From Blinky Lights to Avocado OS: Justin Schneck on Building the Future of Embedded Linux
In this highly engaging episode, Jillian Kaplan talks with Justin Schneck, co-founder of Peridio, whose path to embedded systems engineering started not in a lab—but behind a drum kit in Hollywood. Justin shares his journey from musician and recording engineer to embedded Linux expert and open-source innovator.
The episode dives deep into Justin’s early work building a remote-start motorcycle (complete with a blinky light jacket), his passion for building developer-friendly tools, and how he’s helping modernize embedded Linux with Avocado OS—a new platform designed to simplify and secure the next generation of edge and AI-powered devices.
Key Takeaways:
- True innovation is often born from curiosity and obsession, not a roadmap.
- The best tools are ones that make complexity beautiful and approachable.
- Embedded Linux needs a new paradigm—one that supports composability, security, and AI workloads.
- Creative backgrounds (like music) can fuel visionary thinking in engineering and product design.
- Building embedded devices in 2025 means managing multiple software domains—not just one firmware image.Episode Highlights:
- The origin story of Peridio and Avocado OS
- Why Justin walked away from the music industry and into tech
- The motorcycle that started it all (with custom LEDs, of course)
- Lessons from building and scaling the open-source Nerves project
- Why traditional firmware delivery no longer scales for modern hardware
- Making secure boot, encryption, and OTA updates developer-friendly
Quotable Moment:
“Security shouldn’t be an afterthought—it just needs someone to make it beautiful.” – Justin Schneck
Resources & Links:
- Learn more about Peridio
- Explore Avocado OS