Deep tech companies face fundamentally different challenges and timelines. Investors in this space understand that the path to commercialization is longer, but the moats are deeper.
Deep tech often requires years of development before commercialization. Investors need to see a credible roadmap.
Patents, trade secrets, and proprietary methods create defensibility. Your IP strategy is central to the pitch.
Unlike software, deep tech often has real technical unknowns. Show what you have de-risked and what remains.
Deep tech needs the market to be ready when you are. Show why now is the right time for your technology.
Deep tech metrics are different from SaaS or marketplace metrics. Focus on technical progress, IP position, and validation signals.
Granted patents, pending applications, trade secrets, and proprietary methods.
Number, jurisdictions, key claims, freedom to operate.
Key proof points: prototype, pilot, performance benchmarks, validation studies.
Achieved vs remaining milestones, timeline, success criteria.
Industry partners, research collaborations, pilot customers, distribution agreements.
Names (if possible), nature of relationship, validation provided.
Non-dilutive funding from government, foundations, or research bodies.
Amount received, sources, what it validated.
Peer-reviewed papers, citations, conference presentations, academic credentials.
Key publications, citation counts, recognition in the field.
Total and serviceable addressable market. Must be large enough to justify the R&D investment.
Market size, growth drivers, timing of adoption.
Deep tech investors focus intensely on these slides. Be prepared for technical deep-dives.
In deep tech, the team IS the technology. Investors need to see:
Show what you have built and what it means:
Use this structure as your foundation. The order may vary, but all elements must be covered with technical rigor.
What you are building, technical breakthrough, market opportunity, team credentials.
What limitation exists in current technology or approach? Why it matters. Scale of impact.
Your technical approach. What makes it work. How it differs from prior attempts.
Current TRL, key milestones, path to commercialization. What is built vs planned.
Patents granted and pending, trade secrets, barriers to replication. Freedom to operate.
TAM/SAM, market timing, adoption drivers, why now. Customer validation or LOIs.
Existing solutions, other approaches, why yours wins. Technical and commercial differentiation.
Investors need to understand the technology AND the path to commercialization. Balance both.
Even with a long R&D cycle, show how and when you start making money. Pilots, licensing, early applications.
Deep tech investors expect risks. Hiding them destroys credibility. Be transparent about what is de-risked and what remains.
If your moat is technology, you need strong IP. Show patents, freedom to operate, and ongoing IP development.
Great science is not enough. You need people who know how to turn technology into products. Add advisors if needed.
Pitchkit helps deep tech teams communicate complex technology clearly to investors:
Deep tech needs large markets to justify the investment:
Technical milestones, partnerships, pilot results, grants, publications, recognition.
How you monetize. Licensing, direct sales, platform, partnerships. Unit economics at scale.
Technical founders, advisors, key hires. Publications, patents, prior exits. Why this team.
How much, what milestones it funds, timeline to next inflection point. Clear de-risking plan.