Build what matters. Scale what works.
Maciolek Advisory Co. helps hardtech companies navigate the difficult transition from prototype to scalable business.
Services
Practical support across hardtech products, companies, operations, and teams.
Hardtech Scale-Up
Help hardtech companies build the team, systems, infrastructure, and operating foundation needed to move from early product to a scalable business.
- Scale-up strategy & planning
- Operations & business systems
- Facilities & infrastructure
- Supply chain & production planning
Product Development & Industrialization
Help mature complex hardware from prototype to production while developing the manufacturing environment needed to build it reliably and at scale.
- Product maturation & DFM
- Manufacturing process development
- Tooling, equipment, testing, & automation
- Production readiness & ramp
Fractional COO
Work alongside founders and leadership teams to bring experienced operating support to the priorities, people, and execution challenges that come with growth.
- Operating priorities & cadence
- Cross-functional execution
- Team & organizational development
- Leadership team support
Founder & Leadership Coaching
Work one-on-one with founders and leaders through the people, decisions, and challenges that come with building and leading a growing company.
- Leadership & people management
- Hiring & team building
- Delegation & accountability
- Decision-making & prioritization
Founder
I grew up on a farm in small-town Wisconsin and spent much of my childhood racing motorcycles. I was around machines from an early age: building, breaking, fixing, competing, and figuring out how to make things work better. That eventually led me to mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where Formula SAE became a major part of my development as an engineer and builder.
Early in my career, I worked across a pretty wide range of complex hardware. I built and tested spacecraft hardware at SpaceX before moving into controls and systems development at New Eagle, where I worked on high-performance electric vehicles and powertrains ranging into the multi-megawatt range. I later joined COLSA, focusing on rapid prototyping, battery systems, and electric powertrain development for small unmanned aircraft.
In 2020, I co-founded H3X and spent the next 6.5 years helping build the company from the ground up. I started close to the hardware, designing, prototyping, and figuring out how to manufacture high-performance electric propulsion systems. As the company grew, so did my role. I worked across manufacturing, supply chain, operations, facilities, hiring, business systems, finance, business development, and company leadership.
A big part of that work was building and developing teams. I cared a lot about finding great people, giving them meaningful ownership, pushing them to grow, and creating an environment where people could do the best work of their careers. Watching people develop into stronger engineers, operators, and leaders became one of the most rewarding parts of building the company.
That experience shaped a lot of how I think about building hardtech companies today. A great product isn't enough. The manufacturing, supply chain, people, capital, and organization all have to keep up with the technology.
I started Maciolek Advisory Co. to help other hardtech teams work through those problems, build great teams, and create companies that can scale.
Writing
Ideas on hardtech, company building, leadership, and developing people.
First article coming soon.
Let’s talk.
If your team is working through a hard scaling problem, developing and industrializing a complex product, or needs experienced operating support, let’s talk about how MAC can help.
eric@maciolekadvisory.com →