🌋 Fervo Energy Plans IPO; 💻 Quantum Computing Breaks Funding Records; 🤖 AI-Powered Robot Unicorn Emerges; ⚛️ The Race for Nuclear Propulsion & More | Deep Tech Briefing #52
Weekly Intelligence on Deep Tech Startups and Venture Capital.
Thanks for reading Deep Tech Briefing, our weekly intelligence on deep tech startups and venture capital. If you like what you see, I encourage you to subscribe to all our pieces here.
Before Go Ahead:
Deep Tech Briefing is just one part of The Scenarionist experience. To enjoy the full experience, become a Premium Member!
The Scenarionist Premium is designed to make you a better Deep Tech Founder, Investor, and Operator. Premium members gain exclusive access to unique insights, analysis, and Venture Guides with the wisdom of the world’s leading Deep Tech thought leaders. Invest in yourself, and upgrade today!
Dear Friends,
According to Crunchbase, this year alone, quantum computing has shattered funding records, with $1.9 billion raised across 62 deals—a 138% jump from last year. The signal is clear: quantum is moving from theoretical promise to commercial reality, and capital is following execution.
But this surge isn’t just about quantum supremacy. It’s about the race to power the future of AI. With training costs for foundation models soaring—one hyperscaler reportedly spent over $4 billion on GPUs last year alone—investors are betting on quantum’s potential to compress AI’s energy footprint by orders of magnitude. The latest breakthroughs in trapped-ion scaling, error correction, and topological qubits suggest the timeline for practical applications is shrinking faster than skeptics expected.
Elsewhere in deep tech, the automation wave is reshaping industrial workflows. A robotics startup just hit a $1.65 billion valuation by proving that AI-powered machines can go beyond assistance to full autonomy in logistics and supply chain operations. Meanwhile, nuclear propulsion is quietly advancing, with a UK-based company unveiling a fusion-powered space engine that could cut interplanetary travel times from years to months. If successful, it could signal the beginning of an orbital propulsion-as-a-service market—an entirely new economic layer in space.
Fusion energy itself is reaching critical milestones. One company has just demonstrated a magnetized target fusion system that sidesteps the cost and complexity of conventional tokamaks, while another is leveraging fusion technologies for adjacent industries to generate near-term revenue. As capital tightens in traditional venture markets, expect more deep-tech firms to follow suit—prioritizing monetization strategies that keep them afloat while chasing the long game.
Meanwhile, the intersection of biotech and materials science is creating investment opportunities that didn’t exist five years ago. A startup developing bioengineered pigments could disrupt the $9 billion synthetic dye industry, while another is scaling biodegradable sequins to replace petroleum-based microplastics in luxury fashion. Even construction is getting a deep-tech upgrade: a company spun out of an art school (yes, an art school) is turning discarded shellfish into high-performance building materials.
From quantum AI to fusion space tugs, from AI-driven robotics to bio-based textiles, this week’s briefing captures the frontier of deep tech innovation. Capital is still flowing—but increasingly, it’s flowing toward execution. The companies that deliver results today, not just vision for tomorrow, will define the next decade.
Enjoy the read!
✨ For more, see Membership | Venture Guides | Insights | Deep Tech Catalyst
In Today's Briefing
The Big Idea – Quantum computing smashes funding records as investors double down on the sector.
The Key Updates – AI-driven automation reshapes industries, fusion-powered propulsion inches closer to reality, nuclear energy sees major strategic moves, and next-gen geothermal makes a bold bet on scalability. Meanwhile, the solar industry is undergoing a silent but radical shift—one that could reshape its entire future.
Breakthroughs and Discoveries – Advances in materials science could redefine hydrogen energy economics, while quantum error correction takes a critical leap forward. AI is accelerating molecular engineering, and researchers push the boundaries of next-gen imaging, computing, and energy storage.
Deep Tech Power Plays – Governments step up in deep tech: the UK moves on lab-grown food, U.S. energy leaders call for stability, and South Korea launches a quantum strategy to stay in the race.
Interesting Reading:
If you’re hungry for more context, here are a few curated links:
US agrifoodtech funding up 14%, driven by investment in AI – AI is fueling a new wave of investment in the agrifoodtech sector, with funding rising despite broader economic uncertainty. AgFunder News
The American Dynamism 50 – Andreessen Horowitz highlights 50 companies at the forefront of defense, infrastructure, and industrial innovation. a16z
Palantir CEO Alex Karp Inks New Manufacturing Deals With Defense Startups – The data analytics giant is deepening its ties with the defense sector, securing key deals for manufacturing expansion. Bloomberg
Opinion: Quantum computing is a smart investment — but should it be? – A closer look at the ethical and financial implications of investing in quantum computing. LA Times
Stanford Students Want in on the Military-Tech Gold Rush – As military-tech startups thrive, Stanford students see both career opportunities and ethical dilemmas. SF Standard
Ammonia Fuel: The Forgotten Clean Hydrogen Alternative – Could ammonia be a game-changer in the transition to clean energy? Researchers think so. IEEE Spectrum
The Big Idea: Quantum Computing Breaks Funding Records as Investors Double Down on the Sector.
The quantum computing sector has reached an unprecedented milestone in venture funding, with a record-setting $1.9 billion raised across 62 rounds in 2024, a 138% increase from the $789 million recorded in 2023, according to Crunchbase.