Massimo Banzi & Arduino

By Brian Haas on January 25, 2018

photo by David Cuartielles. CC-SA-BY

Massimo Banzi, Founder, Chairman and CTO (Chief Technology Officer) of Arduino

Massimo Banzi is one of the five founders of Arduino. The others are David Cuartielles, David Mellis, Tom Igoe, and Gianluca Martino. Massimo currently serves as the Chairman and CTO (Chief Technology Officer) of Arduino (actually of BCMI US LLC the holding group that owns all Arduino IP)

Company: Arduino – https://www.arduino.cc/

By: Gabriella Levine

Arduino is an open-source electronics platform (both hardware and software) initially designed to allow design students with no experience in electronics and programming to easily prototype products that actually worked. At the core of Arduino is a simple micro controller (think minicomputer). Through a series of inputs and outputs and some simple coding the Arduino lets electronics interact with the world around us. Arduino is simple enough for bingers to easily learn how to build and program, but complex enough that it can be useful to even the most experienced builders. The Arduino microcontroller is at the heart of much of the Maker movement and has been used in education of all levels. They have developed a course called Creative Technologies in the Classroom 101 aimed at youth ages 13-17 that can be purchased including courseware, hardware and software. What is so great about the Arduino is that due to its open-source nature there are many products that have been designed to work with it and enhance its abilities. In the future world of The Internet of Things, where all electronics are connected, sense the world around them and interact with us, Arduino is the starting point.

After looking at Massimo’s history there is no question why he is at the head of such a forward-thinking organization. He started his education studying engineering at Milan Polytechnic but left to work at Italia Online, one of the early internet companies in Italy. From here he bounced around to a number of different hi-tech companies and then found himself as a technology consultant for companies such as Prada, Adidas, Whirlpool and many others. In the late 90s he served as the CTO for Seat Ventures incubator. Then, in a move that set the foundation for the development of Arduino, he became an associate professor at the Interaction Design Institute. During his years there, he and his colleagues developed the Arduino hardware and software and have been working on this new open-source business for over 10 years.

Looking at this history it is clear that Massimo possess both the experience and qualities needed to make someone a good entrepreneur. He is a risk taker, jumping from one organization to another, looking for opportunities when they arise. His experiences working with world class businesses prepared him for the world stage on which he is working now. His experience in both business and education give him credibility at the head of a business where education is key. He is unique because as founder, entrepreneur and business leader he has been successful. Because of this we can easily say he is a true innovator. Not only is the product he has championed a game changer, but so is the open-source business model which he ascribes to.

Many of the team members around Massimo are the original founders of Arduino. David Cuartielles has a PhD in platform design and currently serves as Creator of Educational Strategies and the Head of EU Research Projects for Arduino. The current CEO is Fabio Violante, a PhD in computer science who has previously worked as the CEO on an IT company that helps other IT organizations to manage their infrastructure. From these two examples it is clear that successful entrepreneurs surround them selves with other successful people. From this example I see that successful entrepreneurs take risks, work hard, have technical expertise and passion for their product. The surround themselves with likeminded people who have expertise in a wide range of areas.

Resources:
https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/01/federico-musto-is-out-as-arduino-ceo/
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massimo_Banzi
https://www.crunchbase.com/person/fabio-violante
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-cuartielles-23bab14/?ppe=1
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/10/arduino-creator-explains-why-open-source-matters-in-hardware-too/
https://massimobanzi.com/about/.

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1 Apr Posted on Massimo Banzi & Arduino

As someone who'd enjoy using this (let alone my students), I feel this is an excellent individual to share and introduce. So often people focus anything but hands-on applications, which we can see with the severe lack of students entering the trades. Something such as Arduino changes that and puts learning back into students' hands. I think of similar products I have seen that do similar things, such as Lego robotics and Makey Makey, and Arduino is no different (but different enough) in that it brings something that is not like the competition and gets students engaged in inquiry-based learning. Mr. Banzi is also knowledgable in what he is involved with which brings credibility to the product and what it has to offer. I'm going to look this up and get it into my students' hands. Thank you!

1 Apr
0 Thumbs Up!
Stephen Tod @stodnlss

As someone who'd enjoy using this (let alone my students), I feel this is an excellent individual to share and introduce. So often people focus anything but hands-on applications, which we can see with the severe lack of students entering the trades. Something such as Arduino changes that and puts learning back into students' hands. I think of similar products I have seen that do similar things, such as Lego robotics and Makey Makey, and Arduino is no different (but different enough) in that it brings something that is not like the competition and gets students engaged in inquiry-based learning. Mr. Banzi is also knowledgable in what he is involved with which brings credibility to the product and what it has to offer. I'm going to look this up and get it into my students' hands. Thank you!

28 Jan Posted on Massimo Banzi & Arduino

As a Technology Education teacher, I fully support Massimo and his venture in Arduino. The open source software is accessible to any educator and its easy to pick up, but difficult to master. Arduino provides students with an opportunity to create through digital means and develop hand skills. The art of breadboarding, coding, design cycle thinking, and other additional topics can all be attributed to the company product. Arduino is relateable to other real life applications such as Raspberry Pi programming and other computer related peripherals. Arduino seems to be growing every year, and their products are coming out strong in numbers. As a student, I was first introduced to Arduino 3 years ago, and the models and products have expanded 10 fold since. The product is available globally at an affordable cost.

28 Jan
0 Thumbs Up!
derek wong @derekw92

As a Technology Education teacher, I fully support Massimo and his venture in Arduino. The open source software is accessible to any educator and its easy to pick up, but difficult to master. Arduino provides students with an opportunity to create through digital means and develop hand skills. The art of breadboarding, coding, design cycle thinking, and other additional topics can all be attributed to the company product. Arduino is relateable to other real life applications such as Raspberry Pi programming and other computer related peripherals. Arduino seems to be growing every year, and their products are coming out strong in numbers. As a student, I was first introduced to Arduino 3 years ago, and the models and products have expanded 10 fold since. The product is available globally at an affordable cost.

28 Jan Posted on Massimo Banzi & Arduino

A great find here, Brian, and very well expressed. I agree that Banzi's experience, innovation, and willingness to take risks make him a prime example of a modern entrepreneur. In addition, it would appear that all the other founders of Arduino come from post-secondary backgrounds and have a world-class understanding of the technology they are developing, and a passion to fuel their innovation. You are exactly right when you comment on these individuals surrounding themselves with people who think and see like they do; unity in vision is key in an entrepreneurial venture.

28 Jan
1 Thumbs Up!
scott pike @japike

A great find here, Brian, and very well expressed. I agree that Banzi's experience, innovation, and willingness to take risks make him a prime example of a modern entrepreneur. In addition, it would appear that all the other founders of Arduino come from post-secondary backgrounds and have a world-class understanding of the technology they are developing, and a passion to fuel their innovation. You are exactly right when you comment on these individuals surrounding themselves with people who think and see like they do; unity in vision is key in an entrepreneurial venture.

28 Jan Posted on Massimo Banzi & Arduino

Brian, thanks for your Founders Parade pick showcasing Massimo Banzi in Arduino. What stands out is Banzi's vision to bring micro-computing and processing from the out-of-reach realm into the K-12 space, affordably, elegantly, and economically. Also, not surprisingly, Banzi is an example of another visionary who left post secondary to pursue the building out of his vision. This is a perfect example of willingness to take risks. Most people cannot, understandably so, say, "I'm going to give up my steady-paying job to immerse myself into the world of 'don't know when I'll receive another paycheque again...." I'm curious to get more insight into Arduino's funders and board members.

28 Jan
0 Thumbs Up!
Cassy Weber @cassyw

Brian, thanks for your Founders Parade pick showcasing Massimo Banzi in Arduino. What stands out is Banzi's vision to bring micro-computing and processing from the out-of-reach realm into the K-12 space, affordably, elegantly, and economically. Also, not surprisingly, Banzi is an example of another visionary who left post secondary to pursue the building out of his vision. This is a perfect example of willingness to take risks. Most people cannot, understandably so, say, "I'm going to give up my steady-paying job to immerse myself into the world of 'don't know when I'll receive another paycheque again...." I'm curious to get more insight into Arduino's funders and board members.

27 Jan Posted on Massimo Banzi & Arduino

Massimo Banzi is a great example of a successful entrepreneur. Arduino is a very useful tool/gadget that has virtually limitless applications. Students in high schools across Canada have been using Arduino in electronics classes for years which is a clear indicator of how successful this product has become. It has also been used frequently by people outside the education system in DIY areas. Users from sites such as instructables.com and github.com frequently use Arduinos in their projects or builds. It sounds like Massimo had a great team of developers behind him which aided his success. I believe he would be a great role model for any new or existing entrepreneur.

27 Jan
1 Thumbs Up!
Marshall Hacker @mhacker

Massimo Banzi is a great example of a successful entrepreneur. Arduino is a very useful tool/gadget that has virtually limitless applications. Students in high schools across Canada have been using Arduino in electronics classes for years which is a clear indicator of how successful this product has become. It has also been used frequently by people outside the education system in DIY areas. Users from sites such as instructables.com and github.com frequently use Arduinos in their projects or builds. It sounds like Massimo had a great team of developers behind him which aided his success. I believe he would be a great role model for any new or existing entrepreneur.

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