4screen has developed the world’s first driver interaction platform, which enables businesses to engage with drivers in real-time through connected car displays. Pulse 2.0 interviewed 4screen co-founder and CEO Fabian Beste to learn more.
Fabian Beste’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Beste said:
“My name is Fabian Beste and I am the Co-Founder and CEO of 4screen. Since founding the company in 2020, I have been leading it on our journey to build the world’s first Driver Interaction Platform, connecting brands & businesses with on-the-go customers in real time – directly through the car screen. Before founding 4screen, I gained extensive experience in the automotive and technology sectors. At BMW Group, I worked as an Area Product Owner, where I was involved in the development of the “Hey BMW” voice assistant. Prior to that, I worked as a consultant in a strategy firm focused on the automotive industry. My expertise lies in strategy, digital transformation, UX/UI design, and product development — areas that continue to shape the vision and growth of 4screen today.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Beste shared:
“4screen was born from the shared vision of myself and my co-founders, Christoph Mahlert, and Simon Hecker. With years of experience in the automotive industry and deep expertise in digital product development and integration, we saw a clear gap: Despite rapid technological progress, cars still lacked seamless and dynamic interaction with their surroundings – such as local businesses and services in real time. This connection is not only essential for creating an excellent driver experience, but also forms the foundation for new, third-party business models that the automotive industry had long been searching for. We set out to close this gap with a groundbreaking idea: the world’s first driver interaction platform, connecting businesses with drivers in real time, directly through the car interface. Working in close collaboration with leading automakers, 4screen introduced a new standard for how drivers can interact with their environment safely and seamlessly on the move.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Beste reflected:
“There are many moments I could name, but my favorite is seeing people – whether employees, partners or investors – truly burning for the 4screen vision. Those moments when it’s no longer just a founder’s idea, but a living ecosystem of contributors and believers pushing for shared goals. One that stands out is when our very first full-time employee Chris left a well-paid, stable job to join us, even though at that point we had little more than a strong founding team and just a few first moves in the market. That was the first time I realized how powerful it is when others commit to the vision with the same passion.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Beste explained:
“At 4screen, our core products are designed to connect drivers with brands directly through the car screen in meaningful and contextually relevant ways. We’ve developed a suite of in-car formats that allow businesses to reach drivers at the right moment in their journey, while also creating value for automakers and enhancing the driver experience. Our key products include:
Branded & Co-Branded Pins – These increase discoverability by displaying a brand’s logo on the driver’s in-car map. With Co-Branded Pins, two logos can be combined in one, showcasing partnerships or combining retail and service locations in one view.
Sponsored In-Car Search – This feature ranks brands at the top of relevant in-car search results, connecting with customers exactly when they’re ready to make a purchase.
Recommendation – By leveraging specific vehicle data, we can deliver real-time prompts and offers when drivers need them most — for example, at moments like low fuel, low battery, driver fatigue, or arriving at a destination.
Detail Screen – This format extends the brand experience by providing real-time location details and tailored promotions directly on in-car screens. It’s not a standalone format but an extension of other 4screen formats, offering a deeper and more engaging interaction for drivers.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? Beste acknowledged:
“One of the main challenges has been building the market for a completely new category of Driver Interaction. Since it didn’t exist before, both brands and automakers needed to understand how our platform works, the value it creates, and how it integrates seamlessly into the driver journey. We addressed this by focusing on clear use cases, fast integration projects, and measurable results. Several success stories with global brands have showcased the impact of our platform, helping us build credibility quickly. You can explore some of them here: https://4screen.com/case-studies/. In the end, these challenges pushed us to sharpen our messaging, prove value with data, and double down on transparency — which has ultimately made the company stronger.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Beste noted:
“Our technology has evolved in many dimensions. I remember how our tech team used to show it with a visualization of the code – like a brain growing new connections in an ever-expanding network. That was the perfect image for how fast and complex things developed. If you look through car windows, you immediately see the challenge: every vehicle has a different screen size, interface, and design – not just across brands, but even within one car-OEM. And behind those screens are hundreds of different software components and data structures. In the beginning, we had to solve this every time new. Today, after five years, we’ve built a system that can adapt to all of them and bring it together in one unified interface for clients like Shell or McDonald’s.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Beste cited:
“We’ve achieved several significant milestones in the past few years, including raising more than $40 million across our Seed, Series A, and Series B funding rounds. Importantly, beyond the funding itself, we also gained the trust of highly respected industry leaders. Our investor base includes renowned automotive executives such as Matthias Müller (former Volkswagen CEO), Bram Schot (former Audi CEO), and Frank Lindenberg (former Mercedes-Benz CFO), as well as marketing and adtech pioneers like Sir Martin Sorrell (Founder of WPP), John Sheehy (former CEO Starcom), and Dr. Mark Grether (architect of Uber Ads & PayPal Ads). Many of them backed us already early on, which was a strong signal of confidence in our vision and helped validate the path we are pursuing.”
“Another major milestone was establishing our first OEM partnerships and going live in vehicles. Today, 4screen is integrated with 16 car brands — including MercedesBenz, Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Zeekr, and Stellantis — with more to come.”
“Finally, our geographic expansion has been a key marker of growth. After first going live commercially in Germany, we have since expanded into 12 markets across Europe and the US, demonstrating both the scalability of our platform and the global demand for in-car marketing.”
Customer Success Stories
Can you share any specific customer success stories? Beste highlighted:
“We’ve been fortunate to work with some of the world’s leading brands across multiple verticals. For example, Shell saw an 82% rise in drivers initiating navigations to their select branches, as well as a 68% increase in sponsored in-car search clicks. And that’s just one case – you can discover many more success stories here:
https://4screen.com/case-studies“
Funding/Revenue
Are you able to discuss funding and/or revenue metrics? Beste revealed:
“Just in July we announced the successful closing of its $21 million Series B funding round. The round was led by Bosch Ventures, followed by NewRoad Capital Partners, and Bayern Kapital. The funding will accelerate 4screen’s global expansion as it scales its category defining platform across new markets and product categories.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Beste assessed:
“At 4screen, we are addressing a $110B global Driver Interactions market by 2030.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Beste affirmed:
“4screen is the world’s first ever driver interaction platform, creating a groundbreaking new category of Driver Interaction and redefining how brands connect with drivers. What sets 4screen apart is its exclusive access to car operating systems – a breakthrough in an industry where automakers strictly control screen UIs. 4screen has solidified its position as the leading exclusive gateway for in-car visibility across all platforms and components – not only for advertisers but also among automakers, who actively use it for their own campaigns, such as in-car dealership promotions and more.”
“4screen operates in a unique competitive landscape, where Mobility Media Platforms lack direct in-car and sensor data access for playout, full measurability and targeting. Automakers are looking for dedicated platform capabilities and are restricted to their own fleet, which in turn limits scalability as they have no access to other automakers’ car screens. Big Tech players have capabilities on both sides of the platform, however, are restricted by their limited access to car screen & sensor data. By bridging these gaps, 4screen is shaping the future of in-car engagement.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Beste concluded:
“With the closing of our Series B funding round in July 2025, we laid the foundation for the next phase of accelerated global growth. We will be expanding into new international markets, as well as focusing on strengthening and growing our footprint in the U.S., one of the world’s most important automotive and advertising markets. At the same time, we’re advancing our technology and data capabilities and deepening partnerships with brands and automakers worldwide.”
