Diode Computers

Take a closer look at how Diode Computers uses Cofactr to bridge the gap between PCB design and sourcing—automating BOM workflows, accelerating procurement, and bringing real-time visibility to their supply chain.

Diode Computers is a New York based hardware startup founded during Y Combinator’s Summer 2024 batch. The company recently closed an $11.4M Series A and works primarily with robotics, aerospace, and medical device companies that value fast iteration and U.S.-based manufacturing.

Diode treats printed circuit boards as code rather than static drawings, using AI models to design, modify, and validate boards in days instead of months. The company designs and manufactures boards for customers in cutting edge markets like robots and autonomous vehicles, aiming to make hardware development feel closer to modern software workflows.

As founder and CEO Davide Asnaghi often explains, the motivation is practical, “Electronics is where software meets the real world.”

Diode’s promise to customers depends on more than fast design. Once an AI-generated board is ready, it still needs to be built, and that means sourcing hundreds of components accurately, repeatedly, and with minimal friction.

Early on, Diode faced three intertwined challenges:

Translating design output into build-ready BOMs

Even when a PCB design is complete, a bill of materials can be difficult to act on. Parts may be unavailable, mismatched, or constrained by lead times that are incompatible with customer schedules. Without tight feedback between design and sourcing, engineers can unknowingly create boards that look correct but stall in procurement.

Manual procurement workflows did not scale

Before deeper automation, placing an order required significant hands-on work. Matching parts, handling exceptions, and preparing kits through traditional interfaces could take one to two hours per order. As demand increased, that time cost became a bottleneck.

Lack of programmatic visibility

Diode wanted sourcing and kitting data to be available not only to operations staff, but also inside its own software. Customers regularly ask why a board is delayed or which part is holding things up. Answering those questions manually does not fit a company trying to make hardware feel like software.

Diode integrated Cofactr directly into its internal platform using the Cofactr API, treating sourcing, kitting, and inventory as programmable infrastructure rather than a separate downstream step.

Once Diode’s AI agents complete a PCB design, the resulting bill of materials is evaluated for sourceability. Parts that are unavailable or constrained can be flagged early, allowing engineers or models to adjust the design before it ever reaches procurement.

From there, Diode’s system can push a validated BOM directly into Cofactr. Programs and kits are created automatically, with shipping destinations tied to the specific build. Instead of navigating multiple tools, Diode’s team can trigger procurement from inside their own dashboard.

For Zach Feuerstein, VP of Operations at Diode Computers, the shift was immediate. In his words, the integration turned sourcing from “a manual checklist into something that just runs in the background.”

Just as important, Diode pulls information back from Cofactr. Order status, supplier data, shipping progress, and costs are all visible programmatically. That data feeds internal tracking, customer updates, and future automation.

Davide describes Cofactr’s role more bluntly, “We knew how hard it would be to build a real sourcing and inventory backend ourselves. Having that infrastructure available through an API let us focus on design instead of recreating the supply chain.”

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The impact was immediate.

Orders that previously took one to two hours to process through manual workflows now take roughly three to five minutes in most cases. More importantly, that time savings compounds as volume increases.

Because sourcing feedback is connected to design, Diode avoids building boards that cannot be manufactured on schedule. Customers get clearer timelines, fewer surprises, and faster iteration cycles.

Operationally, Diode gained end-to-end visibility. Every part, purchase order, and kit can be traced back to a specific design and customer order. That level of detail supports better cost tracking, faster issue resolution, and more confident communication with customers.

Diode plans to continue tightening the loop between design, sourcing, and manufacturing. The long-term goal is for boards to be sourceable by design, with availability and constraints visible as early as possible.

As the company grows, Diode expects Cofactr to remain a core part of that system. Programmatic access to sourcing, kitting, and inventory data creates the foundation for deeper automation, from earlier cost modeling to more dynamic production planning.

As Zach puts it, “The closer sourcing data sits to the design process, the fewer surprises you get later. That’s where this really starts to compound.”

By treating sourcing infrastructure as software, Diode expects to push more decision-making upstream, where changes are faster and far less expensive.

For Diode’s customers, the benefits show up as speed and confidence. Faster design cycles mean products reach testing and deployment sooner. Clear sourcing data reduces the risk of late-stage delays that can derail schedules or investor expectations.

Internally, Diode’s team spends less time chasing parts and more time improving the product. Investors gain visibility into a manufacturing model that scales without linear increases in operational headcount. Suppliers receive cleaner, more predictable orders.

In a landscape where hardware development often lags behind software, Diode’s approach shows what is possible when design, sourcing, and manufacturing are treated as a single system.

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What is Diode Computers?

Diode Computers is a New York–based hardware startup that treats printed circuit boards like software, using AI-driven workflows to accelerate design, validation, and manufacturing for complex hardware teams.

How does Diode design PCBs faster than traditional methods?

Diode uses AI models to design, modify, and validate circuit boards in days rather than months, replacing static drawings with iterative, code-like design processes.

Why does Diode connect PCB design directly to sourcing?

Direct integration prevents delays by identifying unavailable or constrained components early, allowing engineers to adjust designs before procurement issues stall manufacturing schedules.

How does Diode handle bill of materials challenges?

Once a design is complete, Diode automatically evaluates the bill of materials for sourceability, flagging risky parts early and ensuring boards are build-ready before ordering begins.

Can Diode automate procurement workflows?

Yes, Diode pushes validated BOMs directly into Cofactr via API, automatically creating kits, programs, and shipping instructions without manual purchasing steps.

What was the biggest operational improvement from a Cofactr API integration?

Orders that once required one to two hours of manual work now take only three to five minutes, dramatically improving scalability as customer demand increases.

Why is programmatic visibility important to Diode?

Programmatic access to order status, costs, and supplier data allows Diode to answer customer questions instantly and feed sourcing insights back into design and planning systems.

Who benefits most from Diode’s approach?

Robotics, aerospace, and medical device companies benefit most, gaining faster iteration cycles, clearer timelines, and reduced risk of late-stage manufacturing surprises.

What is Diode’s long-term vision for hardware development?

Diode aims to make boards sourceable by design, pushing sourcing and cost constraints upstream so hardware development feels as flexible, predictable, and scalable as software.