Interview with Dave Evans, Co-Founder and CEO of Fictiv

Interview with Dave Evans, Co-Founder and CEO of Fictiv

In 2013, Dave Evans, CEO and Co-Founder of Fictiv, set out to revolutionise the manufacturing industry. With a background in hardware engineering and early experience at Ford's Silicon Valley Innovation Lab, Evans identified a fundamental problem in the industry: the difficulty and inefficiency of sourcing custom mechanical parts for new product development.

Traditional contract manufacturing processes were highly manual, relying on managing suppliers through emails, phone calls, and dealing with long lead times. This approach was siloed, lacked real-time insights, and made scaling quickly very challenging.

To solve this, Fictiv created a digital manufacturing ecosystem that provides instant quoting, automated design for manufacturability (DFM) feedback, and full visibility into every step of production. Unlike traditional supply chains, Fictiv takes accountability for quality, delivery, and cost efficiency while leveraging a distributed global network of manufacturing centers. This system enables faster prototyping, smoother scaling to production, and reduces risk and overhead for customers.

Over the past decade, the problem of slow, siloed, and manual manufacturing processes has evolved as manufacturing investment surged, especially in the U.S., with advanced automation and new factories. However, this increased capital investment has shifted the bottleneck from machines and capital to talent—skilled engineers, operators, and supply chain professionals who can effectively utilize advanced technologies and optimize manufacturing systems. Thus, while digital ecosystems like Fictiv’s continue to provide faster, more transparent sourcing, the availability of qualified talent has become a critical limiting factor.

Fictiv addresses this by offering services like CNC machining, 3D printing, and injection molding, and combines instant quoting, AI-powered feedback, and end-to-end order management to simplify complex supply chains for engineers and manufacturers. The company is a global manufacturing and supply chain company that streamlines the production of custom mechanical parts through an integrated network of global partners.

As we look towards 2025, Fictiv envisions a future where factories can essentially "think for themselves" using AI to analyze real-time data, predict problems, and continuously optimize production lines without human intervention. The company's platform is expected to integrate advanced AI models that continuously learn from data across materials, machines, and processes, automating critical decisions and empowering teams to iterate faster and with greater confidence.

Fictiv's services are particularly attractive to Gen Z because they offer a tech-driven, digital manufacturing ecosystem that combines the speed and transparency of modern digital tools with the scale and quality of a Fortune 500-class supply chain. The private sector needs to take a more active role in fixing the skills gap by investing in apprenticeships and upskilling, partnering with schools and universities, and leveraging technology.

The industries benefiting most from Fictiv's services are those where rapid iteration and precision are critical, such as aerospace, EVs, medical devices, robotics, and consumer electronics. The company partners with universities and STEM organizations to support hands-on learning, such as working with Formula SAE student teams to provide precision parts for an electric race car and mentoring them on design-for-manufacturability and rapid prototyping.

When Fictiv was founded in 2013, the core problem in manufacturing that Evans and his brother Nate Evans were trying to solve was breaking through manufacturing bottlenecks and building hardware at the speed of software. Today, the problem has evolved, but Fictiv remains at the forefront of the industry, leveraging technology to streamline manufacturing processes and address the growing talent shortage.

1. The manufacturing industry, facing bottlenecks in 2013, needed a revolution, as identified by Dave Evans, the CEO of Fictiv.
2. Evans, with a background in hardware engineering, saw the inefficiency in sourcing custom mechanical parts for new product development.
3. Traditional contract manufacturing processes were heavily reliant on manual processes and lengthy lead times.
4. Fictiv aimed to solve this problem by creating a digital manufacturing ecosystem, offering instant quoting, automated DFM feedback, and full production visibility.
5. Unlike traditional supply chains, Fictiv takes accountability for quality, delivery, and cost efficiency, leveraging a global network of manufacturing centers.
6. This system enables faster prototyping, smoother scaling to production, and reduced risk and overhead for customers.
7. Over the past decade, manufacturing investment surged, focusing on advanced automation and new factories, but the talent gap became a crucial limiting factor.
8. Therefore, while digital ecosystems like Fictiv’s provide transparency, the need for skilled engineers and operators is paramount.
9. Fictiv addresses this talent shortage by offering services like CNC machining, 3D printing, and injection molding.
10. The company's integrated network simplifies complex supply chains for engineers and manufacturers.
11. Gen Z is particularly attracted to Fictiv's services due to their tech-driven and digital manufacturing ecosystem.
12. The private sector should invest in apprenticeships, upskilling, and partnering with schools and universities to address the skills gap.
13. The industries benefiting most from Fictiv's services are rapid-iteration and precision-focused sectors like aerospace, EVs, medical devices, robotics, and consumer electronics.
14. Fictiv partners with universities and STEM organizations to support hands-on learning, such as working with Formula SAE student teams.
15. In its early days, Fictiv aimed to solve manufacturing bottlenecks and build hardware at the speed of software.
16. Today, Fictiv continues to innovate, leveraging technology to streamline manufacturing processes and address the growing talent shortage.
17. Finance plays a crucial role in the manufacturing industry by providing capital investment for advanced automation and new factories.
18. Retail and consumer behavior influence demand for products manufactured in the industry.
19. Entrepreneurship thrives within the manufacturing industry, as innovators identify opportunities and develop new products to meet demand.
20. Interior design and outdoor living industries benefit from the manufacturing of custom fixtures, furniture, and landscaping materials.
21. The cooking industry relies on the manufacturing of kitchen appliances, utensils, and other culinary tools.
22. Leadership skills are essential in the manufacturing industry, as effective decision-making and team management are crucial for success.
23. Diversity and inclusion are important in the manufacturing industry to create a harmonious work environment and foster creativity.
24. Wearables and smart home devices exploit opportunities in the internet of things (IoT) and require manufacturing processes to meet consumer demands.
25. Cybersecurity is vital in the manufacturing industry to protect sensitive data and prevent breaches, particularly in the age of Industry 4.0 and smart factories.
26. Lifestyle trends influence consumer choices, which impacts the manufacturing of products related to food and drink, dining, family dynamics, and small businesses.
27. Investing, wealth management, and personal finance are crucial for entrepreneurs and business owners in the manufacturing industry, as they navigate financial challenges and opportunities.

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