“The goal of deep tech is to explore all viable alternatives and understand their potential impact.”
EIT Deep Tech Initiative Pledger, Technoport, has a legacy of supporting early-stage ventures spanning over 25 years. Its technology business incubator stands as a pivotal force in nurturing trailblazing technology companies within the realm of deep tech, and its mission is to propel the journey from ground-breaking technological concepts to tangible commercial success, cultivating an environment where innovation thrives and entrepreneurship flourishes.
We spoke to Head of Business Development & Innovation, Olivier Zephir, about the priorities on how partnerships between public and private organisations can help build competitive deep tech skills and talent in Central Europe.
What role do technology business incubators play in supporting deep tech startups?
Olivier explained that the main role of technology business incubators is to provide business and technology expertise. It’s about understanding deep tech-based technological assets and how they match business and industry interests. He said: “One of our key tasks is assessing risks, though we prefer to think of it as evaluating opportunities, first by determining whether it has real business potential, then assessing the risks involved, including how long it will take to bring it to market versus how long it will take to make an impact. Often, the timeline is longer than ideal, and that’s one of the main challenges we deal with as an incubator.”
To do this effectively, Technoport relies on its network, to connect with industry players, research centres, academia, and corporations.
“We gather insights from B2B and B2B2G relationships to understand market trends and identify the most promising areas to focus on. Essentially, we’re constantly taking the pulse of the deep tech ecosystem to support the best ventures and help them succeed.”
Olivier clarified that from a technology business incubator perspective, deep tech assets is about transferring scientific breakthroughs that are converted into technologies and techniques that can be transferred to society, meaning finding the right organisations that can turn it into something practical and usable. So, from a deep tech perspective they have a ‘lab-to-market’ phase, sometimes called a ‘lab-to-operation’ phase, which means taking a technological concept from the research lab and turning it into a real-world product or service. He said: “Deep tech is about these technical, scientific breakthroughs in the lab and then further transferred into operation, and currently we measure the success of deep tech to its impact of implementation into society.”
In terms of the fastest growing industries and technologies, Olivier believes one of the biggest drivers across different sectors is sustainability technology, with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) playing a key role in shaping innovation. While some industries might not seem ESG-friendly at first glance, for example, nuclear fusion, people will often have concerns about it, but as Olivier highlighted, that’s exactly why deep tech is important. It’s not about rushing to implement every idea but about carefully considering all possible solutions before making conclusions. In incubator terms it means, converting ideas into feasible concepts and obtaining (or not) Proof of Principal for technology further development.
How important are inter-disciplinary collaborations in deep tech?
With deep tech being a fast-moving and dynamic industry, Olivier emphasised that the goal is to be able to find a coherent and collaborative way of working together, which, in theory, should already be the case across Europe, but in reality, efforts are often fragmented by region.
He further explained that while each area has its own unique strengths, it’s valuable for different stakeholders to align on a broader European level, saying: “One lab can develop something that another lab can share and work on, and an entrepreneur sitting in one place, for example, in Luxembourg, will be aware that there’s a testing lab facility in Warsaw or in Krakow, they could use. This is where we combine the deep tech effort.”
What are some effective funding early-stage strategies or models for deep tech startups
From Technoport’s perspective as a business incubator, when it comes to investing in deep tech initiatives putting the effort into investigations must ‘pay off’, for example in terms of recognition by the lab to secure further finance, a market that’s ready to buy, or other public supporters to provide further support. Olivier highlighted: “From our perspective in Luxembourg, we talk about ‘circular migration of deep tech talent. For example, if you have developed technology in Warsaw, do you have a full capacity to develop it there or do you maybe have another location that is better to support the next stage of development?
“What’s sometimes tricky in deep tech is timing, defining the right time to make it, go to market, or go to users in society, with some use cases that I’m seeing, expecting to launch in 12 months, but in reality, it takes 18 months. However, that 6-month gap can be sometimes determinant if you’re pushing a venture. And this is why we’re speaking about this circular migration of deep tech talent, helping startups and innovators find the right partners, locations, or support systems that are ready to accelerate their progress.”
What are your thoughts about deep tech based on your experience?
He highlighted that in today’s world, skills aren’t just about traditional education; they’re about navigating new opportunities. For example, people might be thinking about how to invest in crypto to buy their first car or how ETFs and new financial models can shape their future. But beyond just building a resume, the real question is: How can they use the deep tech ecosystem to achieve their goals?
“These are the kinds of discussions we want to foster within the deep tech community.”
Olivier believes that sufficient knowledge is available, but the key challenge is coordination, stressing that as deep tech is constantly evolving, what’s cutting-edge today will look completely different in 12 months’ time, so it’s crucial for all stakeholders to stay aligned.
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