🤖 #14: Vivian's Deeptech Insider: New year, New Opportunities in Deeptech Markets

Hello and welcome to #14 edition of the fortnightly Vivian’s Deeptech Insider - the first one in 2025!

It’s investor series this edition! If you've been following our newsletters, you know we alternate between founder and investor perspectives. Last time, we explored Why Scientists and Engineers Make Great Deeptech Entrepreneurs, so now it’s time to focus on investor insights.

We also track jobs to monitor market momentum, this time outlining opportunities at Backpack Healthcare, LevelTen Energy, MPowered Capital, AMEX Ventures (scroll down for details).

Deep Dive (Investor Series):

New year, new opportunities

As we kick off 2025, I’ve been reflecting on the exciting opportunities from last year and the continuous journey into the world of Deeptech. I’m always curious about the new technologies happening around the globe, and I thought I’d share a few emerging regions and sectors that caught my attention recently:

1. Aerospace: Indonesia, United States & United Kingdom

Indonesia’s aerospace sector is rapidly growing, with significant government-backed initiatives and a burgeoning aviation market. With its strategic location in the Asia-Pacific region, Indonesia is well-positioned to become a central hub for aircraft manufacturing and innovation. The country’s aerospace market is expected to expand at an annual rate of 9.2%, making it a promising area for investment (InCorp).

Meanwhile, the United States continues to dominate the aerospace industry, generating $900 billion annually. From defence to commercial aircraft manufacturing, companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, along with new space exploration initiatives, ensure that the US remains the global leader in aerospace innovation (AIA).

The UK, home to leading aerospace manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems, continues to excel in both civil and defence aerospace. The UK government is investing heavily in space exploration and aerospace research, with projects like the UK Space Agency’s funding boost for space technology (UK Government).

2. AgTech: Australia & India

Australia has long been a pioneer in agricultural technologies, focusing on precision farming, robotics, and sustainable agriculture. With the global demand for food rising, Australia’s AgTech sector is expected to reach $16 billion by 2030. Investments in automated farming systems and climate-resilient crops are helping transform food production (AgFunder).

In India, India has reclaimed its position as the best-funded APAC country for AgTech, bringing in $2 billion so far in 2024. India is using technology to address challenges such as water scarcity, crop management, and automation in farming. With a large agrarian population, AgTech in India promises huge potential for growth (India AgriTech).

3. Biotech: Singapore & United States

Singapore continues to solidify its position as a leader in biotech research, particularly in areas like precision medicine and synthetic biology. In 2024, the country attracted $3 billion in biotech investments, and its research infrastructure supports a thriving ecosystem of biotech startups (BioSpectrum Asia).

The United States remains the global powerhouse in biotech, with innovations ranging from gene therapy to personalised medicine. The US biotech market is valued at over $150 billion, and the country’s ongoing research in genomics, vaccines, and drug development ensures it stays at the forefront of this transformative sector (Biotechnology Innovation Organisation).

4. Renewable Energy: Chile & Australia

Chile is a global leader in renewable energy, particularly solar power and green hydrogen production. With some of the best natural resources for solar energy in the world, Chile’s renewable energy capacity is expected to exceed 20 GW by 2025, driving the energy transition forward. The country's forward-thinking policies and commitment to sustainability position it as an ideal investment destination for clean energy (World Economic Forum).

Australia, known for its vast solar farms and wind energy projects, is also making significant strides in renewable energy. With a goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, Australia’s renewable energy generation grew by 22% in 2024, creating new opportunities in both solar and energy storage technologies (Clean Energy Council).

5. FinTech: India, Singapore & United Kingdom

India’s FinTech sector is one of the fastest-growing globally, with digital payments, blockchain technology, and decentralised finance (DeFi) at the core of the digital transformation. India’s FinTech market is expected to grow to $50 billion by 2025, fuelled by strong government initiatives like the Digital India programme (Inc42).

Singapore is also a leading global financial hub, with a thriving FinTech ecosystem that attracted $2.2 billion in investments in 2024 alone. The city-state is a pioneer in digital banking, insurance, and blockchain technology, and its regulatory environment fosters the growth of financial technology startups (Singapore FinTech Association).

The UK is one of the world’s leaders in FinTech, with London consistently ranking as one of the top global FinTech hubs. The UK’s FinTech sector raised $7.1 billion in H1 2024, with major developments in digital banking, InsurTech, and blockchain. The UK government’s support for financial innovation, such as the Financial Services Act 2021, has also helped create a thriving ecosystem for startups (KPMG).

6. Robotics: South Korea & Japan

South Korea is a global leader in robotics, particularly in the manufacturing and automation sectors. With companies like Hyundai and Samsung leading the charge, South Korea is expected to remain the world’s largest industrial robot market, with sales reaching $5 billion by 2025 (IFR).

Japan, long known for its robotics innovations, continues to lead in industrial automation, healthcare robotics, and service robots. Japan’s robotics industry is valued at over $2.8 billion, and its focus on automating everything from manufacturing to elderly care makes it an essential market for robotics investments (imarc).

7. Quantum Computing: Canada & United States

Canada’s government has committed over $500 million in 2024 to quantum technology, positioning the country as a leader in quantum computing. With strong academic foundations and a growing startup ecosystem, Canada is making significant strides in quantum hardware and software development (Government of Canada).

The United States, with companies like IBM and Google at the forefront, continues to push the boundaries of quantum computing. The US quantum computing market is projected to exceed $7.6 billion by 2027, as innovations in quantum hardware and algorithms drive new breakthroughs in industries like pharmaceuticals and artificial intelligence (IDC).

8. Space Tech: Luxembourg & United States

Luxembourg is emerging as a global leader in space technology, particularly with its focus on asteroid mining and satellite technology. The country’s space industry is growing at an annual rate of 12%, with more than $1.5 billion in investments projected over the next five years (Luxembourg Space Agency).

The United States remains the dominant force in space exploration, with companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin making major advancements in commercial space travel and satellite technologies. The US space industry generated $423 billion in 2024, setting the stage for continued growth in satellite communications and space exploration (Space Foundation).

9. AI: United States & China

The United States continues to lead in artificial intelligence, with Silicon Valley and Boston emerging as epicentres of innovation. AI is making waves in healthcare, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, and a range of other industries. The US AI market is projected to exceed $990 billion by 2027 (Bain & Company).

China, with its aggressive AI strategy, is making massive strides in facial recognition, autonomous vehicles, and industrial AI. China’s AI market is expected to reach $60 billion by 2025, supported by government funding and a focus on AI-driven applications (Citi).

Summary:

One of the key trends in 2025 will be the convergence of sustainability with Deeptech innovation. Countries like Chile and Australia are merging advanced technology with environmental goals, leading the way in clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate tech. This blend of tech and environmental responsibility is creating unparalleled investment opportunities.

Now, onto the jobs - Vivian

P.S. Move my emails to your primary inbox so you see the next edition!

Jobs at Deeptech startups:

• Environmental/Industrial Hygiene monitoring support - Applied Particle Technology Inc. (Air filtration, Grant funded), Idaho, USA

• Part-Time Remote Psychotherapist - Backpack Healthcare (Healthtech, Series A), Maryland, USA

• VP Engineering - eino (AI, Pre-seed), New York, USA

• Lead Software Engineer - LevelTen Energy (Renewable, Series D), Seattle, USA

• Senior Product Manager, Conversational Design - Lena Health (Healthtech, Seed), Texas, USA

Jobs with Deeptech investors:

• Investment Principal - MPowered Capital (PE/VC), Chicago

• Analyst - AMEX Ventures (VC), NYC

• Investment Principal or Senior Associate - Company Ventures (VC), NYC

• Summer Fellows - Halogen (VC), LA

• Venture Fellows - SJF Ventures (VC), Durham, New York and San Francisco

• Interns - Precursor (VC), Remote

If you have gotten value out of Vivian’s Deeptech Insider, please help us grow by sharing it with your friends!