Top 9 Deep Tech Startups to Watch in 2025

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The explosion of new developments in artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and quantum computing have led to the rise of deep tech companies, which use these advanced technologies to solve significantly complex engineering and scientific problems.

In this article, we explore what deep tech actually means and why it is important. We highlight the top 9 deep tech startups to watch in 2025 as perfect examples of groundbreaking projects in various fields, from aerospace and wastewater management to life-extension therapy, planet-friendly battery energy, and even sustainable alcohol drinks.

Key Takeaways

  • Deep tech startups leverage advanced technologies like AI, robotics, and quantum computing to tackle large-scale, complex global challenges.
  • Deep tech startups often operate in aerospace, defense, climate tech, agriculture, manufacturing, and biotech.
  • Capital-intensive and R&D-driven, deep tech ventures typically require significant funding and years of development before launching their products.
  • Notable deep tech startups in 2025 include Renasys, Evyon, and Helsing, each driving innovation in sectors like wastewater management, energy storage, and defense.
  • Unlike shallow tech, which involves incremental upgrades, deep tech solutions are difficult to replicate and often result in disruptive innovations.

What Are Deep Tech Startups & Why Are They Important?

Deep tech has gained prominence in the last few years as tech companies continue to push boundaries.

What Is a Deep Tech Startup?
Deep tech startups develop pioneering or revolutionary products and solutions that can create new markets or severely disrupt present ones. This is mainly due to their focus on long-term sustainable solutions instead of gaining market share in the short term.

Deep tech startups use advanced and innovative technologies and operate in a range of industries, such as defense, aerospace, agriculture, climate tech, sustainability, biotech, and manufacturing.

These companies often take several years to develop their technology before launching their products onto the market. As such, they often need a large amount of capital and highly skilled labor specializing in research and development.

Usually, these companies also focus heavily on patenting their innovations because of the high threat of intellectual property theft and the crucial need to retain their competitiveness and first-mover advantage.

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Top 9 Deep Tech Startups in 2025

Although there are thousands of deep tech startups in the world today, some stand out due to their product, vision, or industry, especially in markets that may already have significant competition.

As such, below are the nine best deep tech startups to watch in 2025:

Company Specialization Location
Altos Labs Biotechnology US
Renasys Water treatment Norway
Evyon Battery energy storage Norway
GalaxEye  Aerospace India
B’Zeos Sustainable packaging Spain
Space Forge Aerospace UK
Universal Quantum Quantum computers UK
Aircohol Distilling Finland
Helsing Defense Germany

1. Altos Labs: Transforming Medicine Through Cellular Rejuvenation Programming

Altos Labs deep tech startup
Altos Labs deep tech startup. Source: Altos Labs

Altos Labs is an American deep tech startup in the biotech sector. It was co-founded in 2022 by Dr. Rick Klausler, currently the chief scientist and co-chairman, and Hal Barron, the CEO and co-chairman.

The company focuses on life-extension therapies, which can potentially reverse or even pause human aging. These therapies involve a number of advanced cell therapies, such as partially reprogramming cells so that they retain the improved functions of younger cells, helping restore cell health.

In turn, this may go a long way in reversing the damage caused by injury, disease and disabilities, while at the same time, also making cells more resilient to internal and external stressors.

Funding
As of January 2022, Altos Labs had raised $3 billion in funding, with key investors including Jeff Bezos, The Breakthrough Foundation, and ARCH Venture Partners.

2. Renasys: Carbon Harvesting With Fine Particle Filtration

Renasys deep tech wastewater treatment startup
Renasys deep tech wastewater treatment startup. Source: Renasys

Renasys, headquartered in Førde, Norway, is a deep tech wastewater treatment startup founded in 2020 by serial entrepreneurs Christopher Sveen, the CEO, and Trond Melhus, the chief innovation officer (CIO).

The company focuses on carbon harvesting through its proprietary Advanced Fine Particle Filtration technology. This solution removes 99% of wastewater particles larger than 5 microns across a range of industries.

Jakob Sveen, Renasys’ Chief Growth Officer, told Techopedia:

“Our unique technology combines a 3-D stainless steel wire mesh and advanced filtration system, removing up to 99% of suspended particles at high flow rates. The modular design makes it versatile and scalable, easily integrated into existing operations with minimal disruption—delivering the greatest impact when deployed early in the process.

“Our Water-as-a-Service business model eliminates heavy upfront costs, offering a performance-based system where we finance, install, and operate our units, guaranteeing results and making wastewater treatment more accessible than ever.”

This can go a long way in helping Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) shift to becoming net energy producers as Wastewater Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs).

This change can considerably slash fossil fuel dependency and cut carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions. In turn, this can also help decarbonize the water treatment industry and take a step closer to net zero goals.

Renasys’ products can be used in several industries, such as transportation and shipping, wastewater treatment plants, textile and fashion, consumer goods, agriculture, and more.

Challenges

Coming to the challenges Renasys faces, Sveen said:

“In an industry built around critical infrastructure and risk-averse customers, the traditional mindset can be a major obstacle to implementing disruptive technologies. However, with forward-thinking partnerships like the one we have with Sunnfjord Kommune in Norway, the tide is turning.

“A key challenge ahead will be addressing the unique needs of our diverse customers, which requires streamlining our onboarding process to deliver tailored, efficient, and impactful solutions.

“As we scale, building the right team will be crucial—our success depends on the strength of our people. We’re growing fast in Norway, and we’re always looking for talented individuals to join us on this journey.”

Future Plans

Regarding the company’s future plans, Sveen highlighted:

“Our immediate focus is on delivering the projects in our growing customer pipeline, which includes installations with 16 municipalities, 4 land-based aquaculture facilities, and a prominent mining company. These projects will showcase the scalability and versatility of our technology, further solidifying our market position as we continue to expand.

“However, we do know that shifting the mindset of this traditional industry will take time. We are fully committed to being part of driving this dialogue and amplifying the Mission Zero discussion across all platforms to reach the tipping point for real transformation—and thus achieving zero sooner rather than later.”

Funding
According to PitchBook, Renasys received funding from Validé, an accelerator based in Stavanger, Norway.

3. Evyon: Planet-Friendly Battery Energy Storage Systems

Evyon deep tech energy storage startup
Evyon deep tech energy storage startup. Source: Evyon

Evyon is also a Norway-based deep tech startup that operates in direct current (DC) battery energy storage. The company uses repurposed electric vehicle (EV) batteries to be applied to system integrators and used in a number of solutions.

This is done through advanced battery intelligence technology, as well as repurposing batteries on an industrial scale, making them more environmentally and financially sustainable.

Evyon Co-founder Jørgen Erdal told Techopedia:

“Evyon is converting a quickly growing source of waste into an opportunity to accelerate the energy transition, but converting discarded EV batteries into modular and safe energy storage solutions.

“McKinsey has estimated that we can be discarding more than 3 million vehicles worth of batteries in 2030, and at least one-third of these are fully functional and can live on for more than 10 years in a second-life application. To take this opportunity, Evyon is developing technologies and processes across the full repurposing value chain.”

Regarding how the company is different from its European competitors, Erdal said: “Evyon has developed an integrated fire-suppression system that we have proven can stop cell-to-cell propagation. Our system is also truly modular by allowing our customers to build solutions from 66 kWh to multiple MWhs.

He also highlighted that by having a fully integrated hardware and software stack, they are able to maximize the safety, performance, and lifetime of their systems by continuously updating and improving the operating system of each delivery throughout its lifetime. This is in addition to providing a system that can reduce the carbon footprint of energy storage by up to 85%.

“In order to halt climate change, the world is in desperate need of solutions that stop the pollution of greenhouse gases while minimizing the need to extract valuable materials. By building a circular value chain for energy storage, Evyon is a perfect solution to one of the biggest challenges faced by humanity,” he stated.

Challenges

However, this journey has not been without its fair share of obstacles, as Erdal points out: “We were founded in 2020 in the heyday of startups. Interest rates were record low and raising capital was as easy as making a few phone calls. This context has changed dramatically over the last two years, making fundraising and growth significantly harder.

“We have also faced some of the typical challenges of any startup – everything takes twice as long and costs twice as much as you originally believed– but I think we have managed to get through these and now have a very strong product with clear differentiators in a market in desperate need for clean energy storage solutions.”

Future Plans

Speaking of the company’s future plans, Erdal says:

“Our ambitions continue to be the same as when we were founded four years ago: To be European leading in repurposed battery systems by the end of 2025 and world-leading in planet-friendly energy storage by the end of 2030. We have now delivered systems in France, Sweden, Norway, and Bulgaria, and will soon be delivering to the Netherlands.”

Funding
According to Tracxn, Evyon has already had five funding rounds, raising a total of $9.19m. Some of the company’s investors include Antler, Sandwater, Futurum, and Skagerak Energi.

4. GalaxEye: World’s First Hybrid Imaging Satellite

GalaxEye is one of the many deep tech startups in India. Founded in 2021 in Bengaluru, it operates in the aerospace sector.

The company is working on building multisensor imaging satellites to carry out earth observation, thus being able to draw key insights.

These satellites are expected to deliver high-resolution pictures from several sensors, including radar and optical ones. As such, they can capture hard-to-achieve information such as troop movements, crop growth metrics, low-light surveillance, and geographical changes on the Earth’s surface.

GalaxEye’s satellites can be applied in a range of industries, such as agriculture, defense, and mining, allowing businesses and governments to make smarter decisions.

Funding
The company has raised about $12.5 million in seven funding rounds with the support of approximately 35 investors, including Seraphim, Anicut Capital, Infosys, and LetsVenture.

5. B’Zeos: Seaweed-based, Biodegradable Packaging Solutions

Seaweed-based, biodegradable, and home-compostable B'Zeos packaging
Seaweed-based, biodegradable, and home-compostable B’Zeos packaging. Source: B’Zeos

B’Zeos is a deep tech startup based in Barcelona, Spain. It was founded in 2018 and operates in the packaging and green tech sectors.

It uses seaweed to create regenerative and sustainable packaging in an attempt to reduce plastic packaging, which relies heavily on fossil fuels. This is done by using seaweed to manufacture home-compostable and bio-based single-use packaging.

For this process, the company uses innovative green processing technology and seaweed biopolymer chemistry expertise. B’Zeos is also working on integrating waste streams and whole kelp biomass into its products.

Funding
The company has received funding from such organizations as Innovation Norway and the Norwegian Retailers’ Environment Fund.

6. Space Forge: Making Space Work for Humanity

Space Forge's returnable platform-as-a-service
Space Forge’s returnable platform-as-a-service. Source: Space Forge

Space Forge is a UK-based deep tech startup that was founded in 2018 and is based in Cardiff, Wales. It is revolutionizing the manufacturing and aerospace sectors simultaneously.

The company is pioneering in-space manufacturing by making and developing products in space that are impossible to create on Earth due to various factors such as gravity and temperature issues.

These materials can be used for superalloys, pharmaceuticals, and electronics, amongst other things, and can help reduce environmental damage, enhance quality of life, and create new markets.

The company does on-orbit production by using a reusable satellite platform called the ForgeStar. This platform is quick, reusable, and reliable and can also be deployed from traditional launchers.

Funding
As of January 2024, Space Forge bagged £7.9 million worth of funding from the UK Space Agency’s Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF). The company has also received funding from NATO.

7. Universal Quantum: Building the World’s First Million-Qubit Quantum Computer

Universal Quantum deep tech quantum computing startup
Universal Quantum deep tech quantum computing startup. Source: Institute of Physics

Universal Quantum is a UK deep tech startup based in Brighton. Founded in 2018, it produces utility-scale quantum computers.

Universal Quantum is developing the world’s first million-qubit quantum computer using silicon-chip processing and trapped-ion technology. Its approach is based on a modular, solid, and practical blueprint, and it works closely with organizations and researchers to determine how to modify and scale its product based on their needs.

The company has already seen breakthroughs in advanced error correction and has published scientific data on its quantum architecture.

In 2022, Universal Quantum received a Business Startup Award for its work developing the world’s first million-qubit quantum computer.

Funding
In 2022, the German Aerospace Center awarded Universal Quantum a €67m contract for quantum computers, and the company also received a £7.5m grant from the UK’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund in 2021.

8. Aircohol: Making Alcoholic Drinks From Air

Aircohol distilling deep tech startup
Aircohol distilling deep tech startup. Source: Aircohol

Aircohol is a Finnish distilling deep tech startup, which makes alcoholic drinks from the carbon dioxide captured from the brewing or distilling alcohol fermentation process, which usually involves potatoes, grains, or beets. As such, the company is a pioneer in sustainable drinks.

The carbon dioxide captured from the fermentation is fed into the Aircohol technology, which includes a plant-based bioprocess to produce biomass and a bioreactor. Once the biomass has grown, it goes back into the distillery or brewery’s alcohol fermentation facilities so that it can produce more carbon dioxide to be used for new drinks.

This process helps distilleries reduce their dependence on agricultural ingredients, thus becoming more sustainable. It also saves costs and drastically cuts emissions, giving the drinks produced unique flavors.

The company stated:

“Aircohol has a cheerful way to save the planet by making alcohol from air! Patented Aircohol® technology offers alcohol companies a groundbreaking solution to utilize fermentation CO2 by helping them to make wonderful drinks from it. Additionally, our process generates essential nutrients like proteins, lipids, antioxidants and vitamins for food, feed, pharma and cosmetics industries.”

Funding
As of January 2024, the company had secured about €2.4m in funding.

9. Helsing: AI-Powered Military Solutions

Helsing military deep tech startup
Helsing military deep tech startup. Source: Helsing

Helsing is a German deep tech startup operating in the artificial intelligence and security space. It manufactures AI-powered military solutions and components, compatible with different companies’ existing hardware.

The company has also recently successfully tested advanced real-time AI functions in space. This included real-time onboard radio frequency signal detection, which can greatly improve military signal intelligence and safeguard space assets for governments.

Helsing has already received several government contracts from countries like Estonia and companies like Airbus.

The company says on its website:

“We founded Helsing to help protect our democratic values and open societies. The freedom to say what we want to say, and to be who we want to be, is a privilege and it cannot be taken for granted. We believe it is our civic duty to preserve this freedom for us and future generations.”

Funding
As of July 2024, Helsing had raised a Series C funding round worth €450m.

Deep Tech vs. Shallow Tech

Given the past advances in deep tech, there has been an increasing number of speculations regarding what technological advances could be seen next and in what sectors.

What is deep tech?
Deep tech is any scientific or technological advancement that radically changes a sector or product by making things that were not possible before more attainable to consumers.
  • This includes innovations in technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and robotics.
  • Deep tech companies often attempt to solve large-scale social challenges, such as world hunger and incurable disease treatment.
  • Some examples of deep tech products include autonomous vehicles, drones, and mRNA vaccines.
What is shallow tech?
On the other hand, shallow tech refers to much smaller and more measured advances to already existing technologies, such as the next version of a product or service.

Examples of shallow tech might include the latest iPhone releases or moving from 4G to 5G. As such, shallow tech is relatively easier for companies to duplicate, leading to several companies offering similar products.

What’s the Future of Deep Tech?

In the future, deep tech advancements could further solve issues in sectors like space exploration, sustainability, and disease treatment. Some deep tech investment trends could include funding more cell regeneration therapy research and democratizing space travel.

Several countries could also see a push for investments in more advanced semiconductors to reduce dependence on other countries.

Deep tech will also be crucial in synthetic biology, which can provide renewable and more efficient food resources and other sustainable practices. This can be key in helping the world attain net-zero goals.

The Bottom Line

Deep tech startups aim to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems with groundbreaking technologies. These companies often require significant investments and longer development cycles. Due to the high risk of intellectual property theft, they also need to quickly patent their innovations.

As top deep tech startups mature, they can reshape entire sectors, making them worth watching closely in 2025 and beyond. Their potential for high-impact solutions makes them crucial players in biotech, energy, and defense space.

FAQs

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Indrabati Lahiri
Financial writer and editor
Indrabati Lahiri
Financial writer and editor

Indrabati has over four years of experience as a financial reporter and editor, covering business, commodities, and macroeconomics. In addition to Techopedia, she’s currently working as a Business Reporter at Euronews. Her articles can be found in other online publications, including Capital.com and IBM, among others. Indrabati holds an MSc in Investment Banking and an MA in English.