Today, we are announcing expanded resources aimed at providing access to a wide network of global markets for smart hardware SMBs and startups with products ready for mass production. The distribution network now features the most mature, high-value markets for consumer IoT devices and the exciting, fast-growing ones, including China, India, Japan, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Let me introduce some of our platform’s retail distribution network experts and solutions.
In 2016, SoftBank launched its +Style platform that connects IoT hardware device makers with Japanese consumers who are keen on adopting the hot, new technology into their lifestyle. SoftBank introduced the +Style as a program on HWTrek to attract global developers of cool IoT devices to the Japanese market at the beginning of 2017. You can learn more from our blog post introducing +Style.
“We expect more IoT innovator projects—with excellent ideas—through the HWTrek ecosystem. Softbank is helping IoT startups to enter the Japanese market. Our goal is to distribute their products to big-scale businesses through the SoftBank group. We are helping their distribution and marketing in the Japanese market through our +Style platform.” — Jack Akita, responsible for the +Style Partner Alliance at SoftBank.
Amazon Launchpad is a unique program that showcases cutting-edge products to millions of Amazon customers in the UK, Germany, France, India, China, and the USA. Back in August 2016, we announced that HWTrek had joined the Amazon Launchpad Services Hub as a manufacturing service provider. Please check out the Amazon Launchpad solution page on HWTrek to learn more about the program, connect with Anurag Khilnani, Head of Business Development at Amazon Launchpad, and hopefully reach the millions of customers of smart, connected devices in the world’s largest and fastest growing economies.
Brookstone Launch is an end-to-end development, manufacturing, and retail program that can help you realize the full potential of your product idea, no matter what stage of development you’re in. Brookstone operates more than 200 retail stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. You can learn more about the program by connecting with Dori Haverty, Program Manager at Brookstone, on HWTrek. Likewise, if you are interested in launching your product in retail stores in China, check out the retail solution offered by Brookstone China on HWTrek.
JD PowerUp is a go-to-market program that helps overseas hardware startups and early-stage companies sell their products on JD.com’s platform in China. Connect with George Leeming, Business Development Manager at JD.com, to learn more about the program. A year and a half ago, we started our first partnership with JD.com to help global hardware innovators launch their products into China’s large and growing market for consumer IoT devices.
“HWTrek helps the JD PowerUp program to better communicate with overseas startups. Silicon Valley, as a base of global IoT innovation, needs HWTrek as a bridge to connect to the fast-growing China market. We look forward to more new global enterprises joining the JD PowerUp program through the assistance of HWTrek to quickly launch on JD.com and enter the China market.” — Ken Lin, Director of International Business Development at JD.com.
“For JD.com, the value proposition of HWTrek is its rich source of projects from the markets of North America, Europe, and Japan, which will serve as a tremendous resource for our JD Smart business unit. Further, its efficient project management platform and trusted supply chain partner resources will help speed the flow of high-quality smart products to be brought to JD’s customers. JD Smart can further support hardware startups that develop products that align with our own market strategy. We highly value HWTrek’s commitment to solving many of the manufacturing problems that startups so often face.” — Na Xin, formerly Vice President of JD Smart.
In June 2015, we organized a meetup and demo day with Indiegogo in Taipei. Read our post-event blog post here. Ben Bateman, Senior Director of Strategic Programs at Indiegogo, who has been a long-time member of the HWTrek expert community, spoke at the event. In addition to Ben, you can also connect with Bret Harris, Director of Business Development at Indiegogo, on the HWTrek platform. Check out the HWTrek partner page on Indiegogo, which features just a few of the many projects from our great community of IoT device creators.
Members of our community of innovative IoT device creators have launched numerous campaigns on Kickstarter, more than a hundred. If you’re interested in learning more, you can connect with Nick Yulman, Senior Curator, Design & Technology at Kickstarter, on HWTrek. I curate a page on Kickstarter featuring some of the many projects from HWTrek’s community, more than 70 that have successfully raised millions of dollars.
Dennis Runge, Senior Produce Manager at MEDION AG, always looks for new and exciting consumer electronics, IT, and IoT products. MEDION has a good presence in Germany and the entire eurozone, as well as in Scandinavia and the UK. Connect with Dennis here.
Alibaba’s Taobao InnoStar Program helps global IoT device creators find retail channels in China and assists buyers and distributors in discovering good products overseas. You can connect with Steven Liu, Maker Operating Director at Alibaba Group, on the HWTrek platform to learn more about the InnoStar Program and getting your IoT product into the China market.
Osaka-based Center Shoji is a trading company that sells to chain stores and wholesalers and is looking for interesting, smart hardware devices to bring to the Japanese market. Connect with Keiichiro Ishio at Center Shoji to learn more about getting your IoT-connected product into what is forecasted to be the third-largest IoT market.
The Grommet is an e-commerce and media platform designed to create product understanding, brand amplification, and sales for new-to-market consumer IoT products. They launch one product a day with a two-minute video and the story of the company with an audience of millions of users. Connect with Ryan DeChance, Senior Discovery Manager at The Grommet, to learn more about launching your product on their platform.
b8ta is innovating the retail experience for IoT, connected devices. b8ta is looking for innovative products to display in their retail stores. Hop over to the HWTrek platform to learn more and connect with Kyle Schutter, responsible for international partnerships at b8ta.
Finally, to complement these distribution channels, the HWTrek platform features experts providing certification, localization, logistics, and design houses to help ensure that products are best suited and prepared for various global markets and retail, market entry, marketing, and public relations consulting services to inform your go-to-market strategies for bringing your innovative product to global markets.
If you are working on an IoT product and are currently planning your go-to-market strategy, get accelerated access to the largest and fastest-growing markets for smart, connected devices by creating a project on HWTrek. HWTrek is the first and largest end-to-end hardware development ecosystem—a one-stop shop—for IoT hardware innovators collaboratively working to manage product development, connect with manufacturing and supply chain industry experts, and bring connected device projects to market.
If you’d like to offer a service, solution, or other resources to IoT hardware creators, apply to join the HWTrek platform as an expert.
