From Lab to Factory: Material Evolution’s Guide to Scaling Hard Tech Infrastructure
Hardware doesn’t scale like software. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, Material Evolution founder Liz Gilligan revealed the complex reality of scaling physical infrastructure from garage experiments to industrial production. Their journey offers critical lessons for founders building hard tech companies.
Starting with Scrappy Innovation
When COVID-19 disrupted their plans in early 2020, Material Evolution demonstrated the kind of resourcefulness that defines successful hard tech companies. “We had to do the fun startup thing of going in my parents garage to scale this,” Liz recalls. “We bought our first machine off of eBay, and it was, how do we scale it? How can we kind of play with this?”
This makeshift setup became their first research and development facility. “We developed tons of material in the garage,” Liz shares, though she admits with a laugh that “health and safety now would not allow us to do that.” Despite its limitations, this period proved crucial for validating their alkali fusion process.
The Reality of Industrial Scale
The transition from garage experiments to industrial production revealed a harsh truth: “Building factories is much easier on spreadsheets than it is in real life,” Liz notes. Their first factory project encountered a series of unexpected challenges that no spreadsheet could have predicted.
At one point, electrical infrastructure issues threatened to delay their timeline by 18 months. Environmental considerations added another layer of complexity – they even had to install special fencing to protect local wildlife. As Liz explains, “We had problems with the great crested newt… we had to put up a newt fence, which was a whole kind of process.”
Building the Right Team
Successfully scaling physical infrastructure requires more than just technical expertise. Material Evolution’s approach relied heavily on experienced personnel. “To be fair, my co-founder’s been doing amazing job of kind of holding that together, pulling that together,” Liz shares. “We also have kind of Biliao commercial kind of guy who’s spent a lot of time in the construction industry just pulling in favors, making sure it happens.”
Learning for Future Scale
Rather than treating their first factory as a one-off project, Material Evolution approaches it as a learning opportunity. “What we’re trying to do is learn as much as we can from this factory,” Liz explains. “What is the playbook we can get from this? How would we not do what we’ve done this time? Again, what lessons can we learn?”
This learning mindset shapes their approach to scaling. While their first facility will have capacity to supply cement for approximately 15,000 single-family homes, they maintain flexibility in their growth strategy. “We’re not 100% sure on the scaling model yet,” Liz notes. “Is it licensing? Is it a mega plant? Is it these smaller factories?”
Key Lessons for Hard Tech Founders
Material Evolution’s experience highlights several critical principles for scaling physical infrastructure:
- Technical Economics First “Make sure your techno economics stack. Make sure you aren’t relying on someone else’s supply chain to make this work and scale,” Liz advises. This focus on fundamental business mechanics proves crucial when moving beyond prototype scale.
- Strategic Capital Matters “Money’s cheap, but having an investor that brings value really changes it,” Liz emphasizes. The right investors can provide crucial expertise and connections for managing physical infrastructure challenges.
- Build Experience Into the Team Having team members with industry experience proves invaluable when navigating construction and regulatory challenges. Their ability to “pull favors” and understand industry nuances can make the difference between delays and progress.
For founders transitioning from laboratory success to industrial scale, Material Evolution’s journey demonstrates that scaling physical infrastructure requires more than just technical innovation. It demands careful attention to fundamentals, strategic partnerships, and a willingness to learn from each challenge encountered along the way.