How Diode Is 10x-ing Hardware Design

Davide Asnaghi and Lenny Khazan started Diode Computers with a question: why does hardware design still move so slowly? Drawing on their backgrounds in software and electrical engineering, they set out to reframe circuit board design as a software problem. One that AI could help solve. They went from building a tool to catch design mistakes to creating an end-to-end AI-powered system that generates production-ready boards. Along the way, they discovered that most companies didn’t want a better tool — they wanted the whole solution. That insight led to rapid growth, real customers, and over 100 boards designed in just a few months, all by a two-person team. Today, they announced $11.4M in Series A funding led by a16z. This is the story of two engineers trying to make hardware move at software speed, and the infrastructure making it possible. Learn more about Diode Computers at https://diode.computer. Apply to Y Combinator: https://ycombinator.com/apply Chapters: 00:22 - What is Diode? 00:31 - Customer Base and Early Growth 00:51 - The Origin Story 02:46 - Initial Challenges and Pivot 04:01 - Finding the Right Problem 05:02 - First Successful Deal 05:29 - Realization and Validation 06:40 - Reframing PCB Design as a Software Problem 11:28 - Technical Choices and Challenges 11:56 - Innovative Language Design 12:31 - Infrastructure and Security 13:33 - Future Prospects 14:21 - Recruitment and Team Building

Diana HuhostDavide AsnaghiguestLenny Khazanguest

Jul 23, 202515mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: July 23, 2025
Duration: 15m
Channel: YC Root Access
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Davide Asnaghi and Lenny Khazan started Diode Computers with a question: why does hardware design still move so slowly? Drawing on their backgrounds in software and electrical engineering, they set out to reframe circuit board design as a software problem. One that AI could help solve. They went from building a tool to catch design mistakes to creating an end-to-end AI-powered system that generates production-ready boards. Along the way, they discovered that most companies didn’t want a better tool — they wanted the whole solution. That insight led to rapid growth, real customers, and over 100 boards designed in just a few months, all by a two-person team. Today, they announced $11.4M in Series A funding led by a16z. This is the story of two engineers trying to make hardware move at software speed, and the infrastructure making it possible. Learn more about Diode Computers at https://diode.computer. Apply to Y Combinator: https://ycombinator.com/apply Chapters: 00:22 - What is Diode? 00:31 - Customer Base and Early Growth 00:51 - The Origin Story 02:46 - Initial Challenges and Pivot 04:01 - Finding the Right Problem 05:02 - First Successful Deal 05:29 - Realization and Validation 06:40 - Reframing PCB Design as a Software Problem 11:28 - Technical Choices and Challenges 11:56 - Innovative Language Design 12:31 - Infrastructure and Security 13:33 - Future Prospects 14:21 - Recruitment and Team Building

SPEAKERS

Diana Hu
host
YC Root Access host and Y Combinator partner interviewing the founders of Diode.
Davide Asnaghi
guest
Co-founder of Diode, working on AI-assisted PCB/circuit-board design and verification workflows.
Lenny Khazan
guest
Co-founder of Diode, focused on software/LLM-driven representations and tooling for PCB design.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of YC Root Access, featuring Diana Hu and Davide Asnaghi, How Diode Is 10x-ing Hardware Design explores diode uses AI to automate PCB design as software-like workflow Diode builds an AI-enabled PCB design shop that generates complete board designs rather than just assisting engineers with individual steps.

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