Cambridge is preparing: Deep tech trends unveiled at the grill festival!

Cambridge is preparing: Deep tech trends unveiled at the grill festival!

Bradfield Centre, Cambridge, Großbritannien - The annual grill festival of Cambridge Future Tech (CFT) in Bradfield Center was not only a sociable get -together, but also a place for intensive discussion about the future of the deep tech in Great Britain. Before grilling, an exciting panel took place, which was moderated by CFT CEO Owen Thompson. With well-known voices such as the tech journalist Mike Butcher, early phase investor Isabel Fox and the venture partner Michael Jackson, the topic "Where does the UK deep tech go from here?" discussed lively. Various aspects were discussed that are equally important for founders and investors, especially with regard to the support of early phase companies and the identification of coming technology trends. The assessments were positive, but the challenges should not be underestimated.

A central topic was the discrepancy in the university policy of universities towards spinouts. Michael Jackson summed it up that universities should only demand a single -digit equity share in order not to hinder growth. Chris Wiles, director at the Foresight Group, emphasized that universities can keep equity, but not to the extent that it brakes young companies. The need for a stronger orientation between founders and investors has also been emphasized, which Grace Mills, communication manager of CFT, underpinned by emphasizing the need to release capital.

The developments in the deep tech sector

like mathys-squire.com, the Deep Tech sector in the UK on the up. With almost 3,500 active deep tech companies and an impressive increase in equity investments from £ 174 million in 2013 to over £ 5.2 billion in 2022, a clear growth trend is shown. Particularly noteworthy is the "golden triangle" in England, where a large part of these companies is based.

The challenges are noticeable. A decline in investments in 2022 represents a stroke in the invoice, and experts encourage strategies to develop the financing gap. International investments, especially from North America, could bring the necessary support to overcome this gap. The active Deep Tech-Spinout companies must also be observed that play a promising role. They make up 17.1% of the company population in the sector and have secured over £ 7 billion by 2022.

actors and support in the deep tech ecosystem

The Intel Ignite Accelerator currently supports 216 deep tech startups worldwide. The UK cohorts of this program have already collected over £ 134 million. The resilience of the ecosystem and the valuable mentoring programs in combination with a wide network prove to be a door opener for innovation.

The deep tech sector is particularly dynamic, which is also supported by the latest report on the future of British technology. The sector now comprises more than 5,800 companies and has collected an impressive sum of £ 37.9 billion in equity financing. Intel Ignite AI, quantum computing, robotics and cleavertech are promoted to address global challenges such as climate change and energy efficiency.

As the CFT grill festival has shown, there is a lot of potential in the British deep tech sector. Despite the challenges and regional differences, the support of universities and investors remains central to the development and growth of this innovative landscape. The festival in Cambridge was not only an opportunity to celebrate, but also a power place for ideas and initiatives that help shape the future of technology.