Fundamentals
Why hardware startups fail after EVT
Most hardware products don't fail at concept. They fail after EVT — when prototype success meets production reality.
Most hardware products don't fail at concept. They fail after EVT.
By the time a product reaches EVT (Engineering Validation Test), it usually works. The prototype functions. The idea is proven. But EVT is where complexity starts to surface — because what worked in a prototype often doesn't translate directly into production. Tolerances change. Components behave differently at scale. Manufacturing constraints appear. Costs increase.
Many teams move into DVT and PVT assuming the hard part is done. In reality, it's just beginning. Without the right structure in place, designs get reworked, suppliers change, timelines slip, and costs escalate.
