📬 I’m Uncovering Billion-Dollar Deep Tech Gems Before Crunchbase – Join Me for 10x Returns
Your Weekly Shortcut to Deeptech Investing — Trends, Startup Intel & Investor Playbooks for VCs & Angels in 5 Minutes or Less
Want to beat top VCs to the next billion-dollar startup? It’s not about luck—it’s about knowing where to look. The $500 billion global deep tech market is teeming with hidden gems in fusion, quantum, and AI, from Boston to Berlin. By tapping into US and European funding signals, you can uncover startups before they hit Crunchbase, securing 10x returns. We’ve got three proven methods—plus a playbook—to find these stars in the US, EU, and beyond. Don’t let the next unicorn pass you by!
The Question: How Do You Find Startups Before Crunchbase?
Crunchbase lists startups after they’ve raised big rounds or gone viral. To get ahead, you need early signals: US SBIR grants, European EIC funding, and university spinouts on both sides of the Atlantic. These reveal deep tech pioneers in fusion, quantum, and materials science—before VCs swarm. From MIT to Max Planck, here’s how to find them in 2025.
Why This Matters to You
Deep tech is reshaping the world—fusion could end the energy crisis, quantum computing is turbocharging AI, and materials science is fueling 2nm chips. The US DoE, DoD, and European Innovation Council (EIC) invested $7.2 billion combined in 2024, with €1 billion more slated for 2025. Early bets on Commonwealth Fusion Systems ($7B valuation) or Pasqal (€200M valuation) delivered massive gains. Spotting startups pre-Crunchbase means lower valuations and a shot at 2027 IPOs or acquisitions. US-EU collaborations are accelerating this race, and you need to be in it.
Three Proven Methods to Find Startups Early
Here’s how to uncover deep tech startups in the US and EU before they go public:
Monitor US SBIR Direct to Phase II Awards:
What It Is: The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program awards $1.8M-$2M grants from the US DoE, DoD, or NIH to fund prototypes. “Direct to Phase II” grants signal startups with proven tech, often pre-Crunchbase.
2024 Example: HelicitySpace (Seattle, WA) got $1.8M for fusion propulsion, and Realta Fusion (Madison, WI) secured $2M for a compact reactor. Both are TRL-6 and pre-Crunchbase.
How to Track: Search SAM.gov for “SBIR Direct to Phase II” under “fusion,” “quantum,” or “materials.” $46M went to fusion startups in 2024, with 20 awards expected in 2025.
Track US and EU University IP Licenses:
What It Is: Top universities like MIT, Stanford, Max Planck Institute, and ETH Zurich license breakthroughs to spinouts before seed rounds or Crunchbase listings.
2024 US Example: MIT licensed quantum IP to Atlantic Quantum (Cambridge, MA), raising $9M in seed. Stanford gave battery tech to Anthro Energy, securing $20M from Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
2024 EU Example: Max Planck spun out Proxima Fusion (Munich, Germany), raising €20M in 2024 for a stellarator reactor. ETH Zurich licensed AI materials tech to Matgenix (Zurich, Switzerland), which raised €15M from EIC and Merck Ventures.
How to Track: Set Google Alerts for “MIT + spinout,” “Max Planck + exclusive license,” or “ETH Zurich + startup.” Check tech transfer offices (MIT TLO, Max Planck Innovation) for annual reports. 15 US and 10 EU spinouts in 2024 focused on quantum, fusion, and materials.
Follow EU Horizon Europe EIC Grants and US-EU Collaborations:
What It Is: The EIC awards €2.5M-€17.5M to EU deep tech scale-ups in quantum, fusion, and AI. US-EU partnerships, like DoE-EIC joint funding, amplify cross-border startups.
2024 Example: Pasqal (France, quantum computing) got €50M from EIC, raising $30M from Temasek in 2025. Marvel Fusion (Germany) secured €35M for laser fusion, partnering with Siemens. The US-EU Fusion Task Force (launched 2024) co-funded $10M for CFS and Proxima Fusion R&D.
How to Track: Search CORDIS for “EIC 2024” or “2025” grants, filtering by “quantum” or “fusion.” Check Energy.gov for US-EU fusion deals. EIC’s €1B 2025 budget will fund 100+ startups, starting June 2025.
Real-World Wins
HelicitySpace’s Fusion Jump: A $1.8M DoE SBIR in July 2024 led to $5M from Lockheed Martin in January 2025, valuing HelicitySpace at $50M, pre-Crunchbase.
Atlantic Quantum’s MIT Edge: MIT’s 2024 quantum license fueled a $9M seed and a Google Quantum AI partnership, hitting $80M valuation in 2025, pre-Crunchbase.
Proxima Fusion’s EU Power: Spun from Max Planck Institute, Proxima Fusion’s €20M seed in 2024 and $5M EIC grant in 2025 sparked a $25M Series A led by General Catalyst, valuing it at €150M.
Pasqal’s Transatlantic Play: A €50M EIC grant in 2024 and $30M from Temasek in 2025 pushed Pasqal to €200M valuation, pre-US Crunchbase, with a DoE collaboration for quantum algorithms.
Anthro Energy’s Battery Win: Stanford’s 2024 license led to a $20M round and a Tesla pilot in 2025, valuing Anthro at $120M, pre-Crunchbase.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The deep tech market will hit $500 billion by 2030, with 35% annual growth in fusion, quantum, and materials, per BCG.
US SBIR awarded $1.2 billion across 7,000 grants in 2024, with $46M for fusion, per the Small Business Administration.
MIT, Stanford, Max Planck, and ETH Zurich spun out 25 deep tech startups in 2024, with 60% in quantum, fusion, or materials, per tech transfer reports.
EIC’s €405M funded 68 startups in 2024, with €100M for quantum and fusion. The 2025 budget is €1 billion, per CORDIS.
US-EU collaborations, like the Fusion Task Force, allocated $20M in 2024, with $50M planned for 2025, per Energy.gov.
Investor Playbook: Turn Leads into 10x Returns
Here’s your roadmap to find and invest in pre-Crunchbase startups across the US and EU:
Mine US SBIR Grants: Check SAM.gov weekly for “SBIR Direct to Phase II” in fusion, quantum, or materials. Target $1.8M+ grants with TRL-6+ startups like HelicitySpace. Reach out via LinkedIn for pitch decks. Expect 3-5 fusion SBIRs monthly in 2025.
Scout US and EU Spinouts: Set Google Alerts for “MIT + spinout,” “Max Planck + license,” or “CERN + startup.” Review MIT TLO, Max Planck Innovation, or CERN Knowledge Transfer reports (Q1 annually). Target startups with $5M+ seed rounds, like Atlantic Quantum or Matgenix. Join MIT Startup Exchange or CERN Venture Connect for pitches.
Track EIC and US-EU Funding: Search CORDIS monthly for EIC grants (€10M+, like Pasqal’s). Monitor Energy.gov for US-EU deals, like the Fusion Task Force. Contact grantees via CORDIS or DoE directories. Attend EIC Investor Days (June 2025) or DoE Innovation Summits for 50+ startup intros.
Vet Tech and Teams: Demand TRL data (6+) and, for fusion, neutron yield metrics (e.g., Q>1). Verify founder expertise—PhDs or exits, like Realta Fusion’s ex-Lockheed team—via LinkedIn. Use PitchBook to confirm early funding. EU startups often list ERC grants; check ERC website for validation.
Time Your Entry: Invest pre-Series A/B, when valuations are $20M-$100M. US SBIR startups raise 6-12 months post-grant; EIC grantees seek US VC within 9 months. Join AngelList, EquityZen, or EIC Scale-Up Club for Q3 2025 deals, like Proxima Fusion’s Series A.
Spot M&A or IPO Potential: Watch Lockheed Martin, Google, or Siemens for M&A. Pasqal’s DoE tie-up and Anthro’s Tesla pilot signal acquisition potential. Track CB Insights for trends. Fusion IPOs (e.g., CFS) are post-2027; quantum IPOs may hit 2026, per Pasqal’s roadmap.
Build Transatlantic Networks: Join SBIR Road Tour (Q2 2025) or EU Horizon Investor Forums for US-EU founder access. Connect with DoE INFUSE or EIC Accelerator directors for intros. Use LinkedIn to reach Max Planck Innovation or Stanford OTL officers for spinout leads.
Why You Can’t Wait
Deep tech is a gold rush, and startups like HelicitySpace, Proxima Fusion, and Pasqal are racing to $1B+ valuations. With $7.2 billion in US-EU funding in 2024 and €1B more in 2025, the window to invest early is shrinking. CFS’s $7B shows the prize, but Type One Energy’s $1B and Atlantic Quantum’s $80M offer bigger upside now. This is like betting on Tesla pre-EV boom. Wait, and you’ll miss 10x returns when Crunchbase lights up.
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Stay sharp,
Eden Djanashvili
Author Invest Deeptech