TDK Ventures President Nicolas Sauvage on building successful deep tech startups

If you're building a first-to-market solution using emerging technology that could meaningfully contribute to society and generate a 50x return, TDK Ventures President Nicolas Sauvage wants to hear from you.

I invited him on the podcast to learn about TDK Ventures’ approach to corporate VC, which uses backcasting to identify ideal future technologies and then invest in entrepreneurs who are working towards those goals. 

Portfolio companies include startups that make things like flying taxis, batteries from reclaimed materials and technology for nuclear fusion.

“There's no doubt in my mind that no one can forecast the future,” said Nicolas. 

“But what we can do, all of us, is to dream of an ideal future, then backcast from there, and look at what are the gaps to get to this ideal future.”

Runtime: 43:31

Episode breakdown

• 4:50: “The origin story of TDK Ventures was three interactions in classes from a Stanford executive program in 2018.”
• 7:59: Nicolas explains TDK Ventures’ investment scope.
• 9:14: “No one can forecast the future,” which is where backcasting comes in.
• 11:39: “Right now, we deploy through two different funds.”
• 14:07: Inside TDK Ventures’ deal flow and investment thesis.
• 16:14: “For any megatrends, we're looking at $10B+ TAM. It could be zero TAM today.”
• 20:31: How do you calculate TAM for emerging technology?
• 22:17: When it comes to due diligence, “we are prepared. We know what to look for.”
• 25:23: Why he’s open to revisiting pitches he rejected once their technology matures.
• 29:59: Common misconceptions about corporate venture capital.
• 33:40: “How do we judge when is the right time? That really depends case by case.”
• 36:09: How TDK supports early-stage deep tech founders with academic backgrounds.
• 42:06: “I like to see entrepreneurs coming with a superpower; something that they're exceptional at that no one else is.”

Links

• Nicolas Sauvage, president, TDK Ventures
  • Entrepreneurship: A superhero’s journey
  • Corporate VC is booming, but is it what your startup needs?
• TDK Ventures
  • Deep Explorations
  • Autoflight
  • Ascend Elements
  • SPAN
  • Divirod
  • TypeOne Energy
  • Starship Technologies
  • AM Batteries
  • Metalenz
• Jesper Sorenson, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
• Ilya Strebuleav, professor, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
  • The Venture Mindset: How to Make Smarter Bets and Achieve Extraordinary Growth 
• Paul Holland, corporate venture practice managing director, Mach49

Thanks for listening!

– Walter.

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