FRAME THE DEEP TECH, BUT SPEAK THE VENTURE DIALECT

Pattern matching is not a sideshow in venture—it is the default screening mechanism.Pattern matching is both explicit (team pedigree, network, university) and implicit ("I've seen this story before").

• More than 90% of VCs say the founding team is "important," and 55% rank it the single most important factor—pedigree and prior wins substitute for hard evidence at the earliest stage.

• Around 60% of opportunities reach a VC through existing networks; only about 10% are truly cold inbound, so networks act as the first filter.

• In the United States, roughly 70% of checks go to founders from top-20 universities,with a striking concentration in three schools.

  
  

VCs rely on pattern matching because partners sift hundreds of decks for every deal and face extreme uncertainty. Familiar patterns create cognitive comfort.

FOR CONVENTIONAL STARTUPS:

• Secure warm introductions via credible angels or strategic customers.

• Assemble a team and advisory board that satisfy common VC heuristics.

• Foreground traction—revenue growth and retention overrule pedigree once visible.

FOR DEEP-TECH VENTURES:

Deep-tech fundraising is tougher because classic VC markers (moats, CAC/LTV, PMF) can look “missing” while the tech matures. Keep the science—wrap it in venture-familiar framing and show the evidence.

How to translate, with what to show:

1. Self-improving algorithm → Compounding moat Frame: “Our model gets better with data; rivals pay a growing tax to catch up.” Show: Learning-curve chart + estimated replication cost.
   

2. High R&D now, tiny unit cost later → Software-like margins Frame: “Heavy upfront R&D yields low marginal cost.” Show: Gross-margin ramp over time.
   

3. Advanced process → Platform with multiple shots on goal Frame: “One core tech unlocks several product lines. ”Show: Two adjacent use cases + timelines.
   

4. Strategic pilot → Commercial validation Frame: “A real customer paid to test.” Show: LOI/MoU + paid pilot amount and results criteria.
   

5. Niche entry → Wedge into $1B+ market Frame: “Start focused, expand systematically.” Show: TAM breakdown + staged expansion path.
   

6. Capital for technical risk → Milestone-based plan Frame: “Every € funds a de-risking step.” Show: 18-month roadmap converting technical risk → PMF risk.
   

7. Foundational breakthrough → Durable advantage Frame: “Physics/chemistry gives us structural defensibility.” Show: What competitors would need to match + limits of substitutes.
   

8. Design-ins → Exceptional LTV Frame: “Once we’re in, we stay in.” Show: Switching costs, expected lifetime revenue per integration.
   

9. Patent portfolio → Time-boxed exclusivity Frame: “Protected runway to capture value.” Show: IP timeline mapped to commercial milestones.
   

10. Peer-reviewed results → Lower market risk Frame: “External validation reduces GTM uncertainty.” Show: Each validation milestone → the specific risk it removes.
    

11. PhD-heavy team → Talent moat Frame: “Rare expertise that’s slow and costly to replicate.” Show: Competitor hiring/cost timeline to match the team.
    

12. Regulatory progress → Barrier to entry Frame: “Compliance creates a timing and trust advantage.” Show: Achieved/next regulatory steps and their impact on sales cycles.
    

13. University/lab partnerships → Capital-efficient R&D Frame: “We leverage public/partner infrastructure.” Show: € equivalent private spend saved to reach same outcomes.