DeepTech Consulting

DeepTech refers to emerging, transformational technologies with a high potential to disrupt existing economic sectors. Because there is a large scientific risk, DeepTech innovation typically requires high up-front investment in research and development. 

 

At Navigator Consulting, we have been present and involved as advisors in succeeding waves of technological change since 1995:

 

• We have been present at the birth of Web 1.0 and the first generation of digital startups and digital migration. From 1995, we have worked intensively to support our clients adapt to ecommerce and online marketing. The first wave features large retail organisations such as banks, insurance firms, media, hotels and travel agencies, retailers and manufacturers connect their ERPs and content management systems online, pushing information towards consumers. 

 

• Following the dot.com crash in 1999-2000 and the rise of Web 2.0, we have been present as the rise of online platforms with user-generated content, including social media, have transformed the economy and society. This has given rise to the sharing economy, leading to radical disruption by companies such as Spotify, Airbnb, Uber and  others. It has also generated the social media revolution, leading to an environment where we have never been so highly connected as we are today through platforms such as Google, Youtube, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Wikipedia and more. 

 

• We have seen the ERP and SaaS revolutions, witnessing the shrinking of technology from a large investment in hardware and software, to pay-as-you go fractional ownership of software as a service. Everything from Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) to accounting software to central reservation systems and billing systems has been affected. Today, the entry cost of state-of-the-art technology has never been more competitive, allowing the smallest of enterprises access to work-class software and application at low prices. 

 

• In parallel, we have participated in the re-equipping and modernization of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union as the formerly planned economies adapted to market economies, and changed generations of equipment over 20 years. This has seen a massive replacement of GOST-standard, massive batch processing and energy inefficient technologies across the value chain into smaller batch, higher precision, and greater customization production lines emphasizing lean manufacturing and digital control over technology. 

 

• As a subset of the CEEC/FSU industrial transformation, we have seen the rise of China and its tremendous impact on basic, medium and advanced manufacturing capabilities. When China joined the GATT and then the World Trade Organisation (WTO), it’s impact in terms of global manufacturing was felt almost immediately. In Greece, for example, nearly the entire textile industry was wiped out due to a flood of cheaper Chinese exports at the end of the 1990s. In Germany, the entire photovoltaic panel industry was eliminated due to Chinese export in the 2000s. At present, the only reason China is not flooding the European and North American markets with electric vehicles and other consumer products is due to trade barriers. We have seen this most clearly in industrial manufacturing. In 1996, when we started the process of advising on re-equipping and modernizing factories in the former Soviet bloc, the equipment manufacturer of choice was German, followed by Italian and possibly American. By 2010-2015, the equipment manufacturer of choice was China, usually taking 60-80% of industrial procurement budgets. 

 

We now find ourselves at the brink of yet another technological wave, which will be radically transformative of human society and economy, and ultimately, human biology. This is the DeepTech wave, which promises radical disruption to existing economic segments, technology and even the human genome. 

 

At Navigator, we classify DeepTech into fourteen key emerging technological clusters: 

 

1.  Advanced Computing / Quantum Computing

Quantum computing (multidimensional state information storage and processing); edge computing; cloud computing; and other technologies relating to next-generation high performance computing. 

 

2. Advanced Materials

This includes new composites, polymers, ceramics, biomaterials, metals and nano-scale materials used across a variety of industrial and consumer applications.  

 

3. Biotechnology, Ageing and Genomics

Biotechnology and life sciences represents cutting edge Deep Tech technology in terms of natural and synthetic materials and research, clinical trials, genetic therapies, genome analysis, implants, digital technologies, and anti-ageing. 

 

4. CleanTech

New energy generation technologies ranging from renewables to hydrogen, fusion, and other types. New energy storage technologies, including lithium ion, sodium ion, graphite and other variants of batteries. It also refers to advances in wider sustainability and circular economy principals. 

 

5. Communications Networks

Communications and connectivity in terms of high speed / high capacity data transmissions such as 5G / 6G Networks; high-bandwidth communications, including fiber optics, laser-based systems, microwave technologies, radio frequency spectrum management; navigation systems; telematics and materials such as smart antennas; distributed antenna systems; signal boosting technologies; circuit board technologies; and communications security. 

6. Cybersecurity and Data Protection

Network and data security and protection. This includes the trustworthiness and certification of ICT products: Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G; deploying machine learning and artificial intelligence for encryption, intrusion detection and data security; quantum keys; intrusion detection; privacy and e-privacy methods and regulations. 

 

7. Data Science and Information Processing

Big Data, Data Mining, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Deep Tech applications here include fundamental or applied research as well as solutions or prototypes involving pattern recognition, algorithmic learning, automation, predictive analytics, voice recognition, language and learning issues, and more. 

 

8. Electronics and Photonics

Underlying new technologies used in quantum computing and semiconductor manufacturing, including quantum computing arrays; advanced circuit board engineering and manufacturing; photonic engineering; haptic engineering; power management and more. 

 

9. Mobility

New approaches to clean mobility (featuring all electric or hybrid vehicles) as well as advanced vehicle manufacturing such as driverless cars, VTOL vehicles and others. 

 

10. Robotics

Robotic Process Automation (RPA); robots; cobots; consumer devices. This also includes the concept of Industry 4.0 and future extensions of it. 

 

11. Semiconductors

Research and development into Advanced Microchip Manufacturing; Next Generation Chip Manufacturing; highly parallel computing / distributed computing; Haptic Engineering, Power Management and more. Focus on chip foundry plant location, availability and security of supply. 

 

12. Sensoring Technologies, Remote Sensing and Data Fusion

Focus on Internet of Things including W3C data standard, new sensoring platforms such as satellites, aerial or underwater drones and more. This also refers to data cleaning and structuring, observation, exception monitoring, and more. 

 

13. Virtual Reality (VR)

This includes metaverse, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and wider extended reality technologies. 

 

14. Web 3.0

This area focusses on Web 3.0 applications insofar as these relate to solving a major societal challenge. This includes third generation internet; blockchain; distributed ledgers; non-fungible tokens, and more. 

 

We offer a range of DeepTech consulting services, including: 

 

• Policy and regulatory analysis; 

• Technological monitoring and business intelligence; 

• Proof of concept and technological viability reviews; 

• Start-up due diligence; 

• Other vendor due diligence; 

• Commercialisation support services. 

 

Please contact us if you are a startup, investor, university, research institute or equivalent organisation interested in DeepTech development.