From Prototype to Manufacturing: Stanford Founder Pitch Night
FREE PIZZA 🍕🍕 🍕 !!!
A focused founder night for hardware startups moving from prototype to manufacturing.
Join us for an evening on hardware supply chain, hardware investor feedback, and hardware startup opportunities. The first half features a 40-minute supply-chain session led by a Xiaomi management leader. The second half features selected hardware startup pitches with feedback from hardware-focused investors.
This event is designed for founders building physical products — from robotics and consumer hardware to medical devices, climate hardware, smart devices, sensors, mobility, industrial hardware, and AI + hardware.
Come for the supply-chain insight. Stay for the investor feedback, founder community, and global opportunity.
Event Format
Part 1: China Hardware Supply Chain Masterclass — 40 min
A Xiaomi management leader will share how U.S.-based hardware startups can evaluate, navigate, and work with China’s supply-chain ecosystem — from sourcing and prototyping to manufacturing partnerships and scale.
Part 2: Hardware Startup Pitch + Investor Feedback
Selected teams will pitch to hardware-focused investors and receive feedback on product, manufacturing strategy, fundraising narrative, market validation, and go-to-market direction.
Why Attend?
Learn from a Xiaomi management leader with deep China hardware supply-chain experience
Get practical insight on prototype → sourcing → manufacturing
Understand when China’s supply-chain ecosystem may be the right fit
Hear direct feedback from hardware-focused investors
Meet hardware founders, builders, mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners
Selected teams may advance to the China–U.S. Young Maker Competition regional/final stages
Who Should Join?
Hardware founders with prototypes, demos, or early products
Teams building robotics, consumer hardware, medical devices, climate hardware, smart devices, IoT, sensors, mobility, industrial hardware, or AI + hardware
Founders exploring China manufacturing or global supply chains
Teams preparing to fundraise and seeking investor feedback
Students, researchers, operators, investors, and ecosystem builders interested in hardware innovation
Pitch Team Applications
Pitch application form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBZJHfWu6Fw-SgJiYTaP4f_cOGTP643OgkA6Ef8BccdIDs7g/viewform?usp=dialog&referrer=luma
We welcome early-stage hardware teams with prototypes, demos, or clear product concepts.
Teams do not need to be Stanford-affiliated, though Stanford founders, researchers, students, and alumni are especially encouraged to apply.
Pitching teams will have the opportunity to present their product, receive feedback from hardware-focused investors, and potentially be considered for advancement to the U.S. Regional Finals of the China–U.S. Young Maker Competition.