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TJ Dembinksi, Eagle Electronics: Onshoring America's Critical Technologies
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TJ Dembinski, Eagle Electronics: Onshoring America's Critical Technologies
The O.H.I.O. Fund Report's first episode features TJ Dembinski, co-founder and CEO of Eagle Electronics — dedicated to on-shoring America’s critical technology supply chain, starting with the IoT and automotive-grade cellular modules — and Jeffrey Stern, Principal at The O.H.I.O. Fund.
This conversation traces a fascinating arc — one that begins with the macro and geopolitical forces shaping global commerce and lands in a Northeast Ohio advanced micro-electronic manufacturing floor where Eagle Electronics is domestically building one of the most critical pieces of our digital infrastructure: the cellular module.
TJ's story, and the founding of Eagle, is deeply embedded in these broader structural shifts — from the decoupling of U.S. global supply chains to the bipartisan momentum around domestic manufacturing and reindustrialization, to the evolving national security concerns that now govern the production of connected technologies.
Before founding Eagle, TJ was a Partner at Drive Capital, where he spent over five years exploring and investing at the frontiers of emerging technologies — from AI to cybersecurity to advanced manufacturing. In our conversation, we explore how his vantage point as an investor informed his transition to becoming a founder, and how Eagle emerged from an intersection of powerful global tailwinds and one very specific customer need.
We also talk about the nuances of reshoring, what onshoring looks like in practice, what cellular modules are, and why Ohio — of all places — is emerging as the epicenter of America’s next industrial chapter. From partnerships to cutting-edge automation, from regulatory and security considerations to hard-earned insights about what it actually takes to build something physical at scale — TJ brings an insightful clarity to one of the most exciting, complex, and important entrepreneurial movements underway today and how Eagle Electronics is positioned to lead within it.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tj-dembinski/
https://www.eagleelectronics.com/
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[00:00:00] Eagle Electronics
[00:01:17] Introducing TJ Dembinski
[00:02:57] The Macro Trends Shaping Eagle Electronics
[00:06:03] Transition from Investing to Entrepreneurship
[00:07:54] Eagle's Origin Story
[00:08:51] Advanced Manufacturing and Onshoring
[00:11:23] Political Drivers of Reindustrialization
[00:12:21] Defining Critical Technologies
[00:13:42] Why Ohio?
[00:16:02] What is Eagle Electronics?
[00:17:00] What is a Cellular Module?
[00:17:46] Setting Up U.S. Manufacturing
[00:18:59] Regulatory Environment
[00:21:22] Addressing Real vs. Perceived Risk
[00:23:11] Startup Life Cycle
[00:23:47] Eagle's Market Strategy and Vision
[00:26:25] Workforce & Talent for Manufacturing
[00:28:13] Market Timing and Competition
[00:30:01] Learnings as Investor and Founder
[00:32:00] Capital and Funding in Ohio
[00:34:34] Enabling Ohio's Manufacturing Ecosystem
[00:37:15] Building in Hardware vs. Software
[00:41:26] Fostering Nuance and International Collaboration
[00:42:30] Earned Wisdom and Entrepreneurial Journey
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