Bolt | Helping Hardware Startups

Bolt is a 6-month intensive program designed to help hardware startups grow

Raising money for hardware companies is a bit more difficult than for software/web service startups. We provide every team with enough capital to get through the program.

Bolt has teamed up with an army of service providers, tooling manufactures and component suppliers. We offer deep discounts on their offerings to all teams during the program.

When it comes to manufacturing a physical product, cash flow is critical. Bolt provides access to lines of credit to reduce the amount of capital required to get to market.

Bolt has built a select community of angel investors and mentors that are excited about hardware. Many have built big physical product businesses. All of them are looking for companies to invest in.

Having access to great tools is critical for building the best prototypes of your next-generation products. We’ve built a 4,000 sqft high-end prototyping shop just for you (right underneath our 4,500 sqft office)

3-axis CNC mill
bridgeports
engine lathe
hydraulic tube bender
sheer/brake/roll
mCAD/CAM

parts room
scopes
logic analyzers
rework stations
reflow oven
eCAD

high-end fdm printers
laser cutter
foam modeling
urethane casting
full woodshop
finishing

Building great hardware products & businesses requires great people that have been there & done that. Our full-time staff is here just for you.

Lean on our expertise to deliver your first production run

Our team has designed & manufactured millions of units of product. We'll help you start thinking about DFM (design for manufacturability) & DFA (design for assembly) from day one so you can minimize tool-up time.

Finding the right contract manufacturer can mean the difference between a successful product and a disaster. We'll introduce you to the right factories and help you ensure they can build your product.

Few first-time hardware startup teams realize the importance of quality control during the manufacturing process. Our team will show you what to look for and how to fix issues as they come off the assembly line.

Leverage decades of experience to develop your go-to-market strategy and start executing

Raising institutional capital can be a critical part of the commercialization path for certain products. Accepted teams get continual insider feedback and introductions from a veteran VC.

Sometimes raising a big seed round or series A doesn't make sense. If you'd rather license your product, we help create the relationship and provide on guidance on reasonable NRE/royalty terms.

Crowdfunding is great for marketing and financing, but it can be dangerous if not done correctly. Our team has worked with some of the biggest crowdfunded products like Pebble and Romo.

Selling direct to consumers can be a great way to ship those first few units, but getting into retail stores is critical for consumer product success. We'll introduce you to buyers and help get you shelf space.