Travel back in time to 2008 and life was very different for inventors and entrepreneurs who wanted to launch a new piece of hardware. Unlike a new mobile app, it can take millions of dollars in development costs before a gadget makes it into the hands of the first consumer. Since venture capitalists were wary of investing in anything that didn’t have proven traction with an audience of early adopters, it was difficult for small, independent developers to find outside funding.
Read more at The Verge
