MEET THE HARDTECH INNOVATION MENTORS - PART 2
STARTUP MENTORING IN FOCUS -
DANIEL ‘DAN’ SHOR
We are continuing our mentor series and are excited to introduce our next mentor, Daniel Shor. With his unique experience in launching and commercializing products at various stages, Daniel will help participants in the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator scale and grow their businesses.
It’s official: The Hardtech Innovation Accelerator is back for its 4th round, and you can apply to join the program here. We’re proud to continue supporting early-stage hardware startups and can’t wait to see what this next batch will bring.
As always, we’re bringing in top industry experts to mentor our startups, sharing invaluable knowledge and insights. Our mentors include founders, CEOs, CTOs, and seasoned professionals who have faced—and overcome—the same challenges our teams will encounter.
A key focus of the program is learning how to scale and grow your business. In our ecosystem, you’ll find people with hands-on experience in launching and commercializing products at various stages. And that’s where Daniel Shor comes in.
MEET DANIEL SHOR, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, EUROPE OF INNOVOBOT LABS
Daniel Shor is an R&D team lead, mechanical design engineer, and haptics researcher with experience in both startups and high-volume consumer goods. His work focuses on creating products that explore how social touch and haptic feedback influence human interaction, health, wellness, and behavior. “At a glance, I’m an expert in developing hardware products that provide meaningful experiences and impact people’s lives,” Dan explains. Eight years ago, he began his career in haptics as Director of Research for SenseGlove, a VR/AR wearables startup dedicated to making the digital world feel real. At LoveHoney Group, he worked as a product research and development engineer, integrating wideband haptic actuators into two of the group’s key brands.
Today, as Director of Research, Europe for Innovobot Labs—an innovation lab tackling pressing problems through cutting-edge technologies—Dan collaborates with companies and academics alike. One of his key focus areas is exploring ways to better manage stress and wellness.
Innovobot Labs serves as the value creation engine for Innovobot, an investment platform based in Montreal, Canada. Dan initially joined MotionLab.Berlin to build a client base for his haptics freelance business. However, when Innovobot approached him about building a European presence, Dan didn’t hesitate. “I took that opportunity with the broader mission of building an ecosystem. We hope to collaborate with organizations like MotionLab.Berlin and offer significant value to them and the founders they support.” Innovobot contributes to the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator through its Labs experts, ecosystem, and global reach.
THE DIVERSITY OF STARTUP MENTORING
With a side career as a lecturer at FH Salzburg and TU Delft, Dan has a passion for teaching. His subjects: Haptic Design, Engineering Processes, and Human-Machine Interaction. That’s why we’re thrilled to have him not only as a mentor but also leading tours for those interested in the startup world at MotionLab.Berlin.
“I don’t think there’s one single topic I find most interesting to teach at MotionLab. What excites me are the diverse questions startups bring. They’re all trying to create something new.” While Dan has a niche expertise in haptics, he grounds it with broad experience across various fields. “In the end, mentorship always brings something new. I try to understand each team’s needs and challenges, then explore them from different perspectives. The Hardtech Innovation cohort is always incredibly diverse—both in motivation and background. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to helping.”
Dan’s background has always been in the early stages of hardware development. “I’m probably one of the few people here who has launched and shipped products, both in small volumes and at scale, exceeding 100,000 units.”
"HARDWARE IS A TEAM SPORT"
For Dan, hardware development thrives on one principle: iteration. He believes the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator has evolved significantly over the past three batches. Dan values the community and expert input that have shaped the program and hopes to see it expand even further. “The broader the audience you attract, the more ideas you’ll have, and the better your selection process becomes.” His goal is to help the program gain traction beyond Berlin and Germany.
Dan sees the program’s biggest strength—and challenge—in its focus on first-time founders. On the one hand, it brings in people with no prior experience as founders or in hardware. “There’s a lot of risk in trying to launch a hardware startup.”
On the other hand, the program offers a safe space to make mistakes and receive support in a complex field. “Hardware is a team sport. You can’t do it alone. This isn’t just two guys with a laptop. You need prototyping, labs, equipment, and people who can operate that equipment, build, and integrate. You’ll need seven or eight core skill sets, no matter what the product is.” That’s why programs like this, in makerspaces, are so vital—they provide an ecosystem and access to experienced mentors. “The real value of MotionLab.Berlin is that you’re never going to fall too far off course because you have all these layers of support. That’s fundamental.”
TRACTION. 100% TRACTION.
As a mentor, Dan supports Hardtech Innovation Accelerator startups in setting up their roadmaps.
He helps them navigate critical questions:
- What does product development look like through the lens of hardtech, design thinking, and user research?
- What are the key milestones and phases for taking a product from concept to commercialization?
- How do the stages of a pre-seed startup unfold?
- What do different validation phases solve?
- How do you secure customer traction? How do you get your first, second, and third customer?
For Dan, the most important milestone for startups to achieve by the end of the program is simple: “Traction. 100% traction.” To secure funding, startups must demonstrate customer traction, showing they can attract customers, partners, and build a user base.
IT'S ALL ABOUT ADAPTATION
Dan’s top advice for founders is to clearly identify what you’re willing to change and what you’re not. Know which aspects are non-negotiable and which can be iterated on. Have a solid grasp of the bigger picture, and make sure you understand your team and their strengths.
For Dan, the most critical element in founding a startup isn’t the idea—it’s the team. The biggest mistake founders make is not properly allocating labor, roles, and responsibilities. Having the most skilled engineers isn’t always essential; often, non-technical team members are the ones who identify market needs and help align the team with them.
Each cohort has different personalities, but the key quality is a willingness to learn, dig deep, and try. The people who succeed are those who come with a mission, are willing to adapt, admit mistakes, and quickly “kill their darlings.”
Now you have your team and a problem to solve. The second essential aspect of creating a business: Framing. “Finding the right problem isn’t hard, but finding the right way to frame an interesting problem can be quite difficult.” This is where product-market fit becomes essential, especially in the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator: identifying the problem, conducting research, developing the team, and then creating a proof of concept all play a significant role in the ideation process.
“The program is really focused on product-market fit. It’s not necessarily about building or scaling things, so make sure you have your research in order and your resources ready. Half of your perfect ideas will end up in the trash anyway!”
For Dan, the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator is just the first step in a long series of phases and programs needed to bring a product to market. “Hardware really takes time. The fastest you can really get a new product to market is about 18 months”. His goal is to give the fledgling companies a solid foundation as they move from ideation to commercialization. “I hope to make sure that everyone leaves the program knowing they’re doing the right thing. From there, they can spend their time making sure they’re doing the thing right.”
APPLY TO JOIN THE
HARDTECH INNOVATION ACCELERATOR
Applications for the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator are now open, and we’re seeking early-stage climate-driven hardware startups dedicated to solving the toughest challenges on the path to net-zero emissions. Batch 4 is set to be our most impactful yet, with expert mentors like Dan Shor helping guide you from concept to commercialization. Dan’s deep experience in hardware development and innovation will be invaluable as you refine your solution and build traction in the marketplace.
If you’re ready to be part of a program that prioritizes sustainable product-market fit, offers a collaborative ecosystem, and connects you with world-class mentors, apply now, and join us on this mission to create a greener, more sustainable future.
The Hardtech Innovation program is supported by funds from the European Union (European Social Fund) and the State of Berlin.
