This was the second Silicon Catalyst.UK event we attended. Attendance was now up to 100+ with full semiconductor focus which makes these events so good and effective. It brings together the whole eco-system: from EDA to IP, from fabless to specialty silicon manufacturers. It was a great event with a set of excellent startup pitches as well as a set of industry veterans presenting. For the UK these events are critical to bring the UK’s semiconductor industry back to the level where it belongs. It has the talent, it has the entrepreneurial spirit. It is important to continue and broaden these efforts. It will take time so financing and supporting such events over a longer period of time is key. We are talking a decennia and longer and failures are part of the effort. Too many governments are afraid to “waste” the public taxpayer’s money if there is a failure – it should be made clear that failures are part of the journey and equally valuable as the successes. Only with this approach will you get real and lasting results.
Many founders who receive a Non-Binding Offer consider it a big achievement. Especially after months or years of development, a potential acquirer looks like a sign that hard work is bearing fruit. But being excited sometimes may lead founders to make mistakes.
A successful deep-tech M&A transaction requires more than just buying and selling — it requires unique insights that no ‘typical’ advisor should have access to. The success of such a complex deal hinges on knowing how new technologies relate to other technologies, IP, and current & future market trends.
Many founders underestimate how different deep tech fundraising really is. Deep tech funding rounds don’t follow the same rules as software funding rounds. These rounds take more time, they are larger, and are validation-driven due to long-lasting R&D cycles and capital intensity. Imagine that each round answers the question, then what question would it be?