Farnell launches ‘Maker to Market’

These Maker to Market services are supported by Design & Manufacturing Services which enable engineers to focus on developing the best product possible by providing support at every stage of the design and manufacturing process. This includes customisation for larger scale projects or manufacturing volumes.

Farnell helps customers overcome product design challenges – both technical and commercial – and provides advice and support with cost optimisation, volume production, certifications and compliance testing, all of which leads to a quicker time to market.

Farnell works with start-ups to help them to bring their products to market. An example is FutureHome, a Norwegian start-up that has developed a Smart Hub gateway allowing users to remotely control, automate and monitor multiple smart devices in the home.

Farnell provided FutureHome with a full range of services, including engineering services, compliance and manufacturing, which then allowed the team at FutureHome to focus on product and business development.

Farnell is an active sponsor of Startupbootcamp IoT | Connected Devices, a dedicated accelerator program offering support, mentorship and investment opportunities to global technology start-ups working in the consumer or industrial IoT sectors

“With our Maker to Market services, we are helping to meet the needs of both start-ups and professional makers who have great ideas and are passionate about the products or ideas they are developing – but who may not necessarily have the in-house skills or resources to be able to design, manufacture, distribute and promote their products,” says Farnell’s Peter Birks, “as a result, we can help designers turn a brilliant idea into a finished product that can be promoted and distributed worldwide – and we can help makers get their product ideas to market faster and at a lower overall cost.”

An additional resource for startups is Hardware Studio Connection, a venture between Farnell parent company Avnet and Avnet’s Dragon Innovation division, giving designers access to hands-on support from the companies’ engineers as well as discounts on components and services.

These new programmes are designed to help guide startups through the product development cycle and get their ventures into the right channels as quickly as possible.