What is deep tech? A look at how it could shape the future | Antoine Gourévitch

TL;DR

Join me in discovering the world of deep tech, a transformative force that combines science, engineering, and design thinking to create groundbreaking innovations.

Transcript

Transcriber: Leslie Gauthier Reviewer: Joanna Pietrulewicz In this research lab, I discovered a story that is swiftly changing our world. A story that has the power to change the way we produce material, the way we eat and the way we heal. It is the story of deep tech. Deep tech is a new chapter in the innovation story, bringing together science, e... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌍 Deep tech brings together science, engineering, and design thinking to make the seemingly impossible possible, with technologies like robotics, synthetic biology, nanomaterials, blockchain, and quantum computing leading the way.
• 🔬 Deep tech ventures focus on fundamental issues in industries that have remained unsolved for decades, such as nuclear fusion in energy and air robotaxi in mobility.
• 🤝 Cooperation is key in the deep tech ecosystem, as ventures rely on a wide range of disciplines to accelerate innovation cycles and solve complex problems.
• 🚀 Deep tech pioneers like SpaceX, PASQAL, and Ginkgo Bioworks have disrupted industries by combining advanced materials, software engineering, fundamental physics, and data science.
• 💡 Deep tech matters because it is happening now and turning what was once considered impossible into reality, with the potential to revolutionize drug development, reduce greenhouse gases, and solve urban congestion.
• 💰 While there is a technological risk, successful deep tech ventures follow four rules: problem orientation, interdisciplinary collaboration, a design thinking approach powered by deep tech, and a design-to-cost approach merging science with engineering.
• 📈 Deep tech is maturing rapidly, with over 5,000 ventures fueled by $50 billion of investments in 2019, and it presents an ever-growing opportunity to tackle pressing global challenges and create a better world.
• 🌱 Everyone is invited to join in the creation and scaling of deep tech solutions to cultivate a sustainable and innovative future.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is deep tech and how is it different from other forms of technology?

Deep tech is a new chapter in the innovation story that combines science, engineering, and design thinking. It involves technologies like robotics, synthetic biology, nanomaterials, blockchain, and quantum computing. What sets it apart is the way it combines these technologies with engineering and design science to make seemingly impossible things possible.

Q: Why does deep tech matter?

Deep tech matters because it is happening right now and has the potential to transform our world in various domains. It has the power to accelerate drug development, reduce greenhouse gases, improve transportation, and solve other pressing issues. Deep tech ventures are already disrupting industries and making what was once considered impossible actively possible today.

Q: How do deep tech ventures approach innovation?

Successful deep tech ventures follow four rules when it comes to innovation. They focus on identifying physical constraints in industries that have not been solved for decades. They bring together cross-disciplinary teams and play the ecosystem to leverage the strengths of different stakeholders. They adopt a design thinking approach that anticipates friction points and uses data and digital platforms to reduce testing costs. Lastly, they merge science with engineering through a design-to-cost approach, where economics are always taken into consideration.

Q: What are some examples of successful deep tech ventures?

There are several examples of successful deep tech ventures. SpaceX disrupted the aerospace industry by producing reusable rockets and spaceships, reducing the cost of space travel significantly. Ginkgo Bioworks built a cell programming platform that can create nearly any organism, revolutionizing the field of biotechnology. Commonwealth Fusion Systems made breakthroughs in nuclear fusion by combining advancements in material and data science. Lilium Aviation is developing all-electric air taxis to solve urban air mobility challenges. These ventures showcase the potential of deep tech in various domains.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Deep tech is a new chapter in the innovation story, combining science, engineering, and design thinking to make seemingly impossible technologies possible.

• Deep tech ventures focus on fundamental issues and physical constraints of industries, working closely with emerging technologies and utilizing data and digital platforms.

• Successful deep tech ventures follow four rules: problem-oriented approach, combining disciplines, adopting design thinking powered by deep tech, and adopting a design-to-cost approach.