Simply Briefed Season 3 E22: What makes an idea worth betting on?
- Kristine Lium
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Why some ideas take off – and others never leave the runway
Not every idea becomes something real — even when the tools to build have never been more accessible. In today’s AI-driven landscape, the distance between idea and execution is shrinking, yet the gap between a clever concept and a meaningful solution remains wide.
In this episode, we sit down with Jon Kåre Stene, Co-founder & Partner at Skyfall Ventures to explore what actually separates the ideas that take off from those that fade. Not just from a VC perspective, but from the perspective of anyone trying to understand how innovation happens today.
Key topics
How early-stage investors read signals long before traction
Why real problems matter more than clever ideas
How AI tools shorten the distance from idea to impact
What makes founders stand out in fast-moving environments
“The time from idea to impact is getting shorter — that’s the biggest shift we’re living through.”
The mindset behind spotting “10% moonshot” potential
The culture shift inside the modern startup ecosystem
Episode 22: What makes an idea worth betting on?
– With Jon Kåre Stene, Co-founder & Partner Skyfall Ventures
This weeks episode
Every week brings a new wave of AI tools, startups, and product launches. It can feel like the world is overflowing with innovation — yet only a small fraction of ideas turn into something lasting. Why?
Jon Kåre Stene has spent his career on both sides: building disruptive companies and backing the next generation. He explains that ideas don’t become investable because they are exciting or technically impressive. They become investable because they solve a real problem, at the right moment, with a team that understands how to navigate uncertainty.
Today’s AI tools lower the threshold for experimentation. Small teams can build fast, test fast, and reach users without the old structural barriers. But speed doesn’t replace insight. In fact, the faster technology moves, the more clarity matters — knowing what problem you’re solving, who needs it, and why now.
We also talk about the “10% chance to go to the moon” mindset: the ability to see early signals of potential long before traction. And we explore why curiosity, ambition, and endurance still set founders apart in a world where the time from idea to impact has never been shorter.
This conversation is for anyone — not just builders — who wants to understand what makes an idea worth betting on.
Key topics
How early-stage investors read signals long before traction
Why real problems matter more than clever ideas
What makes founders stand out in fast-moving environments
Why some ideas gain momentum while others disappear
The mindset behind spotting “10% moonshot” potential
The culture shift inside the modern startup ecosystem
“Most people look for why something will fail. We look for the 10% chance it could go to the moon.”
🎧 Listen now on Spotify!
Host: Kristine Lium
About the guest
Name: Jon Kåre Stene
Title: Co-founder & Partner, Skyfall Venture
Background: Investing in extraordinary people as a partner in Skyfall Ventures
Experienced technology disruptors first hand as in Schibsted, became a disruptor building Oda, a Norwegian e-commerce grocery company, now investing in the next generation of tech disruptors through Skyfall Ventures.
Contact: LinkedIn
👉 Listen to What makes an idea worth betting on? On Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or click the link below
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