blueprint for deep tech

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The ‘deep’ in deep tech signals something more than just complexity. It’s about going places no one knows how to go yet.

I. Think big, start small. You have to imagine a future that seems crazy now. But start with the smallest workable piece—build a prototype in your garage, solve one sub-problem clearly and concretely.

II. Begin at first principles. Forget the prepackaged assumptions. Ask: what’s actually true? If you’re building new chips, don’t just tweak current designs—reimagine them from the basic laws of physics.

III. Build like no one’s built before. Incremental improvements won’t cut it. If you’re aiming for a fusion breakthrough, don’t just run a bigger version of the old reactor—try a configuration that doesn’t even fit our current vocabulary.

IV. Monopoly as mission. Real impact means you own your domain. If you solve a hard enough problem—creating cheap carbon capture, say—you won’t have serious competition. That’s what you want.

V. Think in decades. Deep tech doesn’t follow normal startup timelines. You might need 5 years just to get a working demo of your biotech process, and 15 more to scale it. That’s fine.

VI. No breakthroughs, no business. You’re not just rearranging known solutions. You need a genuine scientific or engineering leap: a new material, a new algorithm, a new manufacturing process.

VII. Solve real problems. Deep tech is not about tech for tech’s sake. If your new polymer can purify water at scale, show how it helps millions access clean water.

VIII. Get good at uncertainty. Your path will be guesswork plus rigorous testing. Most attempts fail. But if you learn from these failures, the one success could change an industry.

IX. Cultivate a learning culture. You want polymaths who read physics papers for fun and learn new fields like others learn new languages. Make “I don’t know, but let’s find out” your team motto.

X. Act with moral awareness. If your AI tool could reshape economies, think now about its social impact. Better to build responsibly than regret later what you unleashed.

XI. Find believers, not just investors. You need backers who understand what a ten-year slog means. Someone who knows that building quantum computers isn’t just another web app—and who’s patient.

XII. Build networks of “talent-dense” colleagues. Collaborate with physicists, chemists, roboticists, philosophers. Deep tech thrives at the edges where disciplines blur and fresh sparks fly.

XIII. Lead from the lab floor. If you’re the founder, understand your technology down to the math and materials. Don’t just read reports—tinker, ask dumb questions, redesign experiments yourself.

XIV. Remember what it’s for. You’re here to improve human life. Maybe you’re making solar power cheaper, curing a disease, or unlocking space travel. Keep that at the center.

Deep tech isn’t just hard—it’s uncertain, slow, and (at first) looks impossible. But that’s why it matters. With courage and a clear mind, you can do work that will define an era.