The world of hardware development is notoriously challenging, with engineers often spending countless hours poring over datasheets to find the right electronic components for their projects. Brandon Bourn and Collin Stoner, the founders of Zenode, have experienced these challenges firsthand, having designed over 250 printed circuit boards and taken more than 100 through manufacturing. Now, they’re on a mission to revolutionize the industry with their AI-powered tool, Zenode.
Founded in 2023 and based in San Francisco, Zenode is an AI software company focused on hardware development. Their flagship product, currently in beta, is an AI tool that provides an interactive datasheet to help engineers find and use electronic components more efficiently. By leveraging the power of AI, Zenode aims to give engineers superpowers for part discovery, allowing them to search across thousands of parts in seconds.
The inspiration for Zenode stems from the founders’ personal experiences and the countless mistakes they’ve witnessed in the hardware development process. Brandon and Collin have seen firsthand how a simple error, such as mis-sizing a footprint, can lead to costly production re-spins. With Collin’s background as a contract manufacturer in San Jose, he’s had to think on his feet to save multi-million dollar contracts due to clients’ improper specifications.
Zenode looks up to companies like Makerbot, which paved the way for the democratization of hardware tools. The 100x decrease in cost and increase in capabilities of today’s hardware development tools have led to a golden age in prototyping. Zenode believes that AI is the next evolution of hardware development, with the potential to provide engineers with a virtual team of experts in their pockets, offering advice, checking work, and optimizing bills of materials.
Looking ahead, Zenode acknowledges the challenges of working with AI but remains optimistic about its potential. In the next four years, they hope to develop AI capabilities that can accurately read schematics and build validation tools to check engineers’ work. While generating entire circuits autonomously may be a distant goal, Zenode believes that AI will open doors for more engineers to build incredible things.
As Zenode launches its tool into beta this August, 2024, the hardware development community eagerly awaits the impact it will have on the industry. With their AI copilot for electronic components, Zenode is poised to empower engineers, streamline the development process, and usher in a new era of innovation in the world of hardware.
