Episode synopsis

What does it take to turn a struggling startup into a global force for public safety?

For Max Nerheim — Axon’s first electrical engineer — it started with a $20,000 fixed-price contract, a lab in a literal broom closet, and the guts to tell the founders their original design was “a piece of junk.” In this episode of the Boldly Go Podcast, Rick Smith and Mike Wagers sit down with the man who holds more TASER patents than anyone on the planet. Max shares the untold “Wild West” history behind the M26 and X26 — from testing prototypes in his garage to out-innovating PhDs who thought they knew more. You’ll hear the story of a parking-lot confrontation with a patent lawyer trying to shake the company down — and why TASER 7 remains one of Max’s favorite designs. Oh — and since the statute of limitations has passed, you’ll also hear about a roadside encounter with a deer.