Innovative Venture Accelerator
Our Mission
At Silicon Beach Ventures, our mission is to empower visionary founders who develop AI and tech-enabled solutions that address real-world problems. We accelerate early-stage startups through hands-on support, strategic partnerships, and investor connections—bridging the gap between innovation and impact.
About Silicon-Beach.ai (SB.ai)
Silicon-Beach.ai (SB.ai) is a cutting-edge venture studio and accelerator dedicated to guiding AI and tech startups from concept to real-world traction. With strong roots in Southern California and Jacksonville, our team delivers tailored support in product strategy, business development, and fundraising.
Silicon Beach Pitch Events
A cornerstone of our model is the Silicon Beach Pitch Events —a high-impact event series designed to connect promising startups with a curated audience of investors, enterprise partners, and early adopters.
These events serve as a launchpad for visibility, feedback, and growth.
Direct Engagements
For select startups ready to execute a go-to-market strategy, SB.ai offers direct engagement, working side by side with founders to refine messaging, secure strategic relationships, and accelerate customer acquisition. Our goal is simple: help founders turn bold ideas into market-shaping companies.
Join Silicon Beach Pitch Events: Here!
Our Founder
Jason Engelhardt
Founder
Jason Engelhardt
Jason began his career at the renowned entertainment division of Gelfand, Renner & Feldman—then part of Cooper & Lybrand—where he gained deep insights into the business of media and talent representation. He later became the International Director of Finance for a multinational media company, before joining American Express in International Finance. Over time, Jason made a strategic transition into marketing and product management, where he led the launch of innovative products and services that drove exceptional growth and user engagement.
He spent over 20 years on Wall Street, holding senior leadership roles at the Bank of New York and JPMorgan. While at JPMorgan, Jason developed and launched dozens of financial products, generating between $100M and $500M in annual recurring revenue and helping scale a $52 billion business. His final role in financial services was as CFO of Wealth Management at TIAA, where he and the leadership team grew the business across every major metric, from advisor networks and assets under management to national office expansion.
In parallel with his finance career, Jason also pursued entrepreneurial and creative ventures. As a self-directed project, he founded Rockstarz, Inc., where he produced music education DVDs and segments that aired on A&E and MTV, featuring actual recording artists teaching fans how to play their songs. Jason also wrote and developed a television show concepts that advanced to the ABC Television up-fronts, ultimately finishing second only to Ugly Betty in its programming slate.
Since stepping away from institutional finance, Jason has continued to be an active force in the startup ecosystem. He played a key role in fundraising efforts tied to an NBA franchise acquisition and has served as President of multiple AI and FinTech companies.
Today, as a founding partner at Silicon Beach Ventures, Jason leverages his deep cross-industry experience to help startups build real businesses with long-term value.
CTO - In Residence
Matisse VerDuyn
CTO in Residence
Matisse VerDuyn
With over 15 years of experience in software architecture and development, Matisse VerDuyn is the creator of PackageJS.Ai—a powerful low-code meta-framework that enables developers to build full-stack web and mobile applications in days rather than months.
Designed for flexibility and scale, PackageJS empowers startups to rapidly test and iterate on new ideas, while also offering on-premise deployment options for enterprises prioritizing security and compliance.
A seasoned entrepreneur, Matisse has founded and contributed to multiple successful startups, bringing deep expertise in both technology and venture building to the Silicon Beach community.
Partners and Sponsors
