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