Building Better Startups: Inside the Venture Builder Mindset

Building Better Startups: Inside the Venture Builder Mindset

Author: Stephen Statler June 3, 2025 Duration: 50:13

This week on Mr. Beacon, Mark Jacobstein—Co-Founder of Near Horizon and former colleague of Sam Altman—joins us to unpack the evolving venture landscape. We discuss AI’s impact, fundraising challenges, and how his venture builder model helps startups go from idea to execution. Mark shares personal lessons from Silicon Valley, career advice for the next generation, and why staying curious is key. A sharp, insightful conversation for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone navigating tech’s rapid shifts.


Mark’s Top 3 Favorite Songs:




Mister Beacon is hosted by Steve Statler, CEO of AmbAI Inc. — creators of AmbAI, the AI agent that connects people to products and the brands behind them. AmbAI also advises leading brands on Ambient Intelligence strategy.




Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Hosted by Stephen Statler, author of the book "Beacon Technologies," The Mr. Beacon Ambient IoT Podcast explores the quiet revolution happening at the intersection of our physical and digital lives. This isn't about far-off futures; it's about the proximity and location technologies being deployed right now, from Bluetooth beacons to broader ambient IoT systems, that are fundamentally changing how we interact with the world. Each episode features a direct conversation with the founders, engineers, and executives leading companies at the very center of this transformation. You'll hear specific, grounded discussions about the real-world challenges and opportunities in designing solutions that leverage location awareness. The dialogue goes beyond theory, delving into the practical business and technology decisions shaping this space. For anyone curious about how our environments are becoming smarter and more responsive, this podcast offers an essential, behind-the-scenes look at the people making it happen. Tune in for thoughtful interviews that cut through the hype to examine the actual tools and strategies building the connected world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Mr. Beacon Ambient IoT Podcast
Podcast Episodes
AI Meets IoT: Ersan Günes on Inpixon’s Vision for Smarter Factories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:58
In this episode of the Mr. Beacon Podcast, we unpack Avery Dennison & Wiliot’s latest partnership, share lessons from coding with AI tools like Cursor, and explore Amazon’s Alexa+ upgrade. Then, we sit down with Ersan Gü…
Jason Wu on $1 Bluetooth Beacons & Qualcomm’s RFID Chip for Phones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:33
This week on the Mr. Beacon Podcast, Qualcomm’s new Dragon Wing Q6690 chip, bringing RFID to smartphones—a long-promised shift for auto-ID and IoT. We also speak with Jason Wu, CEO of InPlay, about the $1 Bluetooth beaco…
Wiliot Gen 3: Scaling Ambient IoT [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:05
In this episode of the Mr. Beacon Podcast, we welcome back Amir Khoshniyati, Head of Strategy and Business Development at Wiliot. Amir shares insights on Gen 3 battery-free Bluetooth tags, why they’re a breakthrough for…
Battery-Free Sensors & the Future of IoT [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:30
This week on Mr. Beacon, we welcome back Giampaolo Marino of Energous to discuss the company’s new battery-free Bluetooth sensor and software platform, e-Compass. We’ll explore how ambient IoT is transforming cold chain,…
Power from the Shadows: Dracula Technologies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:59
In this episode of the Mr. Beacon Podcast, Jérôme Vernet, VP of Sales at Dracula Technologies, reveals how inkjet-printed organic photovoltaics harvest energy from ambient light—even indoors—to power IoT devices without…
Smart Labels, Smarter Business with Adrich CEO Adhithi Aji [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:05
In this episode, Adhithi Aji, CEO of Adrich, shares how her company’s smart labels turn everyday products into connected devices that track usage and auto-replenish—no app needed. Discover how Adrich is driving ROI, sust…
From Failure to Funding: Sze Wong on Reinventing Venture Studios [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:22
In this episode of the Mr. Beacon Podcast, Sze Wong—Co-Founder of Zenith Venture Studio—shares his journey from startup failures to building a venture studio that offers more than just funding. Learn how Sze helps non-te…
Let Your Product Talk: Digital Product Passports with Thomas Roedding [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:24
This week on the Mr. Beacon Podcast, Thomas Roedding, CEO of Narravero, unpacks the rise of Digital Product Passports (DPPs). We explore how DPPs drive compliance, sustainability, and customer engagement under EU regulat…
Building the Future of IoT: Kirsten Newquist’s Vision for Identiv [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:22
In this episode of the Mr. Beacon Podcast, Kirsten Newquist, CEO of Identiv, shares her journey from Avery Dennison to leading one of the most innovative companies in IoT. Kirsten discusses Identiv’s unique engineering,…