In this episode of Let’s Talk Design, we sit down with Keesjan Engelen, founder and CEO of Titoma (Time To Market), a company that helps businesses design and manufacture complex electronic devices. With nearly 30 years of experience in Taiwan and China, Keesjan has worked at the intersection of business, design, and manufacturing, guiding startups and enterprises alike through the challenges of bringing hardware products to life.

We dive into his fascinating journey, from his business beginnings to moving to Taiwan in 1994, and what it was like working with Chinese ODM factories in the early days. Keesjan shares what he’s learned about avoiding costly mistakes, building global engineering teams, and why “to get to market fast, you need to avoid doing things twice.”

The conversation explores the philosophy behind Time To Market and what sets Titoma apart, the real costs of hardware design and why startups often underestimate them, and the lessons he’s learned from decades of working in Asian manufacturing, including IP protection, pitfalls with ODM factories, and managing supplier relationships. We also discuss the future of IoT, AI, and embedded electronics, how global supply chains are evolving from China to emerging hubs like India, and the critical advice every startup should hear before launching a complex hardware project.

Keesjan also reflects on becoming a leading voice on LinkedIn, how that has shaped his role as an advisor in the technology space, and what’s next for Titoma as new services and technologies emerge.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, product designer, or just curious about how ideas turn into real devices, this conversation is packed with insights on building hardware smarter, faster, and with fewer painful lessons along the way.

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