๐ค๐๐ผ๐ย ๐ฑ๐ผย ๐๐ผ๐ย ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐ย ๐๐ผ๐ย ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒย ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐? ๐๐ย ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ดย ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒย ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐.ย
How to make a wind turbine? In 2016, I had to figure out how to build 400 of them in just four years. I signed a licensing agreement with Lagerwey, a Dutch startup with great designs but limited production experience. Lagerwey could make a dozen turbines a year, all slightly different, thanks to their tinkering engineers. But we needed to build one turbine at scale. I was sure we could do it - all three key questions had answers.
How do you know when your startup is ready to scale? In my experience, and that of startups Iโve worked with three critical factors tell you itโs time to go big:
๐ง ๐ญ. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝย ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟย ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ดย ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐
Before you build a factory, map out your production flow in obsessive detail.
* How will materials arrive and be stored?
* What equipment will you use?
* What skills will your team need?
Visit similar factories, talk to the people on the floor, and learn from their challenges. Understanding your process inside out doesnโt just prepare youโit helps identify bottlenecks and risks before they become problems.
๐ค ๐ฎ. ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฒย ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ย ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บย ๐๐๐๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
Before raising funds, lock in future buyers. Whether itโs a soft commitment (MOU) or a hard contract, this shows investorsโand youโthat demand exists. Customers willing to discuss quality standards, delivery dates, and prices are signaling they trust you to deliver.
For example, our turbines had guaranteed buyersโour sister company had secured long-term power purchase agreements. This gave us the confidence to move forward.
๐๏ธ ๐ฏ. ๐ง๐ฎ๐น๐ธย ๐๐ผย ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟย ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
No supply chain, no scale-up. You need suppliers who can meet your quality, cost, and timeline requirements.
When sourcing wind turbine parts, we had to build half the supply chain from scratch. Towers, for instance, required specialized machines from a global supplier and local production expertise. Meanwhile, we secured blades at half the market price by partnering with an overseas factory.
Suppliers arenโt just vendorsโtheyโre partners. Ensure theyโre ready to grow with you.
๐ ๐ย ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐:ย
Scaling hardware is as much about aligning supply chains and securing customers as it is about the product itself. Once youโve nailed these three main pillars, youโre ready to go big.
Building wind turbines wasnโt just a manufacturing challengeโit was a masterclass in scaling up from scratch. Whether itโs turbines, batteries, or new climate tech, the principles are the same.
๐ Whatโs your biggest challenge in scaling hardware? Letโs discuss. Follow for more insights into scaling cleantech!