I’m hearing about real companies running fully agentic AI software factories and I want to know what the current state of the art AI business architecture is for hardware engineering.

I’m the CTO and cofounder of an AgTech company in the UK. We’ve taken 4 products to market across the globe, raised a good chunk of VC and are seeing good revenue growth. Not profitable yet, but we are on our way.

But we started the business in 2015, way before AI, and I’ve been so busy building the whole company ‘the old way’ (Real FEA, CAD, Electronics prototyping and design) I fear I’m behind the curve and stuck in my ways. I want to explore how people are doing it now.

In particular I’ve got some friends working in software startups with a fully agentic infrastructure. From app features, to marketing. I thought I would ask you likeminded people, what’s the best equivalent you have seen in hardware engineering and physical product development?

Thanks in advance

I'm Artem. I assembled Softpad with six Kailh Choc Brown keys, a shared 1.3-inch OLED and a printed PETG case and stand. I sell it assembled under Nuvko.

The labels sit above the keys rather than on them. They're names set by the user in a browser configurator, not commands discovered from applications. For a six-key layout, what would you want to see in the photo to judge whether each label clearly matches its key?

Saved shortcuts work without the companion running; automatic app-profile switching needs the Mac or Windows companion. I used AI help with the code, and this post is AI-assisted too.

Setup and test notes (https://nuvko.works/#setup): configuration uses desktop Chrome or Edge with the companion paused or closed. The Windows companion is unsigned; the Mac companion is ad-hoc signed and not notarized. Fresh-computer installation checks remain unfinished. The page gives OS requirements and version-specific test limits.

As a founder or co-founder, what strategies do you use to minimize the risk to your personal assets when doing a hardware startup?

I understand the right business structure, insurance, etc helps. But the thing with hardware is that anything you sell might still be used by people long after you shut down the business. I'm trying to think through how to minimize my personal liability in case the business doesn't succeed and I shut it down in the future. (Obviously I don't want to buy insurance forever)

Would having an engineering firm do the design help? Getting necessary certifications? It's not a dangerous product nor is it electronics, but I want to think thru the risks before I launch anything.

I would appreciate any insights.

Thanks