Best Buy ‘Leaps forward’. Next Big Thing?

Every inventor hopes their great idea will hit it big, but the path from prototype to mass market is complex, and startup entrepreneurs need tools they can rely on to scale up quickly as their manufacturing needs evolve. Arena accelerates that process.

When Arena customer Leap Motion demoed a prototype version of their gestural control interface last year, the tech blogosphere went wild, anointing it “the next big thing in computing”. Twitter exploded with amazement as gamers, artists, developers, and tech enthusiasts began imagining the possibilities.

Fast-forward to 2013 and Leap Motion is making headlines all over again. With the announcement of a $30 million investment, a partnership to bundle the controllers with Asus computers, a highly successful showing at CES and this week’s announcement of an exclusive retail partnership with Best Buy, the startup is poised for an extremely exciting year.

Even with significant investment, rapid growth can present significant challenges. A recent Wall Street Journal article focuses on how companies like Leap Motion must manage strategically as they expand internationally. Liam Casey, CEO of manufacturing and supply-chain management company PCH International Ltd., discusses some of these risks: “When it comes to guaranteeing delivery of supply, that’s a challenge.”

“The leap—no pun intended—from prototype to production at scale is a hard one for many startups,” Arena CTO Eric Larkin agrees. “But that’s where Arena BOMControl really shines. By managing supply chain integration and streamlining production communications, Arena helps startup manufacturers reduce the headaches of moving to the mass market.”

We’re always excited to share customer success stories. And we’re even more excited for the next office game night.