Fried’s approach is sometimes called “open-source hardware” — similar to open-source software, but instead of the source code being open and malleable, the source materials are. Is there something anti-corporate in the way that she likes to encourage the hacking of consumer products?
“Absolutely not, I’m totally a staunch capitalist,” she says. She just thinks hardware hacking is good business. Adafruit has become something of a business incubator itself, inspiring others to start similar businesses. “They see how Adafruit is run, and say, ‘I’m gonna go off and start a company that makes 3-D printed robots!'” Fried says.
But there’s more to it than business. “I think of Adafruit as a cause, not just a company,” she says. “There’s a company that sustains me, but that’s not enough to drive what I do. What we’re trying to do is make electrical engineering exciting, cool, and fun.” —David Zax
Special thanks to all the friends, customers and web folks who tweeted about this!
Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards
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Limor – you deserved this and I am sure it is a big honor.
I am a huge fan and hope that I can turn my same passion for building, creating, programming into a career of just purely inventing. Unfortunately school loan payments prevent that from being the case (yes, graduated in CE 2009), maybe one of my projects will take off in OSHW!
Any business that makes its business encouraging others to be curious, push the boundaries and learn about engineering gets a gold star in my book. Props to Adafruit!
Congrats- Fast Company is a great mag so kudos to you!
Congrats!! Well Done!
Wow, congratulations!
Congrats +1!
Limor – you deserved this and I am sure it is a big honor.
I am a huge fan and hope that I can turn my same passion for building, creating, programming into a career of just purely inventing. Unfortunately school loan payments prevent that from being the case (yes, graduated in CE 2009), maybe one of my projects will take off in OSHW!
Best of luck in the future!
Congratulations, Limor!
If anyone deserves this honor, it is you.
Of course, you would have been equally, or more, deserving of recognition as the, “Most influential person in technology.”
Well done, Limor!
Great job, Limor!
Any business that makes its business encouraging others to be curious, push the boundaries and learn about engineering gets a gold star in my book. Props to Adafruit!
Congrats to you, Limor! You are an inspiration to all tech hobbyists!
Keep up the good work! Kudos to you for your hard work…regards…