Core Insights - The 2025 European Deep Tech Report highlights the potential of Europe to become a global hub for Deep Tech, emphasizing the need for a stronger entrepreneurial culture and investment in scientific breakthroughs [1][4][7] Group 1: Definition and Misconceptions - Deep Tech is defined as the application of scientific and engineering breakthroughs to create new products, requiring significant capital investment and longer revenue timelines [4][24] - Common misconceptions include the belief that Deep Tech companies fail more often and require more time to exit compared to regular tech companies, while in reality, their failure rates are comparable [21][29] Group 2: European Deep Tech Opportunity - Europe is home to six of the top 20 universities and nine of the top 25 research institutions globally, providing a strong foundation for Deep Tech development [1][4] - The report suggests focusing on centers of excellence like Oxford and Cambridge to foster a more robust founder ecosystem [4][6] Group 3: Funding Landscape - In 2024, European Deep Tech VC funding reached €15 billion, a 28% decline from the 2021 peak, but still better than the 60% drop in regular tech funding [1][4] - The UK, France, and Germany are the leading markets, with London, Paris, and Munich as key hubs for investment [1][4][6] Group 4: Segment Deep Dives - Key sectors attracting investment include novel AI, future computing, novel energy, space tech, resilience technologies, computational biology, and robotics, with significant funding rounds reported [1][5] - Notable funding examples include Wayve in autonomous driving with $1.1 billion, Mistral AI in foundational models with $500 million, and Sunfire in hydrogen energy with €215 million [1][5] Group 5: Founder Resources - Founders are encouraged to adopt a milestone-based approach to de-risking their ventures and to present their business plans using scientific methods [6] - The report emphasizes the importance of diversifying funding sources beyond equity, particularly for hardware startups [6] Group 6: Challenges and Recommendations - The report identifies challenges such as the need for more entrepreneurs in Deep Tech, harmonization of university spinout terms, and the importance of government and corporate customers [6][7] - Recommendations include enhancing talent clusters, increasing the base of institutional investors, and promoting diversity among founders and investors [6][7]