Building the Future of AR Gaming: A Conversation with Natalie Testa and Jake Sally of Jadu

Building the Future of AR Gaming: A Conversation with Natalie Testa and Jake Sally of Jadu

Author: Burkland September 21, 2023 Duration: 28:46
Welcome to Startup Success, the podcast for startup founders and investors. Today’s special episode is guest-hosted by Steve Lord, Managing Director of Burkland's CFO Practice and FinTech Group. Join us as Steve welcomes Natalie Testa and Jake Sally of Jadu, an independent AR studio. The engaging conversation touches on the challenges and opportunities of working in a startup, the company's AR game evolution, the metaverse concept, the impact of AI on their processes, and the importance of building joy into company culture.

We discuss:
  • The pivot from crypto to AR at Jadu
  • Monetization strategies in the AR space
  • Are we at a plateau with Moore’s law regarding game development costs?
  • What should “impact" mean at a startup?
Natalie Testa is the Vice President of Finance at Jadu, a fast-growing startup that develops next-gen augmented reality games for mobile. With over ten years of experience in finance and operations, Natalie has a proven track record of driving organizational improvement and leading successful and high-achieving teams.

Jake Sally is the COO at Jadu and is an Industry-leading, Emmy-nominated producer, public speaker, and champion of independent artists dedicated to building the pipeline, vernacular, and stories of the next-generation content ecosystems for audiences worldwide.

** Keep an eye out for Jadu’s first mobile AR Fighting Game – launching this fall! **

Tuning into Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors feels less like attending a formal lecture and more like pulling up a chair in a room full of people who have actually built and funded companies. Hosted by the team at Burkland, the conversations here move beyond theory to focus on the tangible, often messy, realities of scaling a business. You’ll find episodes that feel timely, addressing the specific challenges and opportunities that founders and investors are navigating right now. The dialogue is driven by guests who have lived it-founders recounting pivotal moments from their journey and investors explaining the nuances behind their decisions. This isn't about generic advice; it's about the operational details that make or break growth. Each discussion naturally narrows in on a single, critical pressure point, whether that's untangling a complex financing round, refining a go-to-market strategy, or building a culture that can withstand rapid hiring. The value of this podcast lies in its specificity and the credibility of the voices featured. It serves as a practical resource for anyone actively involved in the lifecycle of a startup, offering perspectives that are immediately applicable to your own work. By focusing on real stories and current trends, the series provides a grounded, actionable look at what genuine progress requires from both sides of the founder-investor relationship.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors
Podcast Episodes
Why the Intersection of B2B SaaS and AI is So Exciting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:56
If you're looking for an uplifting conversation on the intersection of SaaS and AI, look no further.Jim Gochee’s passion for B2B SaaS is real and inspiring! Jim is the CEO of Blameless, a SRE platform that empowers engin…
How a Media Startup is Revolutionizing an Entire Industry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:43
Today’s guest, Griffin O'Brien, CEO of Estate Media, shares his journey from a traditional media background to founding a unique startup and video-first platform for real estate. We explore how Griff and his co-founders…
Mastering Your Startup's Financials with Real-Time Accounting [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:01
Accounting as a superhero? It may sound far-fetched, but after this conversation, you’ll completely understand!Today’s guest is Sasha Orloff, Co-Founder & CEO of Puzzle. He shares his experiences in the startup ecosystem…
Unlocking Your Leadership Potential w/ Jason Weeman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:12
Leadership Coaches seem to be a dime a dozen in this workforce landscape. There are plenty of “coaches” out there who market themselves as experts but do not have the clout to back them up. That’s not the case with our g…
Navigating the PE and M&A Landscapes: Insights for Founders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:37
In this episode, we start by diving into the complexities founders face when navigating private equity (PE) interest. Next, we discuss M&A activity and areas that are critical for founders to address. Founders will learn…
A Story of Savvy Moves Every Startup Founder Can Learn From [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:35
Welcome to another episode of Startup Success, a podcast for founders and investors, hosted by Kate Adams. Today we are joined by Miles Cole, Co-Founder and CEO at Follow. Miles shares how his founding team took the time…