#011: Memfault Joins Nordic Semiconductor: What This Means for the Future of Connected Product Development
In today's Coredump Session, François and Chris share a major milestone in Memfault’s journey: Memfault is joining forces with Nordic Semiconductor. They’re joined by Kjetil Holstad from Nordic to explore Nordic’s history, how the acquisition came to be, and the exciting future they envision together. Along the way, they dive into the evolution of Bluetooth, the challenges of building complex embedded systems, and why developer experience is at the heart of it all.Key Takeaways:Nordic Semiconductor’s journey from design services to global Bluetooth leadership hinged on bold bets and developer-centric decisions.The inclusion of Bluetooth Low Energy in the iPhone was a pivotal moment that accelerated Nordic’s growth.Building robust embedded systems today requires deep attention to software complexity, which has significantly increased over time.Decisions that prioritize developer experience—like open documentation and accessible SDKs—have been instrumental to Nordic’s success.Memfault’s partnership with Nordic was driven by a shared vision to make embedded observability easy, accessible, and deeply integrated.Memfault’s pre-integration with Nordic’s SDKs and their collaborative engineering work have helped reduce barriers for developers.The vision for a “chip-to-cloud” platform is about delivering seamless device management, monitoring, and OTA updates with a scalable, unified solution.Both Memfault and Nordic are committed to supporting non-Nordic hardware, focusing on building solutions that serve the broader embedded ecosystem.Chapters:00:00 Episode Teasers & Intro02:59 The Origin Story of Nordic Semiconductor06:11 The Evolution of Bluetooth Technology at Nordic09:40 Bold Decisions and Learning from the Market14:24 Nordic's Commitment to Developers and Software17:32 The Shift Towards Software in IoT20:04 Embracing Complexity: The Future of Nordic's SDKs20:55 Understanding Trust Zone and Embedded Systems21:46 The Importance of Strategic Partnerships22:30 Building Relationships in the Tech Industry25:09 The Value of Collaboration and Integration27:38 Enhancing Developer Experience through Integration32:24 Announcing the Partnership and Future Vision33:07 Creating a Chip to Cloud Platform36:05 Supporting Non-Nordic Devices and Ecosystem Expansion39:10 Reactions to the Acquisition Announcement44:58 Q&AJoin the Interrupt Slack Watch this episode on YouTubeFollow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
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#010: From Pebble to Intel: can hardware startups beat the big players?
In today's Coredump Session, we explore the wild early days of Pebble and what it takes to scale a hardware startup against industry giants. From scrappy hackathons to 100+ person engineering teams, Kean Wong, former VP of Software at Pebble and now CTO at Igor, joins Memfault’s François and Chris to unpack how startups can outpace Big Tech by staying nimble, hiring wisely, and embracing constant change.Key Takeaways:Early-stage hardware startups benefit from direct engagement with developer communities for recruiting.Transparency and shared business context can create stronger, more motivated engineering teams.Scaling a hardware company requires embracing organizational change—not resisting it.“Trial by fire” can be an effective onboarding path for technical leaders in fast-moving environments.Engineering leadership should balance short-term firefighting with long-term vision setting.Hackathons and passion projects can be powerful hiring channels in embedded tech.Growth requires thoughtful infrastructure investments—even when it's tempting to keep things scrappy.A good leader earns respect by doing the hard work, not just delegating it.Chapters:00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Today’s Topic06:00 Lessons from Scaling Teams at Pebble12:00 Chaos, Structure, and Growing as a Startup18:00 Building Process Without Killing Agility24:00 Hiring Smart in Fast-Growth Environments30:00 From Product Complexity to Organizational Change36:00 Staying Productive Through Engineering Transitions42:00 Applying Startup Lessons in Larger Organizations48:00 What Kean’s Building Now at Eagor54:00 Live Q&A and Closing ThoughtsJoin the Interrupt Slack Watch this episode on YouTube Follow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
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#009: Zephyr’s Meteoric Rise and What It Means for the Future of Embedded
In today’s Coredump Session, we dive into the origins and evolution of Zephyr RTOS with Kate Stewart, VP of Dependable Embedded Systems at the Linux Foundation. From Intel’s early ambitions to a thriving global community, Kate unpacks how Zephyr grew into a leading open-source RTOS and what makes it uniquely resilient and developer-friendly. This conversation also explores the technical shifts shaping embedded development and how governance, safety, and collaboration continue to steer Zephyr’s trajectory.Speakers:Kate Stewart: Vice President of Dependable Embedded Systems, The Linux FoundationFrançois Baldassari: CEO & Founder, MemfaultThomas Sarlandie: Field CTO, MemfaultKey Takeaways:Zephyr was born from Intel’s desire for a scalable, secure, and open RTOS, evolving from Wind River roots.Early adoption of Linux-inspired practices, like Kconfig and "signed-off-by" contributions, lowered friction and encouraged community participation.The project’s governance model, emphasizing multi-vendor participation and elected leadership, prevents corporate capture and boosts resilience.Zephyr’s pragmatic reuse of tools like MCUboot accelerated development and expanded capabilities.Long-term support (LTS) releases—now extended to five years—make Zephyr production-friendly and aligned with regulatory demands like the CRA.Innovations like the Twister test framework and open testing infrastructure set Zephyr apart for visibility and maintainability.Zephyr thrives as complexity in embedded systems increases, filling the gap left by simpler RTOSes ill-suited for modern MCU workloads.Not every project is a fit for Zephyr—especially ultra-low-end 8-bit systems—but it excels in growing, connected device classes.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction04:12 Building Zephyr: Intel’s Open RTOS Bet06:39 Governance That Guards Against Capture08:10 Borrowing From Linux, Avoiding Its Baggage09:41 What Makes Zephyr Different13:55 Zephyr in Production: LTS and Real-World Adoption16:15 Scaling with Twister and QEMU18:15 Taming Complexity Without Losing Performance35:45 SBOMs and the Future of Compliance38:20 A Head Start on Security Standards43:02 Inside Zephyr's Safety Certification Journey46:44 Real-World Use Cases and Industry Uptake50:25 What's Next for Zephyr and the RTOS Landscape53:12 Final Reflections and Closing ThoughtsJoin the Interrupt SlackWatch this episode on YouTube Suggest a GuestFollow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
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#008: Navigating the Changing IoT Security Landscape: A Survival Guide for Product Leaders
In today's Coredump Session, we dive into the evolving landscape of IoT security regulations with Giovanni Alberto Falcione, CTO at Exine. From the impact of the EU's CRA to the complexities of OTA updates, Giovanni, François, and Thomas unpack what these new requirements mean for product engineers and how to navigate the increasingly stringent security landscape.Speakers:François Baldassari: CEO & Founder, MemfaultThomas Sarlandie: Field CTO, MemfaultGiovanni Alberto Falcione: CTO, ExeinKey Takeaways:The EU's Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) mandates stringent security measures for all connected devices marketed after December 2027, with a particular focus on runtime security monitoring.OTA updates are essential for mitigating vulnerabilities in the field but can also introduce challenges in regulatory compliance.Giovanni highlights that less than 1% of IoT device manufacturers actively monitor cybersecurity state awareness, a critical area of compliance under CRA.Implementing a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) and tracking Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) are low-hanging fruit for product teams to start bolstering security.eBPF technology offers powerful, low-impact monitoring capabilities that can detect unauthorized activities at the syscall level without kernel-level intervention.Companies need to plan for at least five years of security updates under CRA, with potential for longer support based on device lifecycles.Even seemingly innocuous devices, like coffee makers, can pose significant cybersecurity risks as entry points for broader attacks.Giovanni emphasizes that while regulation can stifle innovation, it also raises the bar for security practices across the board.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction02:30 The Unseen Costs of Cybersecurity Regulation04:40 OTA Updates: Security Savior or Hidden Risk07:21 CRA vs. Other Regulations: What Matters Most10:30 The Rise of Runtime Security Monitoring12:23 Why Manufacturers Are Freaking Out About CRA15:09 The Hidden Cost of Legacy Firmware17:30 Inside the Automotive Cybersecurity Playbook21:22 eBPF: The Next Frontier in IoT Security55:38 Coffee Machines, Coffee Attacks, and Unexpected Entry PointsJoin the Interrupt SlackWatch this episode on YouTubeSuggest a GuestFollow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
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#007: AI, Open Source, and the Future of Embedded Development: How Much Code Will We Actually Write?
In today's Coredump Session, we dive into a wide-ranging conversation about the intersection of AI, open source, and embedded systems with the teams from Memfault and Goliath. From the evolution of AI at the edge to the emerging role of large language models (LLMs) in firmware development, the panel explores where innovation is happening today — and where expectations still outpace reality. Listen in as they untangle the practical, the possible, and the hype shaping the future of IoT devices. Speakers:François Baldassari: CEO & Founder, MemfaultThomas Sarlandie: Field CTO, MemfaultJonathan Beri: CEO & Founder, GoliothDan Mangum: CTO, GoliothKey Takeaways:AI has been quietly powering embedded devices for years, especially in edge applications like voice recognition and computer vision.The biggest gains in IoT today often come from cloud-based AI analytics, not necessarily from AI models running directly on devices.LLMs are reshaping firmware development workflows but are not yet widely adopted for production-grade embedded codebases.Use cases like audio and video processing have seen the fastest real-world adoption of AI at the edge.Caution is warranted when integrating AI into safety-critical systems, where determinism is crucial.Cloud-to-device AI models are becoming the go-to for fleet operations, anomaly detection, and predictive maintenance.Many promising LLM-based consumer products struggle because hardware constraints and cloud dependence create friction.The future of embedded AI may lie in hybrid architectures that balance on-device intelligence with cloud support.Chapters:00:00 Episode Teasers & Welcome01:10 Meet the Panel: Memfault x Golioth02:56 Why AI at the Edge Isn’t Actually New05:33 The Real Use Cases for AI in Embedded Devices08:07 How Much Chaos Are You Willing to Introduce?11:19 Edge AI vs. Cloud AI: Where It’s Working Today13:50 LLMs in Embedded: Promise vs. Reality17:16 Why Hardware Can’t Keep Up with AI’s Pace20:15 Building Unique Models When Public Datasets Fail36:14 Open Source’s Big Moment (and What Comes Next)42:49 Will AI Kill Open Source Contributions?49:30 How AI Could Change Software Supply Chains52:24 How to Stay Relevant as an Engineer in the AI EraJoin the Interrupt SlackWatch this episode on YouTubeSuggest a GuestFollow MemfaultLinkedInBlueskyTwitterOther ways to listen:Apple PodcastsiHeartRadioAmazon MusicGoodPodsCastboxVisit our website
Coredump Sessions is a podcast for embedded engineers and product teams building connected devices. Hosted by the team at Memfault, each episode features real-world stories and technical deep dives with experts across the embedded systems space.
From Bluetooth pioneers and OTA infrastructure veterans to the engineers who built Pebble, we explore the tools, techniques, and tradeoffs that power reliable, scalable devices. If you're building or debugging hardware, this is your go-to for embedded insights.
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