While software developers have no shortage of collaboration tools like Slack, Google Docs, or GitHub, hardware engineers have long struggled with workflow tools tailored to their specific needs. That’s the gap AllSpice set out to close—and it’s paying off.
The startup, which just raised a $15 million Series A led by Rethink Impact, is building a hardware engineering collaboration platform designed specifically for teams working on PCB and electronic CAD files. These technical documents don’t fit neatly into chat threads or email chains, but they’re essential to building modern electronics. With AllSpice, engineers can comment directly on schematics and board layouts, similar to how software teams use GitHub for code reviews.
Unlike platforms that try to replace existing workflows, AllSpice is designed to integrate between the tools hardware teams already use—like electronic CAD, PLM systems, and simulation tools. As co-founder and CTO Kyle Dumont explained, AllSpice didn’t aim to reinvent the wheel, but to make sure hardware engineers could collaborate more effectively without changing their core workflows.
Filling a Critical Gap in Hardware Workflows
The idea for AllSpice came from Dumont and co-founder Valentina Ratner’s own experience working as engineers—at iRobot and Amazon, respectively. Ratner said she spent the final stretch of her time at Amazon building an internal tool to bridge collaboration gaps in hardware design. Emails and PDFs, she explained, just weren’t cutting it.
When the pair met in grad school, they recognized a shared pain point and launched AllSpice in 2022. Initially targeting small businesses and startups, the company has since seen a surge in enterprise demand, attracting clients like Blue Origin, Bose, and Sam Altman’s Tools for Humanity.
Rather than build yet another tool engineers would have to add to their already crowded toolbox, Ratner said the team wanted AllSpice to be the central hub for electronics development—a home base rather than a point solution. That vision has resonated.
The platform’s early success came not just from what users loved, but also from what they didn’t mention. Ratner said the team paid attention to what wasn’t getting feedback during user testing, which helped them eliminate unnecessary features and focus on building what truly mattered to engineering teams.
AI for Hardware: Caution Meets Innovation
With the new funding, AllSpice is doubling down on product development—and one of the most anticipated updates is its new AI agent. The tool is built to catch design errors and validate circuits, offering a second set of eyes before designs are finalized. The beta version is launching quietly with select customers as the team focuses on accuracy and reliability.
“The cost of a hardware mistake is so much higher than a software mistake,” Ratner said. “That’s why we’re being deliberate about how we roll out AI.”
Dumont added that customer demand for AI in hardware validation is high, and the goal is to improve engineering efficiency without compromising quality. With this next phase, AllSpice is carving out a future where hardware design collaboration becomes as streamlined and intelligent as software development has become.
