🤖 #7: Vivian's Deeptech Insider: Unlocking the 4Ps Framework for Founders

Hello and welcome to #7 edition of the monthly Vivian’s Deeptech Insider.

It’s founder series this edition! If you've been following our newsletters, you know we alternate between founder and investor perspectives. Last time, we explored Europe's Deep Tech Boom, so now it’s time to focus on founder insights.

We also track jobs to monitor market momentum, this time outlining opportunities at Faircraft, MycoWorks, AI Fund, and The Schmidt Family Foundation (scroll down for details).

Deep Dive (Founder Series):

How the 4Ps Framework Powers Deeptech Success

As a founder, navigating the complex landscape of deep technology can be daunting. One framework I’ve consistently found invaluable is the 4Ps: Problem, People, Product, and Profit. While some refer to just the 3Ps, I believe the Problem is so essential it deserves its spot—especially in deeptech.

The 4Ps are not just easy-to-remember buzzwords, but a guide for prioritisation. Deeptech founders must be obsessed with the commerical problem they’re solving. Passion for solving a complex issue attracts the right people (team), and with a strong team in place, the focus shifts to building the right product. If the product addresses a significant enough pain point—even in a niche space—profit will follow as long as the solution adds massive value to customers.

By focusing on solving a critical problem, the rest of the Ps naturally fall into place, driving long-term success in the deeptech space:

1. Problem (not academic problem!)
In deeptech, the primary goal is to tackle significant, real-world challenges using cutting-edge technology. However, success hinges on identifying and framing the commercial problem—not just the technical or academic aspects. While investors are excited about technological advancements, they are even more interested in whose problem you're solving and how substantial that problem is. If a problem lacks commercial value, it may be more suited for academic pursuits or research institutes, which operate under different success metrics. This is entirely valid, but if your end goal is to create a value- and revenue-generating business, you must first work to identify the "big problem" instead of simply using technology to find one.

The most successful deeptech companies focus on well-defined issues with global implications, whether in climate tech, artificial intelligence, or quantum computing. To drive product development and nail your market positioning, it's crucial to really grasp what the problem is, why it's urgent, who you're solving it for, and how big the issue is. This clarity not only guides your team in creating solutions that address specific needs but also helps communicate the value of your offering to stakeholders. By articulating the problem effectively, you can differentiate your solutions from competitors and ensure that your innovations create meaningful impact.

2. People
The people around you are your greatest asset in any deeptech venture. Success hinges on interdisciplinary collaboration among scientists, engineers, and business leaders. Building a team with balanced skills—especially in operations and finance—is crucial for tackling well-defined problems efficiently, saving time and money in developing the right product that generates profit.

Building a unified team that shares a common vision and culture is key. Investors favour founders who show resilience, clarity, and execution ability. Having the right team is crucial for tackling well-defined problems, enabling more efficient use of time and resources in developing the right product—essentially the solution that generates profit. Ultimately, the combination of technical expertise and essential soft skills will drive your venture's success in a rapidly evolving market.

3. Product
In deeptech, while innovation is crucial, achieving product-market fit is key. No matter how groundbreaking your technology, it's like a ship without a sail if it doesn't meet market needs. Continuous refinement of your solution is essential, and this involves gathering and acting on customer feedback to ensure your product effectively addresses the core problem.

Having a clear commercial problem definition makes it easier to identify the right customers for feedback. For founders, being comfortable talking to potential customers, listening to feedback, and handling rejection is vital. Success often comes from countless iterations and regrouping until you've perfected your product. Deeptech isn’t just about creating breakthrough technology; it’s about crafting solutions that resonate with the market.

4. Profit
Lastly, let's discuss profit. In deeptech, achieving profitability often takes years, but having a clear path to monetisation is crucial, especially one with defined milestones and tranches. Investors want reassurance that while you're addressing ambitious, moonshot problems, there’s a solid business model to back it up.

It’s essential to outline milestones and tranches—these are the steps that will help you generate revenue and reach key growth targets. Use customer feedback on the product to prioritise improvements based on impact versus effort, and create a roadmap with clear stages. Focus on developing a robust go-to-market strategy, scaling operations, and ensuring sustainable revenue generation. Breaking your strategy down into smaller, actionable steps not only guides decision-making but also allows for flexibility when needed. The ability to pivot or adjust at key milestones ensures you can stay on course, even if initial assumptions change.

In summary, the 4Ps framework powers deeptech success by balancing innovation with practical business needs. While technology is essential, it’s the effective problem-solving, strong team dynamics, strategic product-market fit, and clear profit pathways that truly fuel long-term growth in the deeptech space.

Now, onto the jobs - Vivian

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

Jobs at Deeptech startups:

• Scientist - Skin Tissue Engineering - Faircraft (Sustainable materials, Venture-Backed Startup), Paris, France

• Content Marketing Manager - Niostem (Biotech, Seed), Köln, Germany

• Research Associate, Mycology & Genomics - MycoWorks (Biotech, Series C), California, USA

• Marketing and Communications Coordinator - MycoWorks (Biotech, Series C), Paris, France

• Data Scientist I/II - Sava (Microsensors, Seed), London, UK

Jobs with Deeptech investors:

• Chief of Staff (Director of Infrastructure) - Arnold Ventures (VC), Washington, D.C., USA

• Principal - AI Fund (VC), Palo Alto, CA, USA

• Investment Associate - The Schmidt Family Foundation (Family office), San Francisco, USA

• Principal, Industrial Innovation Fund - Amazon (CVC), Seattle, WA, USA

• Interns - Harlem Capital (VC), Remote

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