Insights from the session 

The session featured contributions from four EIC Ecosystem Partners who addressed different aspects of intellectual property strategy, technology valorisation and investment readiness.

Avoiding critical pitfalls on the deep tech  development journey – 00:04:35

Patricia Celie, principal consultant at Catalyze Group,  addressed some of the most common pitfalls encountered by deep tech ventures during early stages. Drawing from her over 20 years’ experience supporting academic spin-offs on life sciences and health, green and sustainable innovations and industrial and digital technologies, she explained the constraints that many innovators face when operating from an academic mindset.

Participants were encouraged to build a “diagnostic mindset”, regularly evaluating where the company may be exposed to strategic risk. The session emphasised the importance of understanding markets early, aligning IP strategy with commercial pathways, building investor readiness proactively and defining clear operational responsibilities within growing teams. Attendees had the opportunity to explore 4 case studies, their pitfalls and how they managed to overcome them.

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Systemic readiness and leadership alignment – 00:34:32 

Bernard Chanliau and Bart Romanow from BC Team Coaching focused on the concept of “systemic readiness” and the often-overlooked relationship between leadership systems and the demands of rapid growth.

Their session introduced the idea of the “scale-up readiness gap” as the disconnect between initial funding and commercial viability. Using practical exercises and their Systemic Readiness Pulse framework, the speakers explored how founder mindset, leadership culture, governance, execution processes and team dynamics must evolve together as companies transition from early-stage innovation towards commercial scale-up.

The presentation examined typical challenges emerging at different growth stages, including founder overload, delegation gaps, unclear responsibilities, scaling culture beyond the core founding team, and maintaining alignment during rapid growth phases. Participants reflected on how leadership maturity and organisational systems directly influence execution capacity, investor confidence, and long-term scalability.

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Strategic branding and stakeholder communication for deep tech  ventures – 01:23:40 

Elisabeth Kugler and Nicole Brooks from Zeeks – Art for Geeks Ltd addressed the role of strategic branding, communication, and positioning in helping deep tech ventures create traction and visibility beyond scientific communities.

The speakers highlighted that many innovators struggle because they communicate from their own technical perspective rather than from the perspective of their stakeholders. They emphasised that positioning is not simply a slogan or marketing exercise, but a strategic process of defining why a company matters, to whom and what unique value it creates compared to alternatives.

Participants were introduced to practical tools such as positioning frameworks, stakeholder-specific messaging strategies, communication funnels and lead nurturing approaches designed specifically for highly specialised scientific sectors. A strong emphasis was placed on understanding customer journeys, adapting language to different audiences, and building long-term credibility through strategic communication.

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Market intelligence, validation and commercial readiness – 01:51:45 

Gonzalo Etchart, Head of Market Intelligence and Validation at Develop Minded, focused on market validation and the importance of building realistic commercial assumptions for deep tech  ventures. Participants explored the practical use of  Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Available Market (SAM), and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) methodologies in learning how different market sizing approaches answer different strategic questions depending on the company’s maturity stage and business model. The presentation also compared top-down, bottom-up and value-based market sizing approaches, highlighting that investors increasingly expect evidence-based assumptions grounded in customer interactions and operational realities.

The presentation concluded with practical recommendations encouraging founders to test their riskiest assumptions early, prioritise evidence over optimism, and build validation roadmaps that progressively replace uncertainty with measurable proof points capable of unlocking pilots, customers, partnerships, and investment opportunities.

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