x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

WHY DESIGN?

Chris Whyte | Kodu

Why Design is a podcast exploring the stories behind hardware and physical product development. Hosted by Chris Whyte, founder of Kodu, the show dives into the journeys of founders, senior design leaders, and engineers shaping people and planet-friendly products. Formerly "The Design Journeys Podcast", each episode uncovers pivotal career moments, lessons learned, and behind-the-scenes insights from industry experts. Whether you’re a designer, engineer, or simply curious about how great hardware

arts design

All Episodes

01:00:45

From Basement to 8-Figures: Reekon Tools & the Future...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/09/03

Most hardware startups die broke.Christian Reed’s didn’t.He turned a basement side project into Reekon Tools, an 8-figure construction-tech brand with tools that don’t break, content that hit 300M+ views, and a cult following of tradespeople.In this episode of Why Design, Chris sits down with Christian to break down exactly how he went from MIT → military → Formlabs → scaling one of the most talked-about startups in hardware.👉 Want more insights from world-class builders? Join the Why Design

en

01:15:00

Daydreaming and Other Unconventional Career Lessons...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/08/27

Most careers follow a path. Jude Pullen chose not to.“I like being intellectually promiscuous; finding new tribes, then coming back with fresh ideas.”In this episode of Why Design, Chris talks with Jude Pullen; creative technologist, prototyper, and storyteller. Jude’s career spans Dyson, Sugru, and Lego, with projects ranging from poetic air-quality monitors to complex hardware systems. Today, he splits his time between the RCA and Lego, while advising companies on technology, creativity, and

en

01:19:13

Why Most Design-Led Founders Fail (And How to Avoid...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/08/20

Most founders obsess over the product. Jordan Nollman says that’s the wrong game.“We don’t just design the product. We design the tribe around it.”In this episode of Why Design, Chris talks with Jordan Nollman, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Sprout Studios. For over 20 years, Jordan has helped brands like Nike, Bose, and Microsoft create products that don’t just look good — they shape culture.From launching a consultancy during the 2008 recession to building a multi-disciplinary team across

en

01:05:16

$1,000, a Suitcase, and a Portfolio: How Stuart Lee...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/08/13

From Scarborough to Midtown Manhattan, Stuart Lee’s journey is one of grit, curiosity, and unshakable design intuition. In this episode, Chris sits down in person with Stuart to explore the formative moments that led to the founding of Prime Studio — the product and brand design consultancy behind household names like Harry’s, Welly, and MoMA.Stuart shares how rewiring motors and welding steel during his early apprenticeship helped him think more empathetically about design for manufacture, why he

en

45:31

From Prototype to 200k Products: The Embr Labs Story...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/08/06

“What happened was just the market need was so strong… it kept pulling us forward.” — Sam ShamesIn this episode, Chris sits down with Sam Shames — materials engineer, MIT grad, and co-founder of Ember Labs, the company behind the Ember Wave: a wearable that helps people regulate temperature and reclaim comfort on their terms.Over the last 12 years, Sam has led Ember from a student side project to a real business, launching two hardware generations, shipping over 200,000 units, and recently pivoting

en

01:09:13

How to Launch a Consumer Tech Product That Actually...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/07/30

“It wasn’t just about a new product — it was about a new category.”In this episode of Why Design, I speak with Emilie Williams, industrial designer and co-founder of Hydrific, a new venture within LIXIL focused on building smarter, more sustainable water products for the home.Based in New York, Emilie has led the creative direction behind dozens of kitchen and bath products for household names like American Standard, Brizo, and Delta. Now at Hydrific, her work spans product design, branding, and

en

01:13:59

How Brett Lovelady Helped Shape Modern Industrial...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/07/23

“The goal was always to amplify design’s value — not just make pretty stuff.”We’re kicking off Series 3 with a true heavyweight in the world of industrial design — Brett Lovelady, founder of the legendary ASTRO Studios and spin-off brand ASTRO Gaming.Brett has spent three decades leading design, brand, and product strategy for culture-shifting companies like Nike, Xbox, HP, Sony, Dell, Logitech, and many more. His work has helped generate over $100 billion in new revenue for clients worldwide, and

en

01:00:28

How to Stand Out in a Crowded Job Market | Bonus Episode

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/05/28

Episode SummaryIn this special live episode, Chris Whyte, founder of Kodu and host of Why Design, delivers an energetic and insight-packed session to design students on how to stand out in a competitive job market. Drawing from 12+ years of experience and dozens of podcast conversations with design leaders, Chris shares practical advice on everything from CV writing to LinkedIn networking, preparing for interviews, and unlocking hidden job opportunities.This is a must-listen for any early-career

en

54:19

Why Nick Ford Drove a Lorry Over a Prototype (and...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/05/07

“We weren’t going to prove durability with a spreadsheet — we needed to drive a lorry over it and watch what happened.”In this final episode of Series 2, I sit down with Nick Ford, founder of PipSqueak 3D and Patent Ferret, to explore how a nontraditional path — from sweeping workshop floors to designing urban furniture used across London — shaped his approach to design, business, and innovation.Nick shares the full story behind one of his most iconic projects, the Westminster Tulip Bollard,

en

57:53

Why 97% of Hardware Startups Fail (and How to Avoid...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/04/30

"97% of hardware startups fail. And a lot of the time, it’s the same mistakes repeated over and over again."In this episode of Why Design, I’m joined by Sera Evcimen, Founder of Pratik Development, Innovation Advisor at FORGE and Techstars Paris, and host of the hardware startup podcast The Builder Circle.Sera has built a career around one goal — helping hardware startups avoid the common pitfalls that so often derail promising ideas. She’s worked hands-on across cleantech, space, consumer tech, and

en

52:37

Designing a Better Future with Seaweed: Georgios...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/04/23

“There’s a huge amount of innovation in sustainable materials—but very few are truly built around the problem.”In this episode of Why Design, I’m joined by Georgios Gkotsis, CTO at Kelpi, a Bristol-based startup creating high-performance seaweed-based coatings to replace fossil plastics in long shelf life packaging.Georgios has built a career at the intersection of material science, sustainability and engineering strategy. From early R&D at Procter & Gamble and Unilever to cutting-edge

en

01:03:16

Why Most Hardware Startups Fail (and What Damon...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/04/09

"There’s a huge amount of design talent in the UK—we just need more founders brave enough to commercialise it."In this episode of Why Design, I sit down with Damon Bonser, founder and CEO of the British Design Fund—a team of operators-turned-investors backing early-stage product businesses with real-world impact.Damon knows firsthand why most hardware startups fail—because he’s been through it himself. After launching over 400 products, navigating stock finance headaches, and scaling a business

en

56:15

“You Quoted What?!” – Josh Valman on Pricing, Growth,...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/04/02

“We had no clue what we were doing. We quoted a massive job… way under… and then had to figure out how to deliver it without losing our shirts.”That’s how Josh Valman, CEO of RPDK, describes one of the earliest—and most painful—lessons from scaling his product development business. In this episode of Why Design, we dive into the unfiltered reality of building a hardware startup from scratch.Josh’s journey is anything but conventional. By age 10, he was designing robots. By 19, he was consulting for

en

01:00:13

The Missing Skill in Design? Tim Perry on Why...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/03/26

In this live episode of Why Design, recorded at Blue Garage, I sit down with Tim Perry, a seasoned innovation and design strategy consultant with over 20 years of experience helping creative businesses sharpen their commercial edge.From scaling consultancies and steering agency acquisitions to guiding in-house teams at major brands like Nokia, McLaren, and Logitech, Tim shares his unique perspective on the intersection of design and business.We explore why designers and design consultancies often

en

47:54

Making Space for Makers: How Michael Korn's Blue...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/03/19

In this episode of Why Design, I sit down with Michael Korn, founder of KwickScreen, the modular screen company supplying every NHS trust in the UK, and Blue Garage, a unique makespace and creative hub in Lewisham built to support hardware entrepreneurs and product designers.We unpack Michael’s fascinating journey, from studying manufacturing engineering and design at the RCA, to bootstrapping KwickScreen into a successful healthcare business. Michael shares hard-won lessons about the challenges of

en

57:00

How to Design for Everything from Pizza Ovens to Gas...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/03/12

In this episode of Why Design, I sit down with Hugo Martin, Director of Product Design at WMP Creative, where he has spent over 14 years building a multi-award-winning design division from the ground up.We dive into the balance between process and intuition in product design—when to trust your instincts and when structure is necessary. Hugo shares insights from designing everything from life-saving gas safety devices, where precision and research are crucial, to high-end pizza ovens, where the

en

53:49

From Sewage to Science: How Claire Trant and Untap...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/03/05

In this episode of Why Design, I sit down with Claire Trant, co-founder and CEO of Untap Health, a deep tech company using wastewater epidemiology to detect illnesses before symptoms appear. Claire’s journey from Imperial College to Rolls-Royce and then into entrepreneurship is as inspiring as it is challenging.She opens up about the highs and lows of startup life—navigating funding rounds, scaling a hardware business, and the personal challenges that have shaped her leadership. From securing

en

50:56

From Meditation to Innovation: How Stefan Chmelik...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/02/26

Listener discount! Get 10% off a Sensate using code WHYDESIGN or by visiting https://getsensate.com/WHYDESIGNIn this episode, host Chris Whyte is joined by Stefan Chmelik, founder of Sensate – a revolutionary consumer product designed to reduce stress and improve well-being through sound and vibration therapy. Before Sensate, Stefan spent 30 years as a clinician specialising in stress, anxiety, trauma, and complex disease management. His expertise in meditation and breathwork led him to develop a

en

01:04:46

From Magician to Design Director: Nick Chubb’s Design...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/02/19

In this episode of Why Design?, Chris Whyte speaks with Nick Chubb, Design Director at IDC, about his fascinating journey through the world of product design.Nick shares how his early passion for graphic design evolved into a career in industrial design, the importance of hands-on experience over formal education, and his perspective on hiring and mentoring young designers.From working on consumer and medical products to navigating the fast-paced world of design consultancy, Nick provides valuable

en

01:03:15

Inside Level: How Nichole Rouillac is Creating...

WHY DESIGN? ·

2025/02/12

Guest: Nichole Rouillac, Founder of LevelHost: Chris Whyte, Founder of KoduSign up for Why Design? events: https://teamkodu.com/eventsIn this episode of Why Design, I sit down with Nichole Rouillac, founder and creative director of Level, a woman-led industrial design studio in San Francisco. Nichole has spent over two decades shaping consumer tech and medtech, playing a key role in designing the first Fitbit and working with brands like Microsoft, Google, and HTC.We discuss:✅ The reality of being

en

66 results

Similar Podcasts

Start The Breakthrough Full Audiobook Now, Thriller Fans!

thebookvoice.com

Get Hooked On The Life-Enhancing Full Audiobook Experience!

thebookvoice.com

西四五条

主播郑捕头

Podcast Patapoe

0d0a

On Mic Podcast

Jordan Rich