# Sergiy Nesterenko - Quilter Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHJioCRnn8s Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/CHJioCRnn8s Generated: 2026-02-04T22:05:36.143+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The presenter details the challenges of traditional printed circuit board (PCB) layout, which is tedious and error-prone, contrasting it with their company Quilter's AI-driven approach, culminating in the successful design of the first AI-designed motherboard and securing $40M in funding from top investors. **Key Points:** - PCB layout is described as tedious, error-prone, and universally loathed, requiring engineers to manually draw every trace, which took months for complex boards like a computer motherboard. - The speaker, inspired by building electronics at SpaceX, encountered these difficulties while ensuring hardware survived high radiation environments. - Quilter's biggest accomplishment is the 'Project Speedrun': designing the first fully capable motherboard designed by AI, which can run video calls, code, and Linux. - The company has secured $40 million in funding from top investors including Benchmark, Index Ventures, Lip-Bu Tan (CEO emeritus of Cadence), and Tony Fadell (creator of iPod, iPhone, Nest). - Quilter is currently growing rapidly, compiling about 100 designs every day. - The company is actively hiring for ML/RL software engineering and physics simulations roles, specifically seeking C++ experts. ![Screenshot at 01:08: The slide contrasts the PCB design flow \(Schematic -\> Layout -\> Assembly\), highlighting that the 'Layout' phase is tedious, error-prone, and universally loathed, illustrated by a complex, colorful PCB layout image.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/CHJioCRnn8s/00-01-08.jpg) **Context:** The presentation is delivered by Sergiy Nesterenko of Quilter, focusing on the historical and current inefficiencies in the hardware design process, specifically Printed Circuit Board (PCB) layout, where engineers must manually draw complex routing, drawing an analogy to software engineers compiling code by hand. The speaker transitions from his experience at SpaceX, which highlighted the need for reliable electronics, to introduce Quilter's solution utilizing AI to automate this difficult step in hardware creation. ## Detailed Analysis Sergiy Nesterenko opens by drawing an analogy between modern software development and the hypothetical situation where software engineers still compiled code by hand, stressing that designing complex electronics like motherboards manually takes an extremely long time, citing months for a single board, especially under harsh conditions like those encountered while building SpaceX electronics. He then explains that PCB design involves three steps: Schematic (like writing code), Layout (the focus of the problem), and Assembly. The Layout phase is visually depicted as a dense, complex drawing process, which the speaker states is tedious, error-prone, and universally loathed, involving manually drawing every trace and ensuring no physical reality constraints, like component collisions or physics simulations, are violated. This complexity prevents rapid iteration. Quilter's major achievement is 'Project Speedrun,' where they designed the first fully functional motherboard using AI, capable of running Linux, video calls, and code, developed almost entirely by AI in just a couple of months. Following this success, Quilter reports strong traction, compiling about 100 designs daily across various industries including aerospace primes, major automotive companies, and hardware startups. The company has raised $40 million in total funding from prominent investors like Benchmark, Index Ventures, Lip-Bu Tan (ex-CEO of Cadence), and Tony Fadell (creator of the iPod and iPhone). The presentation concludes with a call to action, announcing they are hiring for ML/RL Software Engineering and Physics Simulations roles, particularly seeking C++ experts. ### Early Challenges - Software engineers still compiling code by hand - Hardware design suffers from similar manual, time-consuming processes, like creating circuit board layouts manually which takes months for complex items. ### PCB Layout Process - The three steps are Schematic (coding equivalent), Layout (manual trace drawing, error-prone), and Assembly (physical realization). ### Project Speedrun Achievement - Quilter designed the first ever motherboard fully designed by AI capable of running Linux, video calls, and code, accomplished in a few months. ### Traction and Growth - Quilter is compiling approximately 100 designs every day, serving customers including aerospace primes, major automotive companies, and hardware startups. ### Funding and Investors - The company has raised $40M, including a Series B from Index Ventures, with support from investors like Lip-Bu Tan and Tony Fadell. ### Hiring Call to Action - Quilter is hiring for ML, RL Software Engineering, and Physics simulations, specifically recruiting C++ experts. ![Screenshot at 00:00: Speaker opening the presentation with a slide asking the audience to imagine software engineers still compiling code by hand, setting the theme of analog inefficiency.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/CHJioCRnn8s/00-00-00.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:04: A dramatic image of a circuit board catching fire, illustrating the disastrous consequences of errors in the manual PCB layout process.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/CHJioCRnn8s/00-01-04.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:08: Slide detailing the PCB design workflow \(Schematic -\> Layout -\> Assembly\), emphasizing that the 'Layout' phase is the most tedious and error-prone step.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/CHJioCRnn8s/00-01-08.jpg) ![Screenshot at 02:24: Slide detailing 'Project Speedrun'—The First Motherboard Designed by AI—showing the final green PCB alongside the simulation interface.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/CHJioCRnn8s/00-02-24.jpg) ![Screenshot at 02:54: Slide showing Quilter has raised $40M from top investors, including Benchmark, Index Ventures, Lip-Bu Tan, and Tony Fadell.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/CHJioCRnn8s/00-02-54.jpg)