F ictiv ’ s manufacturing platform pairs intelligent workflow and collaboration software with a global network of highly vetted manufacturers , from prototype to production . The company emerged while CEO Dave Evans was working in the automotive industry at a research lab in California . Ford was keen to innovate at the speed of Silicon Valley , but the development cycle for consumer electronics is six months . Back in 2013 , while working on infotainment systems , Evans was challenged by Ford to figure out how to move development cycles closer together . “ Dave was trying to iterate automotive dashboards at the pace of consumer electronics , in a matter of weeks not years ,” explains Mike Geyer , Fictiv ’ s Head of Business Development . “ But he found it was incredibly challenging to get physical prototypes made , either because Ford ’ s internal resources moved on much longer development cycles , or outsourced suppliers refused Ford ’ s projects .”