Facebook just added a hardware startup to its secret projects
Facebook's old motto was move fast and break things. It just acquired a company that will help it make things fast.
Facebook has acquired Nascent Objects, a startup that streamlines product design and production.
Nascent's products are also modular, in that they are designed to be repurposed. Fast Company reported that the company believes a kit of 15 parts could build about 80 percent of the gadgets that are sold. Among its products are a water-tracking device that can be turned into a drone or a video camera.
You May Also Like
Nascent, founded in February 2014, will join the secretive Building 8, in which Facebook is reportedly working on its most secretive projects.
"Imagine designing, building and delivering a hardware product in just weeks. Instead of months, or even years."
Baback Elmieh, CEO and founder of Nascent Objects, announced the acquisition in a post on the company's website.
"People have become used to the idea that with software, you can have whatever you want, whenever you want it," Elmieh wrote. "We want to make this happen with hardware – and we think Facebook is the best place to make this a reality."
Regina Dugan, head of Building 8, acknowledged the acquisition in a Facebook post and shared a video that provides a look at Nascent.
"Imagine designing, building and delivering a hardware product in just weeks. Instead of months, or even years," Dugan wrote.
"Together, we hope to create hardware at a speed that’s more like software," she added.
The acquisition is notable in that Facebook has not been particularly active in the hardware space, focusing primarily on its core services as well as acquisitions like Instagram and WhatsApp.
Facebook's main hardware interest is in virtual reality. It bought Oculus Rift for $2 billion in March 2014.
Facebook and Nascent did not disclose the financials of the acquisition.
Topics Facebook
Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.
