A long-shunned Silicon Valley technology sector—consumer-electronics start-ups—is showing some surprising signs of life.
Entrepreneurs in California have quietly launched dozens of small hardware companies, designing everything from smart wristwatches to digital thermostats. The typical business plan: raise enough money to create prototypes in the U.S. that can be manufactured in Asia and sold online.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444900304577577192843536780.html