Deeptech investors
Deeptech investors back companies whose product depends on an advance in science or engineering: new materials, semiconductors, robotics, quantum computing, space, synthetic biology and the like. The technical risk comes before the market risk, and the timelines are long.
The firms on this list name deeptech or frontier technology as a focus on their own website. Many were founded by scientists or engineers and bring technical diligence that generalist firms do not. Each cites its own site as the source for what is written here.
Founded in 2022 by Timur Daudpota and Sun Choi, 2080 Ventures operates as a hybrid venture accelerator and early-stage VC firm. The firm focuses on bridging emerging markets (Asia…
Founded in 2015 by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale and his partners, 8VC emerged from the ashes of Formation 8 to become one of the most prominent contrarian venture capital firms in…
Founded in 2024 by Jason Ma, Athabasca Capital operates as an early-stage investment vehicle focused entirely on the Web3 ecosystem. The firm positions itself as a trusted partner in…
First Flight Venture Center is an incubator and venture capital firm specializing in early and start-up companies. The firm primarily invests in technology and biotechnology…
Kolektor Ventures is a corporate venture capital fund of the closed type established by Kolektor. The aim is to invest in companies in their early stages of development that are…
Created in 2020 by the global transport infrastructure operator Globalvia, Openvia serves as its dedicated innovation and technology platform. The firm operates as a Corporate Venture…
Paul Wurth InCub is devoted to develop successful entrepreneurs in the Industrial Technologies sector, by providing Paul Wurth’s international expertise and exploring new market…
PCH International is a global company that brings new products to market, providing services across the entire product journey from product development to manufacturing, fulfillment…
Founded in 1939, Stena AB is a global conglomerate with deep roots in shipping, ferry lines, offshore drilling, and real estate. It is part of the "Stena Sphere," wholly owned by the…
Founded in Q2 2023 by Taranveer Sabharwal, STIX operates a privacy-first, data-driven OTC platform for trading illiquid digital assets, locked tokens, and crypto equities. Beyond its…
Established in 1944, the University of Oklahoma Foundation acts as the principal organization through which charitable gifts are made and administered for the benefit of the…
Türkiye İş Bankası is a major Turkish bank providing personal banking services. It offers a wide range of financial products to retail customers and is recognized as a leading brand…
WeSprint is a hub which brings community events, startup acceleration, entrepreneur mentorship & capitals for startups
Founded in 1999, Volney Développement operates as an evergreen captive investment fund for the Crédit Mutuel banking group. The firm is strictly focused on the Grand Ouest region of…
Founded in 2020 by former Rocket Internet executives Alexander Kudlich and Ludwig Ensthaler, alongside Mesosphere founder Florian Leibert, 468 Capital bridges the European and US tech…
Founded in 2021, 4SV focuses on identifying and supporting innovative blockchain projects poised to make significant impacts across various industries. The firm leverages its…
Aalto University is all about cross-disciplinary projects and learning in practice. Students are encouraged and supported to excel both in their studies and their future careers. Many…
Launched in July 2022 by A&G, a leading independent financial services group in Spain, the A&G Energy Transition Tech Fund (A&G ETTF) is a specialized venture capital vehicle.…
Put simply, Agilent Ventures invests in private early-stage high-technology companies. The organization focuses on investments in life sciences (instruments, genomics, and…
Agoranov is a public Science & Tech incubator that provides mentorship, office space, funding, and consultancy services to startups. The company is based in Paris. Agoranov has…
Founded in 1936, Agrimatco has grown into a formidable international agricultural distributor operating in 50 countries across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Headquartered…
Alpha Protocol Ventures (APV) is a venture capital firm and incubator founded in 2023 and based in Athens, Greece. The firm launched with a $20 million fund to target the Web3…
Founded in 1997 by Bruce Grant and the late Jan Stenbeck, Applied Value Group functions as both a boutique management consultancy and an investment house. In August 2025, the firm…
What deeptech investors look for
A real technical advance.
Something that was not possible before, shown to work in a lab, a prototype or a publication. Investors will test the claim with their own experts.
A path from lab to product.
The distance between a demonstration and a thing a customer can buy, in years and money. The team should know each step and what could stop it.
Intellectual property.
Patents, licences from a university or research institute, and know-how that competitors cannot easily reproduce. Investors will ask who owns what.
A customer at the end.
Deeptech companies can spend years building before they sell. Investors want a specific market, a named kind of buyer and a reason that buyer pays enough to justify the journey.
A team that can build a company as well as the technology.
Scientific founders often pair with an operator. Investors look for that pairing, or for evidence that the founders can make it themselves.
Raising in deeptech
Deeptech rounds are milestone-driven. Each round funds the technical step that removes the next risk, and investors size the round to that step. Founders should know which milestone this round buys and what it makes possible.
Have ready: the technical evidence and its limits, the intellectual property position, the development plan with cost and time per milestone, the target market and its buyers, and the grants or non-dilutive funding the company has secured or can secure.
Government grants, research contracts and university programmes fund a large share of early deeptech. Investors expect founders to use them and will ask what has been applied for.
Questions
What counts as deeptech?
A company whose main risk is whether the technology can be built, rather than whether customers will buy it. Materials, hardware, biology, energy and computing companies usually qualify.
How long do deeptech companies take?
Often a decade or more from founding to scale. Investors in the sector structure their funds for it, and founders should choose investors who have.
Do deeptech investors fund university spinouts?
Many focus on them. The terms the university takes and the licence it grants are a major part of diligence, and negotiating them well before raising makes the round easier.
Can a deeptech company raise without revenue?
Yes, and most do for several rounds. The evidence is technical progress against milestones rather than sales, and investors track that progress closely.
What is non-dilutive funding?
Money that does not take equity: grants, research contracts, prizes and some government programmes. Deeptech investors expect companies to pursue it, and a track record of winning it is a positive signal.
Deeptech investors by city
Deeptech investors by stage