Interview with Arik Vrobel, Founder and CEO of Cableteque

Welcome to the latest edition of the Founder Spotlight interview with Arik Vrobel, the Founder and CEO of Cableteque, a startup established in 2023 focused on developing AI-based CAD tools and proprietary Design Rule Checking (DRC) algorithms. The market for AI-based CAD tools is experiencing rapid and transformative growth, with the global AI in CAD market projected to expand from USD 2.3 billion in 2023 to approximately USD 12.6 billion by 2033, reflecting a robust CAGR of 18.5% during this period.

Cableteque’s technology leverages advanced machine learning to improve design validation, reduce errors, and optimize the quoting process in wire harness manufacturing, serving aerospace, defense, and commercial space industries.

Could you share your professional journey, from leading El-Com Systems to founding Cableteque?

My journey in the wire harness industry spans over three decades. At my former company, El-Com Systems, I built and scaled a global leader in high-reliability interconnect solutions, generating over $1B with record profitability, before leading the company’s acquisition in 2021. Throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand how design inefficiencies in wiring harnesses create costly delays and rework. Frustrated by the lack of intelligent tools to validate designs before manufacturing, I founded Cableteque—a SaaS company that brings domain expertise, automation, and predictive analytics to an industry that’s long overdue for digital transformation.

What inspired you to venture into the wire harness industry and develop solutions like Predictive Interconnect Analytics (PIA)?

I’ve always been driven by simplifying complexity and making technology work better. The wire harness industry is critical to modern electronics, but it’s plagued by design errors, miscommunications, and inefficiencies that drive up costs and lead times. After selling El-Com, I realized that no existing tool effectively addressed these pain points—so I built one. Our 1^st application PIA (Predictive Interconnect Analytics) is designed to bridge the gap between engineering and manufacturing, ensuring designs are optimized before production even begins.  We have also released another application Quoteque, which automates the product costing/quoting streamlining a process from weeks to days.  Both applications are highly innovative and disruptive to this industry.

Can you explain the core functionalities of Cableteque’s PIA and how it differentiates from other tools in the market?

With our PIA and Quoteque applications we took very different approaches than the current tools that are in the market, which are mostly CAD-based.  At its core, PIA is a real-time validation and enhancement tool that ensures wire harness designs are error-free, optimized for manufacturing, and aligned with supply chain constraints before they reach production.

• Automated Design Validation: Detects errors before they become costly production issues.
• Manufacturability Optimization: Flags design choices that could impact cost, assembly, or testability.
• Supply Chain Intelligence: Embeds real-time component availability and pricing, so engineers don’t design with obsolete or overpriced parts.

Unlike other tools that focus solely on CAD drafting, PIA brings predictive analytics and actionable insights into the workflow—reducing rework, lowering costs, and accelerating time to market.

How does PIA integrate with existing CAD tools, and what benefits does this integration offer to users?

PIA is designed to be CAD-agnostic, meaning it integrates seamlessly with tools like Zuken, Siemens Capital, and Altium. Our goal is to enhance—not replace—existing workflows, so engineers can validate their designs within their native CAD environment. The benefits include:

• Instant Error Detection: Eliminates guesswork by providing immediate feedback on design flaws.
• Faster Iterations: Engineers get real-time manufacturability insights, reducing the back-and-forth with production teams.
• Cost-Saving Decisions: By embedding supply chain data, PIA helps teams avoid design choices that lead to sourcing delays or high material costs.

Can you share any success stories or feedback from clients who have benefited from using PIA?

We’ve had OEMs and contract manufacturers tell us that PIA saves them weeks of design review time and prevents costly late-stage changes. One of our customers, a tier-1 aerospace supplier, saw a 40% reduction in design errors within the first few months of implementation. Another contract manufacturer reported fewer engineering change orders (ECOs), reducing their rework expenses by over 30%.

How do you envision the future of Wire Harness Design, Supply Chain and Contract Manufacturing, and what role do you see Cableteque playing in that future?

The industry is heading toward greater automation, real-time data integration, and AI-driven decision-making. In the next 5 years, I see:

• A shift from static to dynamic designs—where engineers receive real-time feedback on manufacturability and supply chain factors.
• More digital collaboration—where OEMs and contract manufacturers work in connected, data-driven ecosystems.
• AI-assisted design and procurement, reducing reliance on manual quoting, sourcing, and BOM validation.

Cableteque is leading this transformation by providing the first intelligent platform that bridges engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing in real time.

Congratulations on securing the recent angel investment of $1,900,000! How do you anticipate this angel investment will influence Cableteque’s growth trajectory and market presence?

Thank you! This investment accelerates our roadmap in three key ways:

• Expanding Our Product Offering – Enhancing PIA’s AI capabilities and integrating deeper with supply chain networks.
• Adding additional applications such as Quoteque and others that we have on our roadmap
• Growing Our Market Reach – Expanding our go-to-market strategy, focusing on contract manufacturers, aerospace, and automotive OEMs.
• Scaling our data – we aim to have the broadest and deepest data library in the interconnect domain.
• Enhancing our AI and ML tools.

This funding is a strategic step toward establishing PIA as the industry standard for harness design validation.  In addition to the latest round I, as the founder, have invested over $3M as pre-seed funding to develop our initial product.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your journey with Cableteque so far?

The most rewarding part has been building something that truly solves a long-standing problem. Seeing our customers move from frustration to efficiency—where they no longer have to second-guess their designs or fight sourcing challenges—is incredibly fulfilling. Also, assembling a world-class team that shares the same passion for transforming this space has been a highlight.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to innovate in the manufacturing and technology sectors?

• Obsess over the problem, not the solution. Your first idea won’t be perfect, but a deep understanding of the real pain points will guide you.
• Build for adoption, not just innovation. The best technology is useless if customers can’t easily integrate it into their workflow.
• Surround yourself with the right people. A great team will push your vision forward, especially when challenges arise.
• Be relentless in execution. Ideas are cheap—execution is what differentiates great companies from failed startups.