We had the opportunity to attend Collision Conference in Toronto this year, and we wanted to share some key takeaways with you. Collision is North America’s fastest-growing tech conference which was held from June 20th to June 23rd, 2022, in the city of Toronto, Canada. The event included tech experts, some of the world’s best speakers and market leaders.
Across the board, despite a significant slowdown in funding, there is an incredible amount of innovation happening in the tech sector. DeepTech fields such as AI, AR/VR and autonomous vehicles continue to move forward pushed by new and existing startups. Corporate funds are replacing part of the slack in VC funding.
1. The Tech sector has incredible innovations coming down the pipeline, especially in the field of AI.
2. Although hardware companies were underrepresented, the ones present showed great promise and an array of future applications.
3. From an investment side, although many investors are aware of a major slowdown in funding, this is the best time to find the future winners in the DeepTech arena.
4. Building on the last point, this is a great time for early-stage investment, as many fantastic companies will emerge out of the current struggle and competition.
The TD Shepherd team is happy to congratulate the Qualinx B.V. team on successfully raising €20 million from Dutch investors. TD Shepherd has provided strategic support to Qualinx over the years (starting in 2018), witnessing each step of their journey; their growth and success, makes us truly proud of their outstanding achievements.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about surviving the Valley of Death in deep tech, it’s this: don’t go it alone. This stage is all about leveraging relationships, and corporate partnerships can be your most valuable lifeline. The key is to think beyond customers.
The so-called “Valley of Death” in deep tech isn’t just about running out of cash—it’s about navigating a period where expectations clash with reality. Investors want to see traction, but your tech isn’t market-ready. Customers are intrigued, but they’re not ready to commit. And your R&D costs? They’re still burning through cash like it’s a bonfire.