Deep tech business development roundtable 

Deep tech ventures face major scientific and engineering challenges. To move from lab to market and achieve product-market fit, they require tailored business development models. These challenges are even greater in emerging industries like ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization), where markets are not yet fully developed and a blue ocean strategy is often needed. In this context, building strong strategic partnerships, such as Joint Development Agreements (JDAs), is essential to co-create demand and de-risk market generation. JDAs can take different forms depending on the stage of the venture. At the pre-seed stage, Business-to-Research (B2R) agreements are crucial to secure Proof of Principle (PoP), an important step towards achieving Proof of Concept (PoC). Collaborating with research and academic labs to secure PoP also helps attract Business-to-Government (B2G) support for PoC activities. B2G grants and other early investments encourage Business-to-Business (B2B) collaborations, strengthening business development and improving the case for seed-stage investment. This session will offer practical advice, methods, and best practices from domain experts active in deep tech venture. It will also show how strong lab-to-market ecosystems and strategic partnerships can boost the growth of deep tech startups