It seems like hardware and manufacturing technologies (like 3D printing) are at a point where unique hardware form factors can be designed and mailed to a business, which can then produce them for individuals at a reasonable price.
The business gets to keep design concepts for mass production if desired. The individual gets the devices he/she wants.
In this way individuals get devices that fulfill a specific need without having to create a startup for one more amalgamation of existing technologies.
The costs of such a company could be mitigated by coupling non-disclosure agreements with customers in exchange for the cheaper prices.
The customer and others can use the company's website to build and design or submit hardware products to build. The company agrees not to withhold any product variants from production and sale, but can create and combine any other ideas they own.
Customers could have specific design power over their electronics for a reasonable price.
It is not as open as open source, but it is not as restrictive as the model we have now.
ie: try finding a basic alarm device that has 6 or more alarms. Phones have multiple alarms, and some watches. They also sell single alarm devices and single timer devices . . . just nothing in between.
ie: a usb macro device. It intercepts the keyboard to output strings of text with custom keystrokes.
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