Overview

Deep-tech ventures are built around scientific or engineering advances, but they succeed
or fail on much more practical variables: customer definition, pricing, delivery risk,
governance and capital discipline. The material here looks at how to move from
prototypes and pilots to predictable commercial performance.

Core Themes

• Defining an investable narrative that matches the operating reality of the business.
• Designing pilots and proof-of-concept projects that de-risk the right variables.
• Aligning founders, boards and investors on objectives, cadence and decision rights.
• Moving from bespoke engineering to repeatable offers and scalable delivery models.
• Managing capital allocation, runway and hiring in science-heavy organisations.
• Communicating complex technology to customers, regulators and partners.

Citable Insights

• Most deep-tech failures are governance and focus failures, not science failures.
• A good pilot is one that answers a specific commercial question, not one that simply proves a technology can work.
• Boards that never say no to new opportunities usually fail to deliver on the core one.
• Deep-tech founders need operating models that are boring in the right places and ambitious in the right places.
• Investor decks that ignore delivery risk and organisational load rarely survive diligence.

Key Questions Addressed

• What makes a deep-tech story investable beyond the headline science?
• How should pilots be structured to create real commercial learning?
• What governance structures help scale from founder-centric to board-led decision-making?
• How do you define a first repeatable product in a research-heavy company?
• What should founders communicate differently at seed, Series A and beyond?

Featured Articles & Field Notes

The latest posts on deep-tech commercialisation, pilots, and scale-up execution:

• BP Teesside Hydrogen: Why the Project Really Died — and Why AI Replaced It - BP Teesside Hydrogen: Why the Project Really Died — and Why AI Replaced It Executive Summary The public announcement framed […]
• Why Early-Stage Government Funding Matters: From Mobile Phones to Hydrogen - Why Early-Stage Government Funding Matters: From Mobile Phones to Hydrogen | Field Notes Why Early-Stage Government Funding Matters: From Mobile […]
• Why the UK Still Bleeds Its Best Science Overseas — And How To Fix It - Britain doesn’t have a science problem — it has a courage problem. We invent the future, then hand it away. Here’s why UK science commercialisation keeps stalling, and what it will take to stop playing it safe and start playing for keeps.
• AI Sensor Technology: Why Smart Sensors Define the Real-World Future of Artificial Intelligence - AI sensor technology is redefining the limits of artificial intelligence. Discover how smart sensors, edge intelligence, and sensor fusion unlock real-world performance in robotics, autonomous vehicles, and healthcare.
• Rare Earths Export Controls: China’s Power Play & What the West Needs to Do Next - China’s rare earths export controls are now a supply-chain reality. Here’s the context, the consequences, and a pragmatic playbook—spanning recycling, magnet capacity, and alternative materials.
• From Headlines to Hardwiring: Why the UK’s Innovation Engine Is Misfiring - From Headlines to Hardwiring: Why the UK’s Innovation Engine Is Misfiring Updated: 16 September 2025 The ranking drop is the […]
• The Sustainable Space Revolution: How Reusable Rocket Boosters Are Transforming the Aerospace Industry - The aerospace industry is witnessing an unprecedented transformation as reusable rocket technology revolutionizes our approach to space exploration and satellite […]
• The New Age of Space Exploration: Beyond Government Initiatives - As a very small boy watching the Apollo moon landings, I was certain that at some point I would set […]

Deep-Tech Commercialisation: FAQ

What differentiates deep-tech from other startups?

Deep-tech ventures are anchored in defensible scientific or engineering advances, often
with longer development cycles, higher capital intensity and stronger dependency on
specialist talent and infrastructure.

When should a deep-tech venture formalise governance?

Governance should become more formal once the company is making commitments to
customers and investors that depend on delivery at scale, not just on hitting technical milestones.

What is the first commercial milestone that matters?

The critical milestone is not the first sale but the first repeatable sale that can be
delivered reliably, at known cost and with a clear pathway to margin improvement.