Reducing Failure Rates and Improving Product Development With AdaIQ
In this second part of our Pioneers Podcast special on Ada IQ, host Paul Musto, co-host Tucker Marion, and CEO Liz Graham dive deep into how Ada IQ is changing the game for product design. With a focus on breaking down data silos and integrating insights from various sources, they explore how AI can help product teams design smarter, faster, and more efficiently.
Liz discusses the importance of combining fragmented data from different departments—sales, marketing, and product management—to inform design decisions from the beginning. Ada IQ’s AI technology acts as a co-pilot, helping designers navigate constraints, enhance creativity, and improve the marketability of products.
The conversation also explores how AI can democratize complex tools like CAD and simulation, giving more team members the ability to innovate and solve problems without needing specialized knowledge. Liz shares insights into how AI can help make the design process more intuitive and accessible for all types of engineers.
With advice for young entrepreneurs and reflections on the evolution of technology, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways for founders and innovators looking to stay ahead of the curve.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- How Ada IQ connects fragmented data to inform early-stage product design (0:40)
- The role of AI in augmenting the work of product designers (3:00)
- How AI helps bridge the gap between product conception and CAD design (9:30)
- Key advice for young entrepreneurs navigating the ups and downs of startup life (11:50)
- How the intersection of academic research and industry drives innovation at Ada IQ (18:00)
- Golden advice for young entrepreneurs of startup companies (21:50)
Siemens Xcelerator for Startups Program
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Host: Paul Musto
Paul Musto is a Portfolio Development Executive for Siemens Digital Industries Software focused on delivering design and simulation software solutions to small and medium sized businesses (SMB), including companies in the early startup stage. Prior to his current role at Siemens, Paul was Director of Marketing for the Electronic Board Systems segment at Mentor Graphics (now part of Siemens), responsible for driving product strategy, go-to-market solutions, and market development. Paul has over 30 years of electronics and software design experience. Prior to joining Mentor, Paul led a software development organization at Cadence Design Systems, responsible for Cadence’s electronic engineering implementation tools. Throughout his career, Paul has extensive experience serving in various technical, product marketing, and business development roles. Paul holds a B.S.E.E. from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA.
Host: Tucker Marion
Tucker Marion is an Associate Professor in Northeastern’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business and the College of Engineering, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department. His interdisciplinary research is concentrated on new product development and engineering design. He is currently the faculty director for the Master of Science in Management ‘X’ platform and the Partnership Innovation Director for the business school. He has held product development and manufacturing positions in the auto industry and is a 3x venture founder. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University, holds a Masters from the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton School in Technology Management, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Penn State. His work has appeared in books and journals including the Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Product Innovation Management, R&D Management, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, Research-Technology Management, Design Studies, Journal of Mechanical Design, and others.
Guest: Liz Graham
Liz Graham, a proven leader in technology and operations, was appointed CEO of Ada IQ in July 2024. With extensive experience at companies like Wayfair, Proof (formerly Notarize), HubSpot, and Indigo Ag, Liz has earned a reputation for driving innovation and scaling organizations. At Indigo Ag, she successfully launched new technologies and pivoted the company toward a partner-led strategy. Now at Ada IQ, a Boston-based AI startup revolutionizing product design, Liz is leading efforts to integrate AI-driven insights into development processes, reducing time to market and enhancing decision-making.
AdaIQ is an AI-driven platform empowering product managers with data-driven insights for physical product design. Founded in 2022 with over $1 million in grant funding, AdaIQ integrates advanced AI models to provide insight reporting, generative design, and predictive scoring, helping companies create consumer-aligned products in real time. With a team boasting 80+ years of experience in product development and deep ties to Northeastern University and the University of Michigan, AdaIQ revolutionizes user-centered design by seamlessly merging data and AI-driven innovation. Learn more here.
Pioneers: Startups from Dreams to Reality
Ideas alone can’t change the world. It takes grit, and serious funding. In Pioneers, host Kevin Blevins sits down with startup founders to discuss the startup lifestyle- from concept to execution- and the big ideas that fuel these pioneers. From the future of farming to autonomous flight, there’s no frontier too far.
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