# Deep Tech Investing

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2022-08-02
- Length: 1h 15m
- Episode: 21
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d2617506

## Summary

Seth Winterroth of Eclipse and Ian Rountree of Kantos join Bryan Cantrill and Adam Leventhal of Oxide Computer Company to discuss the state of deep tech investing. They argue that venture capital has neglected hardware due to a 20-year focus on software market risk, creating an opportunity for investors who understand technical risk. The guests outline frameworks for evaluating hard tech companies, emphasizing the need for rigorous diligence, clear market validation, and the ability to navigate long development cycles from prototype to revenue.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=0) Introduction: Deep Tech Investing with Seth Winterroth and Ian Rountree
- [4:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=250) Oxide's Origin: Dreaming Big Without Capital Constraints
- [8:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=502) The VC Blind Spot: Why Sand Hill Road Ignores Hardware
- [15:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=913) The Case for Full-Stack Hardware and Software Integration
- [20:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=1205) Kantos' Four Arguments for Deep Tech Investment
- [28:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=1723) Market Validation: Asking the Right Questions to Customers
- [39:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=2388) The Diligence Gap: Conviction vs. High-Velocity Deployment
- [47:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=2836) Funding Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, and the Series A Chasm
- [54:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=3299) Investor Traits: Curiosity, Conviction, and Operator Experience
- [1:03:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing#t=3780) New Capital Sources: Wall Street and Public Equity Entering Private Markets

## Topics

- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Oxide Computer Company (company)
- Eclipse (company)
- Kantos (company)
- SoFi (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Rivian (company)
- Chef (company)
- System Initiative (company)
- 50 Years (company)
- Cerebras (company)
- Dusty Robotics (company)
- Near Frontier (other)
- Industrial Evolution (other)
- ClubCentre (other)
- Twitter (other)
- Deepgram (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The VC case for 'full stack deeptech'](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-01-08-the-vc-case-for-full-stack-deeptech) (Catalyst)
- [178: Venture Capital Funding for Hardware Startups](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-01-178-venture-capital-funding-for-hardware-startups) (Product Startup)
- [S3 E4: An Impact Hardware VC's Playbook with Carlota Ochoa from Extentia](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2025-11-11-s3-e4-an-impact-hardware-vcs-playbook-with-carlota-ochoa-from-extentia) (The Builder Circle)
- [Nurturing Deep Tech Startups to Address Climate Change: A Conversation with Andrew Gollach of HAX](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-12-21-nurturing-deep-tech-startups-to-address-climate-change-a-conversation-with-andre) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [S1 E7: Level Up Your Hardware Product Pitch with Haje Kamps](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2023-06-27-s1-e7-level-up-your-hardware-product-pitch-with-haje-kamps) (The Builder Circle)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-08-02-deep-tech-investing. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Oxide and Friends.