From Lab Coats to Launchpads: How Advisors Help Deeptech Startups Break Into the Market

So you’ve developed something groundbreaking.

Maybe it’s a new material. A patented algorithm. Or a device that could revolutionize clean energy, healthcare, or something in between.

You’ve got the IP. The prototypes. The citations.
Now all you need is… customers.

And this, dear innovator, is where things get tricky.

Deeptech: High on IQ, Low on GTM

Research-based and deeptech startups are brilliant—literally.
They’re usually built by engineers, scientists, or professors with PhDs and a passion for solving hard problems.

But taking a deeptech innovation from the lab to the market? That’s a different challenge entirely. You need to:

  • Turn research into a sellable product

  • Define your value proposition for non-PhDs

  • Navigate industry regulations, procurement cycles, and customer expectations

  • Build a go-to-market strategy

  • Talk to people who don’t understand your equations (and still get them to buy)

In short: you need someone who speaks both science and sales.

Enter the Advisor: Your Commercial Co-Pilot

That’s where an experienced advisor comes in—not to tell you how your tech works (you’ve got that covered), but to help you:

  • Translate tech into value: What problem does it solve? Who’s willing to pay? Why now?

  • Shape the business model: SaaS? Licensing? Hardware-as-a-Service? They’ve seen it all.

  • Build the bridge to customers: They know people, channels, and what objections you'll face

  • Avoid the classic pitfalls: Like building features no one asked for (but that look great in a white paper)

The best advisors aren’t generalists. They’ve been in your industry. They get the jargon. They just happen to also know how to build businesses.

Commercialization Doesn’t Have to Be Guesswork

At Boardio, we help deeptech and research-based startups connect with advisors who:

  • Understand your industry and technology

  • Have real experience turning ideas into businesses

  • Are available part-time, flexibly, and affordably

It’s not consulting. It’s not mentorship. It’s practical, hands-on guidance from someone who’s done what you’re trying to do.

Want a few advisor profiles matched to your startup?
We’ll send you a free shortlist in 24h. No pitch, no commitment—just an few example advisor profiles that could suit your needs. Just tell us your goals and we’ll get back to you with example advisor profiles.

See example advisors matching your needs