DeepTech Unleashed is a podcast for DeepTech founders, from DeepTech founders hosted by NGP Capital.
Inspired by the ‘great convergence’ and a new wave of entrepreneurs transforming the fields of robotics, AI, space tech, quantum, and more, DeepTech Unleashed explores the challenges and opportunities of building a DeepTech company.
We talk candidly to some of the worlds most inspiring founders as they share their insights into every aspect of founder life, from enterprise sales to navigating complex regulation to international expansion, and their personal moments of DeepTech magic.
From SpaceX to Reinventing GPS: Solving the ‘Solved Problem’ with Brian Manning
Season 1 · Episode 19
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 • Duration 53:18
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host and partner at NGP Capital, Upal Basu, sits down with Brian Manning, Co-Founder and CEO of Xona, to explore the future of satellite navigation. Xona is pioneering a secure, high-performance navigation system from low Earth orbit (LEO) designed to meet the demands of modern automation, providing accuracy down to the centimetre level.
Key topics discussed:
The Entrepreneurial Spark: From tinkering in a family plumbing business to working at SpaceX on the Falcon rocket thrust structure, and how those formative experiences shaped Brian’s journey.
The Limitations of GPS: Why traditional GPS is no longer sufficient for the era of 'hands-off' machine control, autonomous vehicles, and automated infrastructure.
Validating Deep Tech: The parallel approach required to prove complex satellite technology and market demand simultaneously, avoiding the pitfalls of building in a vacuum.
Overcoming the Doubters: Navigating early fundraising hurdles, managing runway through volatile periods like COVID-19, and the ultimate validation of launching Xona’s first satellite.
The Launch Bottleneck: The current state of the space industry where satellite manufacturing capacity heavily outstrips available commercial launch supply.
A Vision of Ubiquitous Precision: Looking ahead to a future where high-precision positioning transforms precision agriculture, critical infrastructure, and consumer applications.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Pulsar-0 and Market Opportunity
02:57 Brian Manning's Journey to Entrepreneurship
05:57 Inspiration from SpaceX and the Apollo Era
09:04 The Transition from Automotive to Space Tech
11:52 Identifying the Gaps in GPS Technology
14:47 Commercial vs. Defense Applications of Navigation Systems
17:47 Overcoming Investor Skepticism
21:12 Parallel Validation of Technology and Market Needs
24:06 Building a Strong Founding Team
27:24 The Early Struggles of Fundraising
34:05 The Launch of Pulsar-0 and Its Impact
37:02 Transitioning from Technology Developer to Service Provider
39:50 Future Use Cases and Consumer Impact
46:05 Reflections and Advice for Entrepreneurs
About the Host: Upal Basu
Upal has worked in the mobile and software technology industry for over 20 years. At NGP Capital, Upal leads the US investment team. Prior to NGP Capital, he was Founder and CEO of Mformation Technologies, the world’s largest mobile device management company, which was acquired by Alcatel-Lucent.
Previously he was a management consultant for McKinsey & Company in New York and London. Prior to joining McKinsey, Upal led Product Management activities for Risk Management Solutions (RMS), a leading provider of software technologies for the management of insurance risks.
Upal has an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MS in Engineering from Stanford University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Imperial College, London.
Brian Manning is the Co-Founder and CEO of Xona. An engineer and mechanic at heart, he holds an aerospace engineering degree and an MBA from London Business School. He is dedicated to building the foundation layer for the next generation of autonomous and connected devices by providing modern, secure, and ultra-precise satellite navigation.
From Sligo to Space: Reinventing acoustic materials with Rhona Togher
Season 1 · Episode 18
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 • Duration 47:13
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Christian Noske sits down with Rhona Togher, the CEO and co-founder of Lios. Based in Dublin, Lios is on a mission to reduce noise pollution and prevent hearing damage through advanced material science. Rhona and her co-founder, Eimear O'Carroll, have developed SoundBounce, an award-winning acoustic material that is thinner, lighter, and significantly more effective at dampening low-frequency noise than traditional solutions. From its origins as a school science project to winning the European Patent Office’s Invention of the Year 2023, Rhona shares the remarkable story of Lios’s growth. The conversation explores the challenges of building a hardware powerhouse in a risk-averse industry, the importance of long-term customer relationships, and the unique dynamics of a co-founder partnership that began in high school.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
The Founder’s Journey: How Lios evolved from a high school science project in Sligo into an advanced materials company operating across the automotive, aviation, and construction sectors, and even in space.
A Unique Co-Founder Partnership: Insights into building a long-term, successful co-founder relationship, and how constant, transparent communication serves as the foundation for overcoming the challenges of a deep tech startup.
Overcoming Industry Resistance: Strategies for convincing veteran, risk-averse industries to adopt new, breakthrough materials through multi-phase processes and long-term engagement.
Supporting Women in Tech: Why visibility and community are vital for encouraging more women to pursue careers and leadership roles in deep tech.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Deep Tech Unleashed and Rhona Togher
01:22 Lios’s Mission and SoundBounce Technology
Revolutionizing Communications with Satellite Connectivity - with Parth Trivedi
Season 1 · Episode 17
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 • Duration 54:27
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Debjit Mukerji sits down with Parth Trivedi, CEO and Co-Founder of Skylo Technologies, to explore the future of satellite-based communication. Based in Mountain View, Skylo is pioneering the world’s largest standards-based non-terrestrial network (NTN), enabling everyday mobile and enterprise devices to connect seamlessly via satellite without the need for proprietary hardware.
Key topics discussed:
The Founding Journey: How a background in aerospace engineering and a frustration with cumbersome satellite protocols at Stanford led to a mission to solve global connectivity.
The Market Opportunity: Leveraging cellular standards and existing orbital infrastructure to create a network that already supports over 16 million devices across five continents.
The Human Element: Real-world stories of how direct-to-device connectivity is saving lives, including a recent pilot rescue made possible by satellite-enabled mobile messaging.
Technical Innovation: The development of a multi-orbit, orbit-agnostic technology stack that integrates with standard consumer devices like smartphones and smartwatches.
Building Deep Tech Teams: The importance of "T-shaped" individuals who possess both broad cross-functional malleability and deep technical expertise.
A "Standardised Sky": Moving towards a future where continuous global coverage is a utility that users can simply take for granted.
Chapters:
00:00 Revolutionizing Connectivity: The Skylo Approach
03:02 The Journey of a Deep Tech Founder
05:47 The Genesis of Skylo Technologies
Reinventing Manufacturing with Generalized Robotic Intelligence with Ariyan Kabir
Season 1 · Episode 16
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 • Duration 57:08
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Debjit Mukerji sits down with Ariyan Kabir, Co-Founder and CEO of GrayMatter Robotics, to explore the future of autonomous manufacturing and how to build manufacturing resilience. Based in Los Angeles, GrayMatter Robotics is pioneering generalised robotic intelligence designed to handle the 90% of manufacturing tasks that are still performed manually today.
Key topics discussed:
The Founding Journey: How a natural disaster in Bangladesh and a PhD at the University of Southern California (USC) led to Ariyan’s interest in bridging the gap between AI and the physical world.
The Market Opportunity: Why robotics is a “medicine, not a vitamin” for global production and how solving the challenges presented by the projected 3.8 million unfilled manufacturing vacancies by 2033 is a multi-trillion global market opportunity.
The Technical Challenge: Delivering "true AI-powered robotics" and overcoming challenges like real-time adaptation to complex materials and the intricate physics of sanding, painting, and finishing.
The Human Element: Improving the quality of life for workers by removing them from tedious and hazardous work.
Use case versatility: Addressing the rigorous demands of both commercial manufacturing and national security, including applications for fighter jets and submarines.
Research to Reality: Insights into the transition from academic research to scaling a market leading startup including fundraising, teambuilding and product development.
Building A European Global Champion with Hélène Huby
Season 1 · Episode 15
Thursday, April 9, 2026 • Duration 44:31
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Christian Noske sits down with Hélène Huby, the co-founder and CEO of The Exploration Company. Founded in 2021, the company is on a mission to democratise access to space by developing Nyx, a reusable and in-orbit refillable cargo spacecraft designed to fly to any space station.
Hélène shares her remarkable journey from serving as a top executive at Airbus and ArianeGroup—where she led the Orion European Service Module programme—to declining a promotion to start her own venture from scratch with just four people and €50,000. Now, with over €300 million raised and a team of 450, the company is positioned as the European answer to SpaceX and is the first European firm to sign a Space Act agreement with NASA. The conversation explores the strategic development of a global company with European roots, the vital importance of international collaboration, and the unique challenges of scaling a hardware powerhouse in the space industry.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
The Alternative to SpaceX: Why the global space industry requires competition and diversity beyond a single dominant player to ensure sovereignty and choice.
Strategic Regional Excellence: How Hélène’s team leverages specific engineering strengths across Germany (avionics/software), France (re-entry/engines), and Italy (life support/mechanisms).
From Corporate to Startup: The risks and mental shift involved in leaving an executive role at a global giant to "write space history" independently.
The Power of Collaboration: Insights into the landmark NASA Space Act agreement and the vision for a universal vehicle that serves humanity globally.
Hiring for Innovation: How to integrate the expertise of veterans from SpaceX and Airbus with the agile mindset of new talent to avoid recreating old corporate structures.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to DeepTech Unleashed and The Exploration Company
01:13 The Vision Behind The Exploration Company
Winning at Physical AI: A Founder’s Playbook with Igor Marinelli
Season 1 · Episode 14
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 • Duration 01:03:06
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Debjit Mukerji sits down with Igor Marinelli, founder and CEO of Tractian. Tractian is a category leader in Physical AI, providing an end-to-end industrial monitoring platform that helps maintenance teams avoid unplanned downtime and operate with greater precision.
Igor shares his vision for the future of physical AI and the playbook that has fueled Tractian’s rapid growth and its ability to solve critical “pain” for some of the world’s largest manufacturers.
Episode Chapters:
02:15 Introduction to DeepTech Unleashed
04:33 Origin Story of Tractian
08:05 Ignorance as an Innovation Advantage
08:43 Decoding the Customer’s Pain—and not Product—Drives Sales
12:46 Iterate and Focus for Killer Product Development
16:52 Physical AI: Data and the Human Dimension
22:24 Managing Data at Scale and the Physical Testing Edge
33:04 A Zero-Complacency Culture and Setting Your Own Benchmarks
37:55 The Ultrasound Revolution: SmartTrac UG2
41:59 Empower Great Product Ideas Decisively and Directly (No Layers)
46:21 Sales Execution Is About Knowing How to Hire
55:18 When Fundraising, Focus on People—not Terms
1:01:28 With Great Capital Comes Great Responsibility
About the Host: Debjit Mukerji:
Debjit Mukerji is a Partner at NGP Capital, based in Palo Alto, California. A technologist at heart and engineer by training, Debjit partners with founders creating new categories or redefining existing ones with cutting-edge technology to help them navigate the complexities of global scaling. He has been a partner to Tractian since its seed round, supporting the company’s expansion across the US and international markets.
Unlocking the Logical Era of Quantum Computing with Peter Leek
Season 1 · Episode 13
Thursday, March 5, 2026 • Duration 52:31
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Christian Noske sits down with Peter Leek, founder and chief scientific officer of Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC). OQC is a pioneer in the quantum space, having developed three generations of quantum computers that are currently deployed in data centres across the UK, Japan, Spain, and New York City.
Peter shares his 20-year journey as a scientist and “dreamer” who turned complex physics research into a commercial reality. The conversation explores the technical breakthroughs that make OQC’s hardware unique, the challenges of navigating the intense “hype cycle” of quantum technology, and the company’s ambitious goal to enable the first useful quantum applications by the end of the decade through its new OQC TITAN system.
The discussion dives deep into the philosophy of “bold innovation,” the engineering hurdles of 3D circuit integration, and the evolving leadership dynamics within a high-growth deep tech startup.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
The Scalability Breakthrough: How OQC uses a simple, innovative approach to 3D circuit integration to overcome the “wiring bottleneck” that limits traditional 2D quantum processors.
Hype vs. Reality: Why quantum computing is both the most consequential and over-hyped technology of our time, and how to balance scientific excitement with pragmatic expectations.
Bold Innovation: The importance of taking “calculated risks” on technical ideas that experts in the field might initially question.
The Logical Era: What it means to move beyond experimental quantum systems into hardware purpose-built for real-world commercial impact.
From Founder to CSO: Peter’s personal evolution from a career scientist to a founder, and the importance of building a leadership team with complementary skills.
About the Guest: Peter Leek
Revolutionising Semiconductor Metrology with Hamed Sadeghian
Season 1 · Episode 12
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 • Duration 40:37
Episode Title: Revolutionising Semiconductor Metrology with Hamed Sadeghian
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Christian Noske sits down with Hamed Sadeghian, the co-founder and CEO of Nearfield Instruments. Based in the Netherlands, Nearfield is a semiconductor metrology powerhouse that is solving one of the industry’s most critical bottlenecks: the ability to inspect microchips at the atomic scale without destroying them.
Hamed shares his unique journey, from founding his first company at age 19 in Iran to leading Nearfield through a massive €135 million Series C round in 2024 to meet the global demand for AI-ready chips. The conversation dives deep into the “reverse origin story” of a technical founder, the philosophy of “customer obsession”, and the reality of scaling a complex hardware startup in a conservative, consolidated industry.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
The Metrology Gap: How Nearfield identified a critical need in the industry as Moore’s Law pushed chips to the atomic scale.
Customer Obsession: Why deep tech success depends on solving a customer’s specific “pain” rather than just promoting great technology.
Building an Ecosystem: How a small startup can play with industry “gorillas” by leveraging a high-tech supply chain and strategic partnerships.
Scaling Challenges: Navigating the transition from CTO to CEO and building a global team that takes end-to-end ownership.
Future Trends: Hamed’s excitement for the transition towards quantum innovations and hybrid silicon-photonics solutions.
70/30 Decision Making and Successful Exits with Theodor Nielsen
Season 1 · Episode 11
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 • Duration 46:02
In this episode of DeepTech Unleashed, host Christian Noske sits down with Theodor Nielsen, founder and CEO of NIL Technology (NILT). From a 2006 “school project” at the Technical University of Denmark to becoming a global leader in meta-optics, Theodor shares the raw, 19-year journey of building a company that achieved one of the largest European deep tech exits to date.
Beyond the breakthrough nanostructures and flat optics, Theodor dives into the “softer side” of leadership. He reveals his framework for high-speed decision-making, how he manages the “constant companion” of CEO doubt by trusting his team, and why he focused on building a “real company” rather than an exit strategy.
Key Takeaways:
The 70/30 Decision Rule: Why 70% of decisions don’t actually matter—and why speed is more valuable than perfection for the majority of a CEO’s choices.
Doubt as a Leadership Tool: How to distinguish between healthy “positive paranoia” and paralyzing doubt, and why sharing your insecurities with your team fosters a more powerful executional force.
The “Lab to Fab” Strategy: The strategic pivot from being a technology provider to a manufacturing leader in meta-optics, and why NILT chose to build its own fabs.
Building a “Real Company”: Why focusing on unique technology and real value naturally leads to successful acquisitions, even when you aren’t actively looking to sell.
Moments of Magic: From the thrill of the first profitable budget to hitting the “impossible” 92% efficiency record for meta-lenses that proved their technology was ready for the world.
Chapters:
00:00 – The Journey of NIL Technology: From University to Global Leader
10:48 – Decision-Making in Deep Tech Leadership: Speed vs. Accuracy
27:00 – Building Trust: Why it's important to trust your team with your doubt
A new era of nuclear innovation with Jimmy Co-Founder Antoine Guyot
Season 1 · Episode 10
Tuesday, January 20, 2026 • Duration 40:47
This episode of DeepTech Unleashed, hosted by Christian Noske, Partner at NGP Capital, explores the “new age of nuclear innovation” with Antoine Guyot, co-founder and CEO of Jimmy, a French company that designs and operates micro-nuclear reactors to provide industrial clients with decarbonized process heat at a lower cost than fossil fuels.
While Germany has historically been skeptical of nuclear energy, France is leading a shift toward a new generation of decentralised, micro-nuclear reactors. Antoine shares how Jimmy is decarbonising industrial process heat—a massive, often overlooked source of emissions—by designing and operating micro-reactors that provide low-cost, carbon-free energy directly to industrial sites.
Key topics discussed in this episode include:
The Nuclear Stigma: Why moving toward nuclear systems requires a “jump of faith” for a society that often only sees nuclear through the lens of cinema.
Decarbonising Industry: The challenge of replacing fossil fuels in industrial heating, which Jimmy addresses by providing carbon-free heat at a lower cost than traditional methods.
Nuclear as a Product: Jimmy’s innovative approach to making nuclear technology “simpler” and more accessible for industrial clients by treating it as a standard industrial tool rather than a massive infrastructure project.
Overcoming Deep Tech Challenges: Insights into the “moments of magic” and the hard-won breakthroughs necessary to scale a high-stakes energy startup.
The Future of Engineering: Why Antoine believes the fusion of nuclear physics and artificial intelligence will define the next decade of engineering breakthroughs.
Chapters:
00:00 The Dawn of Nuclear Innovation
09:54 Navigating Regulatory Challenges
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05:04 Origin Story: From High School Project to Business
11:50 Building the Team and Scaling
14:23 Managing Funding and Capital Efficiency
18:56 Navigating Early Investor and Supplier Challenges
23:04 The Power of the Co-Founder Relationship
26:11 Challenges and Opportunities for Women in Deep Tech
31:13 Best Practices for Entering Risk-Averse Industries
34:35 Moments of Magic and Recognition
39:24 Personal Insights and Life Outside of Work
About the Guest: Rhona Togher
Rhona Togher is the co-founder and CEO of Lios, an advanced materials company based in Dublin. Along with her co-founder Eimear O'Carroll, she has spent over ten years developing breakthrough acoustic materials to combat noise pollution. Rhona’s work with Lios has earned significant recognition, including being named the European Patent Office’s Invention of the Year 2023. She is a passionate advocate for women in deep tech and focuses on building sustainable, customer-driven technology that has applications across global industries and in space.
Christian Noske is a Partner at NGP Capital, where he focuses on industrial tech, enterprise software, and deep tech investments. With a wealth of experience in the venture capital landscape, Christian is dedicated to supporting founders who are solving complex technical challenges. Through DeepTech Unleashed, he brings listeners behind the scenes of the world’s most ambitious startups to uncover the human stories behind the hardware and code.
09:10 Impactful Use Cases and Real-World Applications
11:52 User Experience as a Differentiator
14:47 The Future of Satellite and Cellular Convergence
26:46 Technical Challenges in Satellite Communication
29:10 Skylo's Unique Positioning and Ecosystem
32:06 The Future of Connectivity in the AI Era
36:29 Investment Insights and Market Opportunities
37:36 Navigating Competition in Space Tech
42:45 Building a Resilient Team and Company Culture
52:21 Future Roadmap for Skylo
About the Host: Debjit Mukerji
Debjit Mukerji is a Partner at NGP Capital, based in Palo Alto, California. A technologist at heart and engineer by training, Debjit partners with founders creating new categories or redefining existing ones with cutting-edge technology to help them navigate the complexities of global scaling.
Parth Trivedi is the CEO and Co-Founder of Skylo, a company dedicated to providing ubiquitous, affordable, and seamless satellite connectivity for all. An aerospace engineer by training, he holds an undergraduate degree from Purdue University, conducted research at MIT, and earned his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is passionate about multidisciplinary engineering and leveraging space technology to solve fundamental human challenges.
02:48 The Journey from Research to Entrepreneurship
06:01 Market Opportunities and Labor Shortages
09:13 The Human Element in Manufacturing
11:46 Technological Challenges in Robotics
15:06 Data-Driven Robotics and AI
18:11 The Future of Humanoids in Robotics
31:33 Shifting Inefficiencies in Manufacturing
32:31 The Evolution of Grammeter Robotics
37:31 Navigating National Security and Defense
41:40 The Power of Experience Centers
52:47 Insights from the Founder Journey
Join us for a deep dive into how GrayMatter Robotics is building manufacturing resilience and shaping the next generation of industrial automation.
About the Host: Debjit Mukerji
Debjit Mukerji is a Partner at NGP Capital, based in Palo Alto, California. A technologist at heart and engineer by training, Debjit partners with founders creating new categories or redefining existing ones with cutting-edge technology to help them navigate the complexities of global scaling.
Ariyan Kabir is a Co-Founder & CEO at GrayMatter Robotics, a company focused on enhancing human productivity and improving the quality of life through AI-powered robotics solutions. He is a seasoned robotics and AI researcher with a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and prior experience as a Postdoctoral Scholar and Research Associate. His expertise spans robotics, algorithms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and control systems. He is passionate about making robots smart, easy to use, and rapidly deployable for complex operations.
04:28 Building a Global Company with European Roots
10:28 Competing with SpaceX and the Need for Alternatives
17:25 Cultivating a Unique Company Culture
20:49 Navigating Regulation and Funding Challenges
27:06 Best Practices for Space Startups
30:20 The Role of ESA in Supporting Startups
34:44 Leadership Style and Personal Insights
40:02 Moments of Magic in the Journey
42:47 Personal Life and Balancing Work
About the Guest: Hélène Huby
Hélène Huby is the co-founder and CEO of The Exploration Company. A former executive at Airbus and ArianeGroup, she led the Orion European Service Module programme and has been involved in some of the most complex European space programmes, including Ariane and ATV. Under her leadership, The Exploration Company has become one of the fastest-growing space firms in Europe, focused on developing reusable spacecraft that provide universal access to space.
Christian Noske is a Partner at NGP Capital, where he focuses on industrial tech, enterprise software, and deep tech investments. With a wealth of experience in the venture capital landscape, Christian is dedicated to supporting founders who are solving complex technical challenges. Through DeepTech Unleashed, he brings listeners behind the scenes of the world’s most ambitious startups to uncover the human stories behind the hardware and code.
Igor Marinelli is founder and CEO of Tractian. A mechanical engineer by training, Igor has a deep-rooted passion for the industrial sector, having witnessed the impact of machine failures firsthand through his father’s 35-year career in manufacturing. Under his leadership, Tractian has grown into a leading Physical AI company and one of North America’s fastest-growing tech companies, securing significant investment to help industrial enterprises digitalize their maintenance operations and eliminate unplanned downtime.
Peter Leek is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC). A career scientist with over 20 years of experience in quantum computing research, Peter holds a PhD in physics and founded OQC to translate his unique intellectual property into world-changing technology. Under his scientific leadership, OQC has become a global leader in superconducting circuits, deploying scalable quantum systems to data centres and supercomputing centres worldwide.
Christian Noske is a Partner at NGP Capital, where he focuses on industrial tech, enterprise software, and deep tech investments. With a wealth of experience in the venture capital landscape, Christian is dedicated to supporting founders who are solving complex technical challenges. Through DeepTech Unleashed, he brings listeners behind the scenes of the world’s most ambitious startups to uncover the human stories behind the hardware and code.
The First “Aha!” Moment: A chief engineer seeing data from a proof-of-concept that no other tool could provide.
The COVID Sacrifice: Shipping the first systems in the middle of a global pandemic, with engineers spending weeks in quarantine to ensure customer delivery.
Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Nearfield Instruments and Hamed’s Journey
02:49 – The Evolution of Semiconductor Metrology
05:43 – Challenges in the Semiconductor Industry
08:46 – Building a Startup in a Consolidated Market
11:56 – Leveraging Ecosystems for Growth
14:29 – Customer Obsession and Team Dynamics
17:36 – Navigating the Transition from CTO to CEO
19:59 – Moments of Magic in the Journey
22:55 – Future Trends in Technology: Quantum and Beyond
About the Guest: Hamed Sadeghian
Hamed Sadeghian is the co-founder and CEO of Nearfield Instruments. A prolific innovator with over 60 patents, Hamed has built a career at the intersection of precision engineering, optics, and advanced semiconductor equipment. Before founding Nearfield in 2016 as a spin-off from TNO, he led the nano-optomechatronics group at TNO and held a professorship at Eindhoven University of Technology. His entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 19 in Iran, and today he is recognised as a leader in developing atomic-scale process control solutions for the worldwide semiconductor manufacturing industry.
Christian Noske is a Partner at NGP Capital, where he focuses on industrial tech, enterprise software, and deep tech investments. With a wealth of experience in the venture capital landscape, Christian is dedicated to supporting founders who are solving complex technical challenges. Through DeepTech Unleashed, he brings listeners behind the scenes of the world’s most ambitious startups to uncover the human stories behind the hardware and code.
30:59 – Navigating the Exit: The story behind the landmark acquisition
37:56 – Lessons on Owning Your Vision and Storyline
41:15 – Moments of Magic: Breaking efficiency records in the lab
45:01 – Future Tech: Climate Change, Health, and Space Exploration
About The Guest:
Theodor Nielsen is the Founder and CEO of NIL Technology (NILT). A trained engineer from the Technical University of Denmark, he has spent nearly two decades pioneering nano-imprint lithography and meta-optics solutions that are now revolutionising 3D sensing, AR/VR displays, and consumer electronics.
Christian Noske is a Partner at NGP Capital, where he focuses on industrial tech, enterprise software, and deep tech investments. With a wealth of experience in the venture capital landscape, Christian is dedicated to supporting founders who are solving complex technical challenges. Through DeepTech Unleashed, he brings listeners behind the scenes of the world’s most ambitious startups to uncover the human stories behind the hardware and code.
Antoine Guyot is the co-founder and CEO of Jimmy, a French company at the forefront of the new nuclear era. Backed by over €32 million in French government grants and €20 million in VC investment, Jimmy is proving that micro-reactors are a vital tool for achieving a decarbonised future.
Antoine graduated from Ecole Polytechnique, the top engineering school in France. After working in strategic consulting, he became interested in the nuclear field, particularly in how cheap uranium could help decarbonise industrial heat, which is mostly generated using fossil fuels. Jimmy’s mission is to provide industrials with cheap, decarbonised process heat, thus massively helping to decarbonise industries in France and Europe.
About the Host:
Christian Noske is a Partner at NGP Capital, specialising in Deep Tech investments that shape a better future.
To learn more about NGP Capital’s work with Deep Tech founders, visit ngpcap.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
