#016: From Startup to Global Brand: Scaling Engineering at reMarkable

Update: 2025-09-17

Description

In today’s Coredump Session, we sit down with Nico Comier, CTO of reMarkable, to explore the journey from early-stage startup to global brand. Nico shares insights on scaling engineering teams, balancing technical credibility with leadership responsibilities, and what it really takes to bring a hardware product to market. From the pressures of product launches to the importance of customer connection, this conversation dives into the realities of building impactful technology.

Key Takeaways:

Nico Comier emphasizes the importance of customer impact in engineering roles.
reMarkable's journey from startup to global brand involved scaling engineering teams.
Cross-functional collaboration is key to successful product launches.
Understanding customer needs is crucial for product development.
reMarkable focuses on creating tools that help people think better.
The Paper Pro Move was developed in response to user feedback.
reMarkable values a hacker culture and allows device jailbreaking.
Telemetry and customer feedback are vital for product improvement.
reMarkable's leadership believes in maintaining technical credibility.
Cross-functional teams enhance empathy and collaboration within organizations.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to reMarkable and Nico's Journey

04:21 The Path to CTO: Insights and Experiences

07:21 Technical Leadership and Staying Relevant

10:03 Understanding Customer Needs in Tech Leadership

13:00 The Launch of Paper Pro Move: A Major Achievement

15:17 Preparing for Product Launch: Challenges and Strategies

18:07 Balancing Agile and Waterfall in Product Development

21:04 Product Decision-Making: Insights from the Paper Pro Move

23:39 Navigating Challenges in Hardware Development

26:30 Final Thoughts on Product Launch and Future Directions

29:30 The Importance of Hypercare Post-Launch