HWTrek Rewires the Supply Chain Ecosystem, the Making of Smart Things and the Future of Taking Innovative Products to Market

SAN FRANCISCO and AUSTIN, Texas, March 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- HWTrek (Hardware Trek), the global open innovation platform for hardware creation, today announced the launch of ten partner programs designed to address the specific challenges faced by hardware startups to accelerate early stage Internet of Things (IoT) device project development. HWTrek's partner solutions and programs offer a platform for manufacturing, supply chain and other experts to connect with global hardware innovators to provide an extensive portfolio of premium services to help early stage hardware startups overcome the challenges they face.

HWTrek's cloud-based platform is the first global, complete end-to-end hardware development ecosystem—a one-stop shop—for IoT hardware innovators working to manage their product development, connect with manufacturing and supply chain industry experts, and bring their connected device projects to market. HWTrek now connects 5,430 hardware creators and startups, which use the platform to create 1,500 projects, to 1,000 trusted manufacturing and supply chain industry experts from Taiwan and Shenzhen to the rest of the world.

"A significant challenge for hardware development has been bridging the gap between advancements in online collaboration and innovations of IoT device creators with the outdated practices of the global manufacturing and supply chain industries," says Lucas Wang, CEO of HWTrek. "Our partner program initiatives remove the barriers of communication between the manufacturing and supply chain and startups with early stage IoT device projects by easing the process of finding trusted partners and resources efficiently. HWTrek is addressing these challenges and transforming the way smart devices are made with its hardware development ecosystem platform."

The IoT market is expected to reach $1.7 trillion in 2020, up from $655.8 billion in 2014 according to IDC. Meanwhile the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry including electronics original design services (ODM) should expect revenues of $505 billion in 2019. The source of innovation is shifting to small and medium-sized businesses in these industries due to the obstacles of collaboration in the traditional supply chain model. HWTrek's hardware development ecosystem platform together with the partner programs initiative removes these impediments and rewires the supply chain from Shenzhen to the rest of the world.

This initiative is the first and only partner program of its kind that aggregates validated resources that focus on the key areas of early stage hardware development across the full breadth of applications to address the needs of creators to jumpstart hardware innovation. These applications can range from:

• Mechanical Engineering Consulting—Golden Tiger Precision (GTP) mechanical components manufacturing services for IoT device startups on the HWTrek platform.
• Electrical Engineering Consulting—FLEX and CECport offer exclusive programs to creators on the HWTrek platform that require electrical engineering (EE) design consulting.
• PCB/PCBA Services—Early stage hardware startups that require PCB/PCBA services such as for prototyping or small-volume PCB manufacturing can look to exclusive programs from Huaqiang, Kingbrother, and NexPCB.
• RF Testing Consulting—LitePoint provides radio frequency (RF) test consulting service for design verification of IoT devices. Creators on the HWTrek platform will have access to LitePoint's wireless analytical tools and actionable insights from application engineers.
• IoT Cloud Sandbox Testing—MediaTek offers limited free cloud services for IoT device developers to host device data and manage devices over the Internet with dedicated support as a sandbox for testing their prototypes.
• Advance Supplier Partner Search—Linkers supplier partner matching program connects startups with the perfect supplier among Japan's vast and intricate ecosystem of companies that house unique technologies.
• China Market Entry Consulting—LKK provides a design and market entry evaluation and consulting service for global startups seeking to enter China's consumer electronics market.

"We understand the requirements of hardware creators that balances their needs to accelerate market launch with good hardware design enabling them to engineer a product that is scalable," stated Hunter Huang, Senior Program Manager at FLEX. "Flex is excited by the opportunity to work with IoT device creators on the HWTrek platform at an early stage that most benefits best outcomes to push the boundaries of innovation."

These partner programs join more than 450 solutions and programs on the HWTrek platform, which address the varied needs of hardware startups at all stages of IoT device project development, taking an idea formed in the mind of a creator to scaling mass production through to going to market, and ultimately reaching the hands of customers, including: Autodesk, ChiSip, City Bright, Dragon-lily International, Dyncast, EPIC, Intel, Jabil Green Point, JD.com, LeeTe, Manatech, MediaTek Labs, Microsoft Bizspark, MXCHIP, Precision Microdrives, Quadcept, Quanta, Xacti, Ryder Industries, Shape Prototype, Sketchfab, Taiwan DSC PV,  Tennrich International Corporation, and Texas Instruments among others.

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About HWTrek (Hardware Trek)
HWTrek is a unique ecosystem where hardware Creators and industry Experts meet and create smart hardware for the future, based in Taiwan and Shenzhen. HWTrek simplifies the hardware creation process by providing online planning and team collaboration tools and direct access to quality manufacturers and industry experts. Learn more about HWTrek: http://www.hwtrek.com or follow @HWTrek.

SOURCE HWTrek

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