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Power from the Shadows: Dracula Technologies

How printable organic photovoltaics are changing the game for battery-free IoT

· Ambient IoT,IoT

This week on the Mr. Beacon Podcast, we head to the French Alps—not for skiing, but to meet a different kind of Dracula. Our guest, Jérôme Vernet, VP of Sales at Dracula Technologies, explains how his company is pioneering inkjet-printed organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules that can harvest energy from ambient light, even in low-lux environments.

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Forget the rooftop solar panels you know—these paper-thin, customizable cells are designed to power IoT devices indoors, where traditional solar struggles. From electronic shelf labels to smart building sensors, asset trackers, and beyond, Dracula’s technology offers a way to eliminate batteries, reduce maintenance costs, and improve sustainability. The modules can be printed in virtually any shape or size, integrated into existing designs, and tuned to meet the precise energy needs of a device—whether that’s a tiny RFID tag or a larger location tracker.

Jérôme shares how Dracula’s OPVs are enabling semi-active RFID, LoRa sensors, and other low-power devices to run for years without battery swaps—sometimes even harvesting enough energy from moonlight to function. We dive into the advantages over other harvesting methods like RF energy, the role of power management circuits, and how combining technologies can maximize uptime.

Beyond the tech, Jérôme’s personal story is just as compelling—starting in sales at a tiny French company, running his own international business, and then joining Dracula as employee #4. His insights touch on product design, global business culture, and the importance of making technology both effective and elegant.

If you’re interested in ambient IoT, sustainable energy solutions, or simply love hearing how transformative technologies are born and scaled, this episode delivers both inspiration and deep technical insight.

Jerome’s Top 3 Favorite Songs:

  • “Under Pressure” by Queen & David Bowie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ8ixdXRCOo
  • “My Lady Blue” by Eric Serra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWlqFFAQ4Vk
  • “Un Homme Heureux” by William Sheller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiZh-_Jlofk

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

Our sponsor is Identiv https://www.identiv.com, whose IoT solutions create digital identities for physical objects, enhancing global connectivity for businesses, people, and the planet. We are also sponsored by Blecon http://www.blecon.net. Blecon enables physical products to communicate with cloud applications using Bluetooth Low Energy.

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Battery-Free Sensors & the Future of IoT
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