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  • CategorySilicon & ComputeSIL
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§ Notes 52 published · REV 26.09 · latest 4 Oct 2026

Application notes.

The index of 219 hardware startups, written up: who builds humanoids, drones, chips and reactors, and how founders get from prototype to production. Dated, sourced and revised with every REV, like a datasheet.

0 Start here

AN-001Company listsHardware Startups: The Index, Explained (219 Companies, 10 Categories)Hardware startups in the HardwareMap index: 219 companies across 10 categories, catalogued like parts, with hub, stage, disclosed capital and status.8 min readAN-042Build guidesHow to Start a Hardware Company: From Idea to First Production RunHow to start a hardware company: the seven stages from first customer to first production run, with timelines, cost ranges and founders who shipped.8 min readAN-072FundingHardware Startup Funding: Who Invests, at What Stage, and Why It Is DifferentHardware startup funding, measured on 219 companies: 340 named investors, stage mix, and median disclosed raise by stage and category, REV 26.09.8 min readAN-084CareersHardware Engineer Salary in 2026: By Level, Company, and CityHardware engineer salary from BLS May 2025 data and levels.fyi: median pay, bands by level at Google, Meta, Apple and Nvidia, and pay by US city.8 min readAN-092The indexHow the HardwareMap Index Works: Hubs, Dates, Rules, Part NumbersHow HardwareMap catalogues hardware startups: part numbers like ROB-001, ten resistor-coded category pins, metro hubs, REV numbers and the listing rules.4 min read

1 Company lists24 notes

The index rendered as prose: every list links each company to its datasheet.

  1. AN-001Hardware Startups: The Index, Explained (219 Companies, 10 Categories)Hardware startups in the HardwareMap index: 219 companies across 10 categories, catalogued like parts, with hub, stage, disclosed capital and status.pillar · 8 min
  2. AN-002Humanoid Robot Companies: Every Serious Player, CataloguedHumanoid robots from 9 companies in the HardwareMap index: who ships, who pilots, who is funded. HQ, stage, disclosed raise and status for each.list · 3 min
  3. AN-003Humanoid Robots News Today: The REV 26.09 ChangelogHumanoid robots news today, as a dated changelog: launches, funding, listings and factory news from the 9 humanoid makers in the HardwareMap index.living · 2 min
  4. AN-004Chinese Humanoid Robot CompaniesChinese humanoid robots from Unitree, UBTECH and Fourier: HQ, stage, disclosed raise and status, plus the shipment data behind China's lead.list · 3 min
  5. AN-005Japanese Humanoid Robot CompaniesJapanese humanoid robots from Kawasaki, Kawada, AIST, Toyota and KyoHA, checked against the HardwareMap index, which lists no Japanese humanoid startup.list · 3 min
  6. AN-006The Humanoid Robot Market: Who Is Funded, Who Is ShippingThe humanoid robots market in 2026: shipments, revenue, disclosed funding and delivery claims, from IDC data, company filings and the HardwareMap index.cluster · 4 min
  7. AN-008Top Robotics Companies: Ranked by What They Have ShippedTop robotics companies in the HardwareMap index, ranked by shipping evidence, then stage, then disclosed capital. Hub, stage, raise and status for each.list · 3 min
  8. AN-009Robotics Startups to Watch (Series A to Series C)Robotics startups from Series A to Series C in the HardwareMap index: what each builds, where it is based, its stage and disclosed capital raised.list · 3 min
  9. AN-010Robotics Companies to Invest In: Public, Pre-IPO, and How to Get ExposureRobotics companies to invest in, sorted by how you can own them: listed, heading to listing, or private. From the HardwareMap index. Not investment advice.list · 3 min
  10. AN-011Publicly Traded Robotics CompaniesPublicly traded robotics companies: the listed robot, lidar and automation makers in the HardwareMap index, plus incumbents, with exchanges and tickers.list · 3 min
  11. AN-012Industrial Robotics Companies: Automation Players by SegmentIndustrial robotics companies in the HardwareMap index, sorted by segment: arms and cells, warehouse automation, inspection and field robots.list · 3 min
  12. AN-016Top AI Robotics Companies: Who Is Building the Models and Who Is Building the BodiesTop AI robotics companies in the HardwareMap index: who builds robot models, who builds the bodies, who builds the chips. Hub, stage and raise for each.list · 3 min
  13. AN-018Robotics Companies in the Bay Area (9 in the Index)Robotics companies Bay Area-based in the HardwareMap index: humanoids, warehouse robots and food automation, with stage, disclosed raise and status.list · 3 min
  14. AN-020Drone Companies: Makers, Operators, and Defense PlayersDrone companies in the HardwareMap index: defense makers, delivery operators, mapping and inspection drones. HQ, stage, disclosed raise, status.list · 3 min
  15. AN-021American Drone CompaniesAmerican drone companies in the HardwareMap index: US defense, delivery, inventory and drone compute makers, with HQ, stage, disclosed raise and status.list · 3 min
  16. AN-023Publicly Traded Drone Companies (and Drone Stocks)Publicly traded drone companies: listed drone makers in the HardwareMap index, adjacent eVTOL stocks and larger names, tickers checked on IR pages.list · 3 min
  17. AN-027Defense Tech Startups: The New Primes and Who Funds ThemDefense tech startups in the HardwareMap index: drones, autonomous ships, hypersonic missiles, counter-drone systems. HQ, stage, disclosed raise, backers.list · 3 min
  18. AN-028Space Startups: Launch, Satellites, In-Space, by StageSpace startups in the HardwareMap index: launch vehicles, satellite makers, capsules, stations and landers, with HQ, stage, disclosed raise and status.list · 3 min
  19. AN-030Fusion Companies: Private, Public, and the Timelines They ClaimFusion companies in the HardwareMap index and on public markets: approach, HQ, disclosed raise, status, and each claimed timeline with date and source.list · 3 min
  20. AN-031AI Chip and Semiconductor StartupsAI chip startups in the HardwareMap index: data center inference, edge NPUs, analog, photonic and neuromorphic chips. HQ, stage, disclosed raise, status.list · 3 min
  21. AN-032Climate Tech Hardware StartupsClimate tech startups in the HardwareMap index that build hardware: storage, geothermal, fission, fusion, hydrogen, carbon capture, heat pumps.list · 3 min
  22. AN-035Deep Tech Startups: What Counts, and 50 ExamplesDeep tech startups defined by a stated rule, with 50 examples from the HardwareMap index: chips, photonics, fusion, fission, launch, neurotech and robots.list · 3 min
  23. AN-036Hardware Startups in SF Bay AreaHardware startups SF Bay Area-based in the HardwareMap index: AI chips, robots, energy, space and devices, with stage, disclosed raise and status.list · 3 min
  24. AN-041Hardware Startup Hubs: 85 Cities, MappedHardware startup hubs in the HardwareMap index: 85 cities and metros in 21 countries, what each one builds, and where the long tail sits.cluster · 4 min

2 Build guides19 notes

Founder how-to on the money terms: BOM, DFM, PCB assembly, molding, contract manufacturers.

  1. AN-042How to Start a Hardware Company: From Idea to First Production RunHow to start a hardware company: the seven stages from first customer to first production run, with timelines, cost ranges and founders who shipped.pillar · 8 min
  2. AN-043Prototype to Production: The Stages Nobody Draws CorrectlyPrototype to production in four gated builds: EVT, DVT, PVT and ramp. What each proves, unit counts, exit criteria and where schedules slip.cluster · 4 min
  3. AN-044Design for Manufacturing (DFM): The Working GuideDesign for manufacturing with real numbers: wall thickness, draft, ribs, tolerances and bend rules for molding, CNC and sheet metal, plus DFMA examples.cluster · 6 min
  4. AN-045Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)Design for additive manufacturing rules by process: wall, hole, overhang and clearance numbers for FDM, SLA, SLS and metal, plus when to stop printing.cluster · 4 min
  5. AN-047Bill of Materials Example (With a Free Template)A worked bill of materials example for a small connected sensor: every line, part number and cost, rolled up at 100, 1k and 10k units. Free CSV template.howto · 5 min
  6. AN-048Manufacturing Bill of Materials (MBOM) vs Engineering BOMA manufacturing bill of materials lists how a product is built, not how it was designed. MBOM vs EBOM explained with a worked example from a real BOM.cluster · 4 min
  7. AN-049Bill of Materials Software, Compared (From Spreadsheets to PLM)Bill of materials software for hardware startups, compared by stage: spreadsheets, CAD and EDA tools, part search, cloud PLM, MRP and enterprise PLM.roundup · 4 min
  8. AN-052PCB Assembly: The Complete Guide for Hardware StartupsPCB assembly from stencil to functional test: paste, pick-and-place, reflow, AOI, X-ray, through-hole, IPC-A-610 classes, and what each step costs.cluster · 6 min
  9. AN-053PCB Assembly Cost: What Drives the QuotePCB assembly cost, line by line: setup, stencil, placements, through-hole labor, X-ray, test and parts, with a worked 100-board example and ways to cut it.cluster · 4 min
  10. AN-054Prototype and Low-Volume PCB Assembly: Where to Go, What to ExpectPrototype PCB assembly for founders: online services vs regional shops vs your own bench, what to send, realistic turnaround, and early DFM feedback.cluster · 4 min
  11. AN-055Turnkey vs Consigned PCB Assembly (and Quick-Turn Options)Turnkey PCB assembly, consigned and partial turnkey compared: who buys the parts, who carries the risk, what it costs, and when quick-turn pays off.cluster · 4 min
  12. AN-056PCB Assembly in the USA: When Domestic Makes SensePCB assembly USA vs offshore: when ITAR, lead time, tariffs, IP and engineering access justify a domestic assembler, and how to compare landed cost.cluster · 4 min
  13. AN-060Electronics Contract Manufacturers: How to Pick OneHow to pick an electronics contract manufacturer: EMS tiers, what full-service CMs do, matching a CM to your volume, and the contract terms that matter.cluster · 4 min
  14. AN-064Injection Molding Cost: Parts, Tooling, and the Volume CurveInjection molding cost is a one-time mold plus a per-part price. How each is built up, a worked example, and where molding beats 3D printing on volume.cluster · 4 min
  15. AN-065Injection Molding Tooling Cost: Why the Mold Is the Real BillInjection molding tooling cost explained: mold types, aluminum vs steel, SPI mold classes, cavities, and a worked amortization example for a startup.cluster · 4 min
  16. AN-066Plastic Injection Molding Cost Calculator: The Formula and a Worked ExampleA plastic injection molding cost calculator in four lines: resin, machine time, tooling amortization and extras, worked through for a 60 cm³ ABS part.tool · 3 min
  17. AN-067Hardware Startup Costs: What the First 18 Months Really CostHardware startup costs for the first 18 months: team, tooling, builds, certification and inventory, with dated ranges and the costs founders forget.cluster · 4 min
  18. AN-068Hardware Unit Economics: COGS, Margin, and the Landed-Cost TrapHardware unit economics worked through: BOM to landed cost, gross margin by channel, the costs that hide between factory and customer, and subscriptions.cluster · 4 min
  19. AN-069How to Choose a Contract Manufacturer: The 15-Question AuditHow to choose a contract manufacturer: a 15-question audit covering fit, quality, engineering, supply chain and terms, with what a good answer looks like.howto · 4 min

3 Funding5 notes

Who invests in hardware, at what stage, and what the index says about it.

  1. AN-072Hardware Startup Funding: Who Invests, at What Stage, and Why It Is DifferentHardware startup funding, measured on 219 companies: 340 named investors, stage mix, and median disclosed raise by stage and category, REV 26.09.pillar · 8 min
  2. AN-073Hardware Accelerators Compared (and the Browser Setting With the Same Name)A hardware accelerator is a startup program or a GPU setting. This note covers the programs: HAX, Y Combinator, Techstars, Activate, Silicon Catalyst.cluster · 4 min
  3. AN-074Deep Tech VC Firms: The 340 Investors Behind the IndexDeep tech VC firms and other investors named on 127 hardware startups in the HardwareMap index, ranked by portfolio count, with companies linked.roundup · 4 min
  4. AN-076How Hardware Startups Raise a Seed RoundHow to raise a hardware startup seed round: what it pays for, what investors check, SAFE or priced, grants, with index data on seed-stage companies.howto · 4 min
  5. AN-081Hardware Startups by Funding Stage (From Bootstrapped to Public)Hardware startups by stage: 219 index companies sorted into bootstrapped, seed, Series A to D+, public and undisclosed, with median disclosed raise.cluster · 4 min

4 Careers2 notes

Salaries, jobs and equity at hardware companies, from public sources.

  1. AN-084Hardware Engineer Salary in 2026: By Level, Company, and CityHardware engineer salary from BLS May 2025 data and levels.fyi: median pay, bands by level at Google, Meta, Apple and Nvidia, and pay by US city.pillar · 8 min
  2. AN-086Hardware Startup Jobs: Where the Openings Are (Index Companies Hiring)Hardware startup jobs at index companies: the largest hardware teams, verified careers pages, and how to judge a startup before you apply.cluster · 4 min

5 The index2 notes

How HardwareMap is built, and what changed each revision.

  1. AN-092How the HardwareMap Index Works: Hubs, Dates, Rules, Part NumbersHow HardwareMap catalogues hardware startups: part numbers like ROB-001, ten resistor-coded category pins, metro hubs, REV numbers and the listing rules.cluster · 4 min
  2. AN-093HardwareMap REV Notes, REV 26.09: Hardware Startup News From the IndexHardware startup news from the HardwareMap index, logged by REV number: companies added, stage and status changes. Latest: REV 26.09, October 2026.living · 2 min

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