Exploring Alternative Finance for Impact-Driven Deep Tech Ventures
How alternative and social finance can help science-based ventures with a social mission move from lab to market without trading purpose for profit.
- Status
- Ongoing
- Dates
- 2026 – 2030
- Partners
- Considered Capital
- Funder
- Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (ESRC) · PhD scholarship
The question
Deep tech ventures need long, capital-intensive development, yet public research funding tends to stop before commercialisation and venture capital favours quick returns. This PhD asks what funding constraints impact-driven deep tech ventures face, and whether impact investing, venture philanthropy, blended finance and patient capital could be adapted to close the gap.
What we are doing
This funded collaborative PhD studentship first maps alternative finance models across the funding landscape, using documents and secondary data on investment flows. It then builds in-depth case studies from interviews with deep tech founders, funders and intermediaries, covering different venture stages, technologies and funding approaches.
The project works closely with Considered Capital to co-develop case studies, practitioner resources and policy briefs.
Intended impact
A typology of funding pathways and practical resources to help founders, funders and policymakers finance socially valuable deep tech.
Project team
Carolin GrabischPhD Researcher
Professor Jillian GordonLead supervisor
Dr Gemma MilneSupervisor