G10 The bench test was wrong (Tolerance stack-up)
Most hardware founders think a thorough bench test means the design is validated. It usually means your sample happened to
Your spreadsheet was polite. Reality is not
Most founders think they know their unit cost because they priced out a BOM. They priced out the wrong one,
G08 $0.40 part, $200,000 problem (Yield)
The most dangerous line in hardware is "yield should be fine." Three words. Six figures in dead inventory.
G07 This is not a part. It is a lock-in (Tooling)
Most founders treat tooling as a procurement task. It is actually a strategic lock-in. The day you pay for that
G06 Production-ready? Prove it (EVT/DVT/PVT)
"We are almost production-ready" is how hardware founders lose credibility with experienced investors. Burned investors ask one question:
G05 One line in your BOM is sabotaging you (Lead Time)
Your product is not late because of the factory. It is late because you ordered components like you were buying
Break your product before your customers do (HALT/HASS)
Factories love gentle testing. It keeps yields high, paperwork clean, and hides design flaws until your customers find them for
G03 AQL
Your inspection report says "passed." Your ops team says quality is handled. But many teams ordering inspections cannot
G02 Golden Sample
I've seen founders send perfect drawings and tolerance stacks, then act surprised when the production unit feels "
G01 MOQ: Minimum Order Quantity
Your supplier just quoted you 3,000 units minimum. You only need 500. Now what? Don't walk away
