#87 Catholic Founders Should Build Hard Things That Benefit Others | Jakob Diepenbrock
Catholic Founders
Listen on: Fio (Catholic Spotify) | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Discover why Catholic founders must build hard tech and physical manufacturing to reindustrialize America. In this episode, Silas Mähner speaks with Jakob Diepenbrock—founder of Discipulus Ventures—about shifting from B2B SaaS to real-world solutions, living out virtue in high-stakes entrepreneurship, and finding divine purpose in hard problems. Join the Catholic Founders Guild Today (1) Launch/grow your biz, (2) Learn the Theology of Entrepreneurship, (3) Discover Community, and (4) Transform Culture by making it Catholic. 200+ members and counting. Join today for $100 a year or $10 a month. Curious? --> “What is the Catholic Founders Guild?” News / Updates: * Get merch! Check our online store here. * Attend an in-person event near you --> Luma calendar. * Host a CF meetup in your area. Email us admin@catholicfounders.com. Episode Sponsors & Partners: Our Father Constructors and Associates: Expert owner's representation for parish and diocesan construction projects ($1M–$45M). Protect your capital and run your next build like a pro at ourfather.us or email cristian@ourfather.us. Tom Rooney & Matthew Mohlman: Bringing true stewardship to private markets, wealth management, and retirement plans. Schedule an estate health check today at Catholic Founders Financial. ParacleteVA: Hire vetted, overseas Catholic remote talent across all domains. Email catholicfounders@gmail.com to start your candidate search ($500 placement fee). Key Moments & Timestamps: (00:38) Intro: The hard tech revival & guest Jakob Diepenbrock (03:19) Discipulus Ventures & the hard tech residency model (04:39) Jakob’s background: Side hustles & Steve Ballmer’s family office (08:22) El Segundo: The shift toward physical manufacturing & defense (12:57) Launching the fund: From MVP accelerator to $30M Fund II (20:54) The Founder’s Advantage: Why virtue creates resilient startup teams (24:05) Solving righteous problems vs. net-negative tech (28:43) Balancing daily Mass and prayer with heavy startup demands (31:21) Finding high-achieving mentors in business and faith (35:17) Funding magnificence: The duty to execute world-altering projects (38:14) Rapid Fire: Colossians, Peter Thiel, and Palmer Luckey (47:01) Outro & ways to connect Featured Companies, People & Resources: Companies: Discipulus Ventures, Rainmaker, Numinar, SpaceX, Anduril, Oculus People: Steve Ballmer, Augustus Doricko, Palmer Luckey, Will O’Brien, St. Josemaria Escriva, Peter Thiel Books: The Way by St. Josemaria Escriva, Wild at Heart by John Eldredge Scripture: Colossians 3:23-24 Connect & Join the Community: Apply to the Discipulus Ventures Cohort Join 200+ Catholic entrepreneurs in the Catholic Founders Guild Shop official apparel in the Catholic Founders Store Follow upcoming meetups on the Luma Calendar or email admin@catholicfounders.com to host an event This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.catholicfounders.com/subscribe
About Podcast
In modern times, it's become more unclear than ever how to unite our faith with our work. It's even harder when you run a business. However, just as there is a holy way to live, there is a holy way to build and run our businesses.
Fundamentally, our skills were given to us by God so that we may become instruments of His will. These skills are not for our own use. Therefore, to waste or misuse them is a grave thing. This entire project is born out of a deep belief in this truth.
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