[zaxioms]

> Blake embodies the “bits to atoms” shift underway in America. Before founding Boom, he was designing internet coupons for Groupon.

What is this? I can't find easily the meaning of "bits to atoms." Is this meaning that US is going away from digital "exports"?

[skrebbel]

No the meaning is that there's a wave of hardware innovators who started as software innovators. Musk (Paypal) is the most obvious example. The Boom CEO featured here is another. There's a fair bunch more, I agree with the author that a weirdly high % of founders of cool hardware / deeptech companies have a software engineering background. Like, you'd expect that space to be dominated by mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and physicists etc but somehow it isn't.

[snowwrestler]

Because people who led software companies (which have insanely high margins) have access to the vast capital needed for serious heavy hardware development. They then hire the engineers they need to succeed.

[notahacker]

Yep. I suspect they're also better at getting warm intros to and selling their vision to Silicon Valley CEOs than your average aerospace engineer with a dream.

[Towaway69]

From virtual goods to physical goods I assume.

Never heard before either so you're not alone.

EDIT: the reference to America is, again I assume, the trend to bring manufacturing back to the US from mainly China.