Hardware, done thoughtfully.
Fat Dog Electronics is a small hardware design and manufacturing company in the Chicago area. We make simple, connected things — and we design and manufacture in the U.S., especially in the Chicagoland area, whenever we possibly can.
What we're building
A small connected device, built to disappear into daily life.
We're working on a new category of small connected device — one designed to be useful every day without demanding your attention. No feeds, no noise, no screen begging to be checked. Just a well-made object that does its job quietly.
It also means being deliberate about where things come from. We're designing and assembling in the United States, working with domestic suppliers and manufacturers wherever feasible. That costs more than the obvious alternatives. We think it's worth it.
A few critical components have to come from specialized global suppliers. For everything else, we stay local — because quality, accountability, and the people doing the work matter to us.
We're not sharing more than that just yet. When it's ready, you'll know.
How we work
Building for a superior experience
Fat Dog is a small team doing hardware the slow, correct way: real prototypes, real tooling conversations, and real relationships with the people who make our parts. We believe the best work happens when the people designing something are close to the people building it.
Hands-on prototyping
We design, build, and break our own prototypes in-house. Iteration happens on the bench, not in a slide deck — most ideas get physically tested within days.
Built here, on purpose
We design and assemble in the United States and favor U.S. suppliers and manufacturers even when it costs more. The difference shows up in quality, communication, and accountability.
Careful sourcing
We qualify suppliers deliberately and prefer quality partners over the cheapest quote. A component that's right matters more than a component that's cheap.
Small-batch thinking
We'd rather build a small run of something excellent than a large run of something passable. Pilot production lets us hold a quality bar that scale usually erodes.
Where things stand
Currently in prototype testing. Pilot units ship to a small group of early users in the coming months.
We're active, building, and on schedule. That's all we're saying for now.
Contact
Suppliers, manufacturers, and partners — reach out.
We're always glad to talk with people who make things: component suppliers, contract manufacturers, fabricators, and prospective partners. We especially like hearing from U.S.-based partners who care about quality as much as we do. Press and the plain curious are welcome too.