Award-Winning Industrial Designer on How to Design Great Hardware Products at Scale? | Todd Bracher Founder of Betterlab
with Todd Bracher — Founder
Award-winning industrial designer Todd Bracher joins the podcast to demystify the process of creating great hardware. The Betterlab founder shares how to design manufacturable products at scale by merging science, sustainability, and human-centered principles.
5 Things You'll Learn from This Episode
- Define industrial design as the art of creating products that are repeatable and manufacturable at scale, acting as a translator between the market and the business.
- Integrate science and technology into design to create innovative solutions, like using UVC light for sanitization or full-spectrum light to combat myopia.
- Prioritize sustainability and longevity in product design by using recycled materials and creating timeless items that stand the test of time.
- Structure a design firm's process around diagnosis, opportunity discovery, execution, and rollout to ensure alignment with business goals and market needs.
- Understand that simplicity and minimalism in design create honesty, as there is nowhere to hide flaws, forcing a focus on quality and function.
About the Episode
Todd Bracher, founder of Betterlab, provides a masterclass in industrial design, explaining it as the practice of creating products manufacturable at scale. He shares insights from his work with iconic brands and his own firm, discussing innovative projects like myopia-correcting glasses and a UVC light hand sanitizer. The conversation explores the critical role of sustainability, the business of running a design firm, and the power of timeless, human-centered design.
Timestamps
- 0:00 — Introduction: The World of Industrial Design
- 0:55 — Todd's Journey into Industrial Design
- 1:45 — Defining Industrial Design: Manufacturing at Scale
- 6:06 — Admired Tech: Where Science and Design Intersect
- 9:14 — Key Trend: Sustainability and Recycled Materials
- 12:02 — A Designer's Take on IKEA's Business Model
- 15:54 — Why Well-Designed Products Last Longer
- 17:05 — The Business of Running a Design Firm
- 19:39 — Betterlab Project: Glasses to Reverse Myopia
- 24:48 — Lightwash: A Sustainable UVC Hand Sanitizer
- 28:44 — Advising Early-Stage Startups at Antler
- 31:53 — Modern Aesthetics and the Globalization of Design
- 40:01 — What Makes Japanese Design Unique
- 46:55 — Lessons Learned: The Importance of Business Acumen
About Todd Bracher
Todd Bracher is the founder of Betterlab, an industrial design firm that partners with scientists and innovators to create game-changing products. A two-time International Designer of the Year, he was previously the Executive Creative Director and Design Partner at Human Scale and has collaborated with iconic brands like Herman Miller and 3M.
Founder at Betterlab
About the Host
Nataraj Sindam is the creator of The Startup Project, a podcast featuring founders, investors, and operators building the future.
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