Brian Sathianathan
Co-Fouder/Cheif Digital Officer/Cheif Technology Officer
Innovation Platform and AI | Strategy & Curation
Before Iterate, Brian was a part of the seed-stage investment team at Turner, looking for startups in the Social, Consumer, Advertising, and Recommendation spaces. Over two years, he made 13 investments, saw two of those companies be acquired (one by Apple). Before Turner, he founded Avot Media, a video transcoding platform built for Mobile, where he was CEO. Customer list included companies like Warner Bros. Avot was acquired by Smith Micro, a public company based in Orange County. At Smith Micro, Brian became the head of the video business and was responsible for strategy, vision, and integration. Before Avot, Brian held management positions over eight years at Apple. For 6 of those, he leads iPhone and Intel Mac initiatives within Apple's very private Secret Products group. He led two core groups that designed the security and activation platform for the first iPhone, and he holds patents in those areas. Brian was initially hired by Apple for his software development and encryption skills.
More About Brian Sathianathan
Most Successful Innovation Project You've Worked On
iPhone
Second Most Successful Innovation Project You've Worked On
Avot
Fun Tidbits
What do you like about working with Iterate?
From my perspective, we are the only company in the world, trying to disrupt innovation through software, platforms, and ecosystems. I believe in Marc Andreesen's statement that software will eat the world. I believe the world of digital innovation is prime for this form of disruption. I am on a crusade to make that happen via Iterate's platforms and Interplay.
Interesting Thing People Might Not Know About You?
I am very good at making mudslides. For my wife’s school reunion, the bartender was late, I jumped in and made mudslides for a few guests.
Favorite Books About Innovation and Why
One Favorite Book
by Mike Isaac
Brian's thoughts: I like this book because it walks through Uber’s rapid growth and its people's failures. Even with all its losses, Uber used software and growth hacking to disrupt the deeply established transportation industry. I got a real kick out of how they built "Greyball''. Our technology has far advanced and surpassed the laws, governments, and ecosystems in place today. We need to catch up fast.
Another Favorite Book
by Safi Bahcall
Brian's thoughts: Its a very good practical guide book to create and manage innovation intititives. This book also covers the concept of "Phase Shifts" where innovative people under different cicumstances could become less innovative and vice-versa.
A Third Favorite Book
by Richard Branson
Brian's thoughts: This is the autobography of Sir Richard Branson on how built the Virgin Empire, its a wonderful innovation journey and a fun read.
More Favorites
Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalistby Jason Mendelson and Brad Feld
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Futureby Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motorsby Edward Niedermeyer