Hackster Heroes: Limor “Ladyada” Fried

“Open source hardware is our best shot at getting more people involved in learning and sharing electronics.”

Hackster Staff
8 years ago

Adafruit was founded back in 2005 by MIT hacker and engineer Limor “Ladyada” Fried, whose goal was to create the best place online for learning electronics and making the best designed products for makers of all ages and skill levels. Since then, Adafruit has grown to over 50 employees in the heart of NYC with a 50,00o-plus square foot factory.

Ladyada’s long list of accolades include everything from becoming the first female engineer on the cover of WIRED to being the recipient of Entrepreneur magazine’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” award. Adafruit has also been ranked #11 in the top 20 USA manufacturing companies and named #1 in New York City on the Inc. 5000 “Fastest Growing Private Companies” list. Oh, and did we mention Adafruit is a 100% woman-owned company?!

We recently had to the chance to sit down with Limor, following her trip to the White House during the National Week of Making. Here’s what she had to say…

What’s your personal background?

I’m an engineer that likes to solve problems! One of the first times I remember thinking I’d be an engineer was when I was about 7 or 8. I saw a bunch of balloons stuck to the ceiling at a local mall after an event, and no one could reach them, so I went home and constructed a mechanical arm with my Dad. After going back, getting on his shoulders and using the balloon catcher device we made, we retrieved all the balloons and gave them to others who also wanted balloons.

What did you work on during your time at MIT Media Lab?

Cell phone jammers, television blocking glasses and wearables — hacker projects. Something to check out… “Social defense mechanisms: tools for reclaiming our personal space”

What made you decide to launch Adafruit? Why NYC?

I left Boston to join Eyebeam as a fellow in 2005 and 2006. I was running Adafruit and working in the Open Lab. One of the best things about launching a company in NYC is that there are so many talented people to learn from, work with and bring together in technology, art and electronics.

Most interesting battle scar from a project?

All the scars are on the inside.

Even super-pro makers need to pick up new skills. These days, how do you self-educate?

The best way to self-educate, I think, is to be as inclusive with what you do, and how you work with people. The more, different, and interesting people you work with the more you’ll be inspired and the more you’ll want to further your skills.

Why is it important to you to help enable the OSHW movement?

Open source hardware is our best shot at getting more people involved in learning and sharing electronics. The more we share and help the OSHW movement, the more makers and hackers will collectively create.

Are there any semiconductor companies who are planning to open MCU design as part of the OSHW movement?

From what I recall, the Propeller 1 (P8X32A) is a 100% open multicore microcontroller, including all of the hardware and tools.

Speaking of boards, any new ones on the way?

The FEATHER lineup continues to increase, and we’re almost ready to release STEMMA, our module learning platform. We’re also cooking up a PIRATE RADIO kit!

When people outside of the industry hear “open source,” they wonder how that could ever work. Meaning, how could you make money? Clearly, that’s not the case. Care to share your thoughts on the economics of OSHW…

You can be a good cause, but a terrible business. You can also do crummy things, but be a good business. We try to show and share you can be a good business and a good cause; with open source hardware, the information and the code you publish is a way to show your quality and consider it a form of advertising and recruiting for really talented people who also have the “sharing gene.”

IoT, radio (wireless, low power), and sensors (bio) are all ones to watch.

Any cool projects you and the team are currently working on?

Circuit Playground, our learning board, and adafruit.io, our Internet of Things service for makers.

You see tons of awesome DIY gizmos and gadgets on a daily basis, but any all-time favorites?

That’s a tough one, but the TV-B-Gone kit that Mitch Altman and I worked on together is up there!

Congrats on being named one of the White House’s 10 Champions of Change for Making! When you first started Adafruit, would you have ever imagined the Maker Movement to become what it is today?

On one hand, it was really clear that there was a desire for many people to get together and share their projects and skills. So looking back, the Maker Movement makes perfect sense, however—so many things needed to happen to have some of the successes that seem practically impossible, but here we are!

Where do you see it in the five years? 10 years?

That’s really up to this generation; I hope we did a good job sharing and teaching and bring people together. A 10-year-old now, will be 15, then 20 years old: that’s a lot of potential. :-)

What advice would you give makers, tech enthusiasts and hardware aficionados thinking about launching a startup of their own?

Have paying customers, build a sturdy company, spend a lot of time being excellent to each other, and promote from within.

What’s next for Adafruit?

We’re just getting started, we think; next is to continue the emphasis on getting more people who do not have the same access or opportunities to make things, to make things.

Okay, time for the Hackster lightning round…

Favorite food?

Glass!

Next hair color?

Silver

Your go-to board?

Arduino.cc UNO — made in the USA! :-)

Last crowdfunding campaign you backed?

The Essential Guide to Electronics in Shenzhen

Your superhero name be?

Electronette

Favorite artist?

Jenny Holzer

Hobby outside of making?

Video games

Thank you, Limor! We love everything ya’ll do at Adafruit!
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