27 episodes
Deep Tech Catalyst The Scenarionist
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- Education
Deep Tech Catalyst is the free educational channel dedicated to Deep Tech entrepreneurship by The Scenarionist. Learn every week from global investors and experts how to turn your scientific discoveries into investable Deep Tech startups.
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What is an Exit Waterfall? Decoding Liquidation Preferences for Deep Tech Startups. A chat with Daniel Franke, Investment Director @ M Ventures
Host: Nicola Marchese
Guest: Daniel Franke
#DeepTechCatalyst
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KEY THEMES COVERED:
1. Understanding the Exit Waterfall: This section introduces the concept of the exit waterfall, explaining how funds are distributed among shareholders following the sale of a company, and why it's crucial for founders to grasp this before launching their startups.
2. Liquidation Preferences: Discusses the specifics of liquidation preferences and the two main types—non-participating and participating. The narrative covers how these preferences dictate the order of payouts during a company's liquidation and their impact on different exit scenarios.
3. An Exit Scenario Analysis: Detailed examination of hypothetical exit scenarios to illustrate how different liquidation preferences affect the distribution of funds among seed investors, pre-seed investors, and founders, using specific investment amounts and ownership percentages.
4. Impact of Liquidation Preferences on Founders and Investors: Explores how various types of liquidation preferences impact the financial returns of founders and investors, highlighting the strategic implications for different exit outcomes.
5. Strategic Considerations and Market Realities: Analyzes negotiation dynamics and the impact of established precedents in investment rounds on future funding. Emphasizes the importance of strategic and forward-thinking decision-making in venture capital agreements.
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#entrepreneurship #startups #deeptech #hardtech #vc #venturecapital #corporateventurecapital #cvc #industry #tech #strategy # captable #fundraising #exit -
Quantum Technologies from Lab to Market: VC Insights for Deep Tech Startups. A chat with Chiara Decaroli, Quantum Fund Investment Manager @ Redstone
Host: Nicola Marchese
Guest: Chiara Decaroli
#DeepTechCatalyst
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KEY THEMES COVERED:
1. Commercialization of Quantum Technologies: The discussion begins with how quantum computing is moving from laboratory research to commercial applications, with significant investments from venture capitals and strategic quantum development plans from governments.
2. Development Stages of Quantum Startups: The episode explores the journey of quantum startups from university labs to market entry, emphasizing the development stages from initial prototypes to more refined products.
3. Investment Dynamics in Quantum Technologies: There is a focus on the alignment between technology readiness and investment stages, discussing how early-stage quantum technologies attract significant investment due to their potential.
4. Market Entry Strategies for Quantum Companies: The episode covers how companies leverage cloud platforms to provide early access to their technologies, allowing them to generate revenue and gain user feedback even when the technology is still under development.
5. Key Factors VCs Consider in Early-Stage Quantum Startups: It highlights what investors look for in quantum startups, including technological validation, initial contracts, and strategic partnerships, which are critical for securing funding and advancing to further stages of development.
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#entrepreneurship #startups #deeptech #hardtech #vc #venturecapital #industry #tech #strategy #Quantum #QuantumComputing #QuantumCommunication #QuantumSensing -
How to Structure a Scalable Deep Tech Startup from Early TRL Stages. A chat with Eugenio Cantuarias, Partner @ AceleraLatam
Host: Nicola Marchese
Guest: Eugenio Cantuarias
#DeepTechCatalyst
Don't miss the full video podcast on our educational platform!
KEY THEMES COVERED:
1. Defining Company Vision and Strategic Direction: Discusses the importance for founders to clearly define their ambition and the type of company they aim to build, whether it's an R&D platform, a manufacturing hub, or a vertically integrated operation.
2. Transition from Prototype to Production: Explores the steps required to scale a deep tech product from TRL 3 to industrial production, emphasizing the move from laboratory conditions to manufacturing facilities.
3. Strategic Manufacturing Choices: Deliberates on whether deep tech companies should engage directly in manufacturing or outsource this aspect, based on the founder’s vision and the strategic goals of the company.
4. Navigating Sales and Distribution: Addresses the strategies for introducing products to the market, including the initial direct sales from the lab and the transition to larger-scale production and distribution.
5. Financing and Investment Strategies: Analyzes different financing options for deep tech startups as they grow, contrasting the needs and opportunities for companies that are at various stages of product development and market entry.
6. Impact and Market Value: Considers how deep tech companies, especially those in climate tech, can measure and valorize their environmental impact to enhance their market value and attract investors and partners.
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#entrepreneurship #startups #deeptech #venturecapital #industry #tech #strategy -
From Lab to FOAK: Decoding the Road Ahead for Deep Tech Startups. A chat with Carlota Ochoa Neven Du Mont, Principal @ Extantia
Host: Nicola Marchese
Guest: Carlota Ochoa Neven Du Mont
#DeepTechCatalyst
Don't miss the full video podcast on our educational platform!
KEY THEMES COVERED:
1. What is a First-Of-A-Kind (FOAK) in the Context of TRL? The episode differentiates between the stages of prototype, pilot, and FOAK, detailing the TRL progression from lab-scale prototypes (TRL 4-5) to pilot plants (TRL 6) and finally to FOAK demonstration units (TRL 7-8).
2. Differences Between Pilot and FOAK Stages: It highlights varying company approaches to prototype and pilot development, the importance of third-party engineering firms based on technology complexity, and the cost-benefit analysis of in-house versus external engineering development.
3. Optimizing Funding Strategies for Deep Tech Startups: The discussion covers the transition from grant funding to private investment, typical funding splits at different stages (prototype, pilot, and FOAK), and the potential to leverage venture debt through early commercial traction and off-take agreements.
4. Understanding Venture Debt: The episode contrasts Venture Capital with Venture Debt, describing Venture Debt's characteristics and benefits for startups, its seniority in the capital stack, and its impact on company financials.
5. Impact of FOAK on Valuation: It explains how achieving FOAK de-risks technology, significantly boosts valuation, facilitates access to infrastructure financing, and increases investor interest.
6. Strategic Considerations for FOAK Development: The discussion emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive financing plan for FOAK projects, the role of technical demonstrations in enhancing investor confidence, and the potential for substantial growth and funding opportunities following FOAK achievements.
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#entrepreneurship #startups #deeptech #venturecapital #FOAK #climatetech -
Techno-Economic Analysis for Deep Tech Startups. A chat with Chris Burk, Techno-economics Specialist.
Host: Nicola Marchese
Guest: Chris Burk
#DeepTechCatalyst
Don't miss the full video podcast on our educational platform!
KEY THEMES COVERED:
1. The importance of Techno-economic Analysis (TEA): Techno-economic analysis (TEA) is crucial for deep tech founders as it combines technical and financial inputs to evaluate the economic viability of new technologies, distinguishing them from financial models.
2. Components of Technoeconomic Models: Techno-economic models consist of technical inputs like lab measurements and engineering assumptions, and financial inputs including costs and pricing, leading to outputs like capital costs, operating costs, and potential revenue.
3. TEA vs Market Analysis: While TEA focuses on the economic viability of product production, market analysis assesses the product’s market size and pricing. Both analyses are interrelated and essential for determining production scale and price points.
4. Early Application and Strategic Planning: Integrating techno-economic analysis early in the project development process helps founders ensure their technology is commercially viable and aligns with investor expectations, guiding strategic decisions and timing.
5. A Case Study: A company used TEA early on to evaluate the economic feasibility of producing a new amino acid, leading to strategic decisions on production scale and R&D focus based on market size and cost efficiency.
6. How to Approach a TEA Model: Building a TEA model starts with accessible data and evolves through sensitivity analyses and consulting existing reports. This approach helps prioritize which cost elements to focus on, streamlining the development of a robust economic model.
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#entrepreneurship #startups #deeptech #venturecapital -
How to Establish Initial Customer Relationships in Deep Tech Startups. A chat with Ryan Lewis, Partner @ SRI Ventures
Host: Nicola Marchese
Guest: Ryan Lewis
#DeepTechCatalyst
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Don't miss the full video podcast on our educational platform!
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KEY THEMES COVERED:
1. Product or Feature Dependency: Exploring how deep tech innovations must translate into real-world applications for customers and the challenges founders face in demonstrating this.
2. Cost of Acquiring Customers: Discussing the importance of understanding the total cost of change or adoption for potential customers, particularly in deep tech where technology adoption requires significant changes.
3. Engagement Strategies with Customers: Highlighting the necessity for startups to explore multiple engagement strategies with customers, avoiding 'all-or-nothing' scenarios, and finding various entry points to de-risk the business.
4. Advantages of Multiple Customers for VCs: Addressing the risks associated with over-reliance on a single customer and emphasizing the importance of developing additional partnerships to ensure scalability and long-term success.
5. Relationship Between Founders and Investors: Exploring the importance of transparency, communication, and trust between founders and investors, highlighting the iterative nature of early-stage business development and decision-making.
6. Discussing Deep Tech Trend in the US: Analyzing the factors driving the growth of deep tech investments, including shifts in market dynamics, increased R&D investment from corporations, and changes in the funding landscape.
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