#18 - Hardware Product Management: Turning Designs Into Devices
ft. Adhiraj Mahajan • 19 December 2025
ft. Adhiraj Mahajan • 19 December 2025
Software can be iterated with a click, but not hardware. Adhiraj reveals how product management changes when the product you build sits in someone’s home, not just on a screen. In this episode, we explore what it means to build physical products end-to-end, from working with factories, to navigating design and manufacturing constraints. If you’ve only seen PM through a software lens, this conversation reveals a completely different side of the industry.
Too busy to listen to our full-length episode? Fret not — this blog recap distils the key parts of Adhiraj’s journey and the product lessons that student builders and aspiring PMs can take away.
Timestamps
00:29 Background of Adhiraj
01:51 Introduction of Padlock 2
05:15 Difference between hardware and software PM
06:46 Hardware MVP
08:56 People that work with hardware PMs
10:46 Misconceptions about hardware PM
11:21 How did interest in hardware PM develop?
13:26 Difference in B2B and B2C product lines
16:24 Preference between B2B and B2C
18:45 Underrated skill that makes a great hardware PM
21:34 How PRISM+ shapes approach to PM
23:51 A day in the life of a PM at PRISM+
26:00 Most challenging day at PRISM+
28:45 Underwhelming product reception at the roadshow
30:15 Hardware PM intern at PRISM+
33:02 Product lifecycle in hardware PM
37:07 PM for a fictional gadget
37:59 Chinese product pitch
41:09 Owning PRISM+ products at home
42:44 Weirdest/worst customer request or feedback
44:34 Most important PM lesson
47:00 Percentage of day spent in meetings
49:24 Funniest moment working with a factory or supplier
51:35 Biggest 'oh no' moment during product launch
53:41 Weirdest product component
Catch the key moments from this episode below!
Adhiraj is a Product and Engineering Manager at PRISM+, where he oversees the development of connected consumer hardware and IoT products. With an engineering background, he manages end-to-end product work across design, manufacturing, software integration, and launch — focusing on how physical devices are built, tested, and brought to market.