VentureLab recently hosted its yearly HardTech event focused on “deep” technology, with a particular emphasis on hardware, semiconductors, Medtech, AI, and mobility. The event was a gathering of investors and innovators from around the globe.
HardTech took a step forward by being in a great, new venue. The event was well organized and executed.
Lots of investors were present from all over the world, really good to see VentureLab actively trying to bridge the gap between startups and capital.
Denis Gaudreault, Intel’s Country Manager for Canada, had a very interesting presentation exploring Canada’s role in the semiconductor world, focusing on leveraging Canada’s wealth of talent and educational institutions to work together with the government to accelerate the industry.
A group of VCs from Bosch Ventures, Monozukuri Ventures, Kanata Ventures, and Roynat Capital discussed the current landscape of capital investment in Canada, echoing many of the thoughts that Denis had: There is a lot of talent in Canada that needs structure to create successful ventures. Canada is well positioned but needs a little more “fuel for the fire”.
The human capital demand for companies has grown exponentially, with more talented people needed for hardware companies every day, and a panel discussion called “How Do We Meet the Supercharged Demand for Hardware Talent in Canada?” really dug deep into how to get young people interested and excited about hardware and talked about training from the ground up to really meet the upcoming demand for deep tech talent.
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?