The Leading Provider of Cutting-Edge Industrial and Medical Computer Solutions: Teguar Corporation

Founded in 2010, Teguar is a provider of industrial and medical computer solutions. The computers are not the run of the mill consumer PCs which dominate mass markets; these are industrial and medical computers specially designed to provide reliable performance in the most demanding environments.

The story of Teguar dates back to 2006 when CEO Jonathan Staub and his wife moved from Switzerland to the United States to help a German computer manufacturer get started. The computers were manufactured for industrial and pharmaceutical environments. Although they were great computers, they were also heavy, bulky, and expensive — just like German cars.

With a vision for a less expensive product — slimmer, lighter, and with a more attractive design —Staub decided to reach out to some Asian contract manufacturers in Taiwan who agreed with the idea of providing this kind of computer. In 2010, he and his wife started Teguar and began offering a computer for industrial environments which was half the price and weight of what they were able to offer from the German company.

In-Conversation with Jonathan Staub, CEO of Teguar Corporation:

Q. How successful was your first project? Share the experience.

Our first successful project was when we partnered with a company that builds ERP software for food manufacturers. They needed to find a computer that could go into food manufacturing facilities because the work environment is so harsh. The facility is washed down two or three times a day and they needed the computers to be waterproof. It was a great challenge for them.

We were able to work with this company to offer a stainless steel computer — fully waterproof and IP67 protected. We presented a great product and together with that business offer, we opened the door for food manufacturers across the United States and Canada to have our hardware installed in combination with the software of this partner.

Q. What are the challenges you faced in the initial years of Teguar?

When we first started, there were so many opportunities in the market that we became distracted in our focus. Even though we knew where we had the most knowledge, we needed to find our sweet spot and our market niche. We started to offer a wider product range for different industries which made our operations exponentially more complex and more difficult. In order to remedy this, we began implementing solid processes and structures that we could then scale up from.

Q. When it comes to adaptability, how do you stay relevant to the consumers’ interests and needs in this highly volatile market?

We are in the computer industry which is probably one of the fastest-changing markets. Every year, Intel brings out new components and new chips and that makes them stay in front of cutting-edge technology. Fortunately for us, the industry of industrial and medical environments is not as fast paced as the consumer industry. This gives us time to look at what platform we want to offer.

We accomplish this by using our product management team that is constantly involved in conversations with customers and bringing back information from the market. With that information, our product managers then communicate with our Asian design teams to deliver what we need in order to stay on the cutting-edge of technology.

Q. How do you keep your employees happy and help them maintain a work-life balance?

At Teguar, we know what is important to attract and maintain talent. We offer a family-friendly environment and our team is like a big family. There is no expectation on how to dress; we want our team to be comfortable in an environment that lends itself to productivity. We have parties on Friday afternoons and do company outings every other month.

Some of our recent company events include skiing, bowling, and our annual boating event where we rent a boat and go out on the lake for an afternoon. For us, it is important that we value our employees — our people who work side by side with us every day. We work hard and play hard!

Q. Why the name ‘Teguar’?

There is really no meaning behind the word Teguar. I wanted to have a short .com name and as a young company established in 2010, there was nothing meaningful available. I did a lot of research and domain checking, but I couldn’t find anything available that I liked.

Then, when I was driving in my car one day, I saw a Volkswagen Tiguan in front of me. I liked the name Tiguan, so I went to see if Tiguan.com was available. Of course it was not, so I tried Teguar instead. It was available and I liked it, period. That’s how Teguar got its name.

The Future Roadmap

Teguar is currently working on a brand new product: A medically certified tablet PC with a handle and a scanner. This new tablet computer will be going into healthcare facilities for nurses and doctors to use on-the-go with their EMR data immediately and conveniently accessible. Teguar is also planning to further invest in expanding their rugged tablet PC product line in order to meet the demand of this growing market trend.

Teguar also has an office in Europe and just opened another location in Taipei this year which is an exciting milestone for the company. The Taiwan office is strategic to supporting the company’s global growth. Looking to the future, Teguar sees itself continuing to expand its global presence with offices in Central and South America and maybe even somewhere in China.

Greet the Chief

Jonathan Staub, CEO of Teguar Corporation: Jonathan is an entrepreneur with 16 years of experience in the computer hardware industry and is passionate about being on the cutting edge of technology. He holds dual citizenship in Switzerland and the United States.

Jonathan is a licensed helicopter pilot and enjoys traveling the globe for business, charity, and exploration. He and his wife have 3 boys and enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities including water sports such as kite surfing and wakeboarding.

“We believe in Excellence. Excellence in the quality of our products, the quality of our customer service, and the quality of our team.”