PRINCIPAL / FOUNDER

Ryan Vinyard has spent his career as an engineer, project manager, advisor, and executive at hardware startups making an impact on our world. He specializes in bringing complex technical systems all the way from early inventions through the creative phases of product development and into a real manufacturable product. He has a background in automotive, energy systems, robotics, AI/ML vision systems, and consumer products. Ryan has focused his career on making a positive impact on the world through hardware. He typically engages as a fractional VP Engineering or Hardware Director to help founders through the process.

Ryan has supported the hardware community through co-authoring The Hardware Startup, co-organizing the San Francisco Hardware Meetup, and co-founding Highway1 - all premier sources for hardware startups and founders to find their way. Ryan leads with radical candor reminding the team that VPD must “work hard so that more hard work will come.” When he’s not on Slack, you can find Ryan hiking the backcountry.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

Ben is an electrical engineer with experience developing hardware across medical, biotech, and consumer applications. He began his career contributing to biotech manufacturing systems and Class II medical devices and has also worked on fast-paced consumer product development. He has a penchant for systems thinking and integrating the business realities impacting a startup’s process.

Ben brings a balanced approach to engineering, believing that “fast only counts when it’s right,” while also knowing when to push through challenges with urgency and creativity. Outside the lab, he enjoys exploring mixology, practicing card shuffling, and finding a good cup of coffee at any café willing to serve him.

MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Taylor has built a career rooted in collaborative problem-solving and practical innovation. Much of his work has taken place within engineering consultancies, where he developed a strong foundation in design thinking and the human-centered, iterative, and non-linear approaches that guide his process today. He takes a detail-oriented approach to methodically evaluating and testing engineering systems.

Taylor is motivated by uncovering real user needs, shaping early concepts, and helping teams move confidently from idea to execution. Outside of work, he enjoys training his three dogs, tending to his garden, and maintaining a thriving collection of freshwater fish.

DESIGNER

Adam is a design strategist and product designer who helps early-stage hardware teams turn ideas into tangible, testable solutions. Trained as an industrial designer with hands-on engineering experience, he blends design, systems thinking, and DFMA to bridge early concept development and real-world execution. He has supported more than 30 startups, led entrepreneurial support workshops globally, and built processes that help organizations better understand their users and strengthen their own capabilities.

Adam enjoys practical problem solving, cross-functional collaboration, and creating products that make a meaningful impact. His design philosophy is simple: “constraints drive creativity.... No pressure, no diamonds”. Outside of work, you can find him stirring a cauldron in the kitchen, researching new technologies, or designing tools he may never use.

DESIGNER

Kurin is an industrial designer with experience spanning in-house manufacturing environments and fast-paced design consultancies. His background includes work in consulting, medical, toys, and fitness, where he contributed to products that improve daily life and create meaningful impact.

His design philosophy is rooted in Bruce Lee’s “Be like water,” embracing adaptability, continuous learning, and the ability to navigate complex challenges with ease. When he’s not designing, Kurin can be found on a mountain bike trail, enjoying the outdoors and the freedom that comes with being in motion.