding.
HWV’s Product-Market Fit Framework
Hardware is hard. HWV makes sure you're not just building — you're building what the market wants.
Hardware Velocity’s framework breaks validation into six essentials, helping teams move from gut feeling to real proof:
- Key Metrics: What signals real traction?
- Customer Segment: Who actually cares?
- Problem/Solution Fit: Is it solving something painful?
- Value Proposition: Why you, why now?
- Willingness to Pay: Will they pay — or just say they love it?
- Delivery & GTM: Can you really build and support it?
Each step takes you from indirect signals to hard proof — with next steps baked in.
It’s not about the pitch. It’s about what holds up after the demo.
– You can’t just ask your friends what they think and call it validation. What matters is understanding how people behave, not just what they say, Pica continues.
He warns that crowdfunding, while powerful, can be dangerous if used too soon.
– You’re making a promise. If you haven’t resolved your technical risks, you might end up breaking it.
A key tool in the Hardware Velocity approach is the product requirements document (PRD). While many founders see documentation as overhead, Pica sees it as protection.
– A good PRD forces you to define the customer problem, the technical solution and the business case, all in one place. If any part is weak, it’s going to collapse later.
Early prototypes are also critical. Not because they impress investors, but because they generate insight.
– As Jason Poure (Neon Labs) demonstrated, early prototypes don’t need to be polished — foamcore, cardboard, even tape outlines can generate valuable insights. “What matters is what you’re trying to learn,” he explained, “not how it looks.”
The message resonates in the Nordics, where resource-conscious founders often face long development cycles and global supply chains. For them, Pica’s approach offers a way to move forward with discipline, not just speed.
– Don’t wait for manufacturing to start learning. If you haven’t validated the need, you’re gambling with years of your life.
▶️ Want more? This article is based on the webinar Build Hardware People Want — a live session with Michael Pica, Mike Simmons and Jason Kaur.
Lately ⏮️
Selected news from the hardtech ecosystem
- RISE expands its free EU funding support for deeptech startups.
The program now includes EIC, Eurostars and NATO’s DIANA, with coaching, pitch prep and hands-on help. - Bosch says EU is overdoing AI — and risks killing embedded innovation. With €2.5B on the line, their warning matters. Read what Nordic founders should know.
- ... but if Bosch fears AI regulation, Norrsken is betting big on AI impact. The Swedish nonprofit just pledged €300M to startups using AI to solve real problems — not just optimise the inbox.
- Sweden just claimed 10% of all EIC Accelerator wins — with every funded startup tied to KTH. Hear Zparq’s story in our pod!
Up next ⏭️
What's brewing in the community?
- SWxSIR2025 just dropped the program, and it’s stacked. Over 50 sessions on Industry 5.0, future skills, and how to back real hardware. October 7–9 in Södertälje. Plan your trip.
- Get seen by Europe’s investors — Sifted’s 2025 leaderboard is now open.
Startups from the Nordics and Benelux can apply until August 9. Free, fast, and high-impact, apply here. - Future Manufacturers returns to Copenhagen on August 20. Founders, makers, investors and OEMs meet again at Industriens Hus. Lock in your spot.
- 🚀 Know the scene and move fast? We’re still looking for a connector to help Nordic Hardtech grow with the right partners and stay close to the builders. Curious? Ping us!
Ease the way to investment 👉 Nordic Hardtech Funding List
Few investors actually understand hardtech. We’ve listed the ones who do.
Nordic Hardtech is a platform for the hardtech ecosystem — sharing knowledge, bringing inspiration, and building community through podcasts, newsletters, events, and more.
💸 Fuel up. Scaling takes capital — The Nordic Hardtech Funding List shows you where to find it.
💥Get involved. Pitch a topic. Join the podcast. Get on the investor list–if you're hardtech.
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