Q: What do you think are the most important things deep tech companies should focus on as they scale?

Deep-tech companies are solving foundational problems that can redefine or transform industries, so it’s critical to get a few things right:

* Deep understanding of the market, the market size and the problem you are solving—Make sure the problem you're solving is real, urgent, and the target market is large enough to support a scalable business.

* Be laser-focused on the problem you’re solving while being flexible—focus is what enables you to build something that is differentiated and hard to displace. But stay flexible on how you might get there as the start-up journey is rarely linear – you have to adapt and re-invent as needed.

* Chart a path to sustainability—operational leverage must kick in at some point to make the business sustainable in the long run.

* Build a strong team—Execution is everything. You can have the best plan on paper, but without the right people, it won’t go far.

‍

Q: What do you see as Celesta’s biggest value-add for early-stage companies?

Having worked across both early and growth-stage investing, I now fully appreciate how hard the early stage is. There are so many highs and lows, and what founders need most is a partner who won’t flinch during tough times.

Celesta’s biggest strength is that we’re operators first. Many of us have built companies, navigated financial crises, weathered downturns. We’ve seen these cycles up close and know what it takes to scale a business through uncertainty. That lived experience makes us more empathetic and better partners. We know the pain points—and we don’t run away from them.

‍

Q: What makes this moment in tech investing particularly exciting for you?

Coming from emerging markets, I’ve always looked to the West as a bellwether for what’s possible. And right now, deep tech in particular is at an inflection point—it’s starting to solve the kinds of problems that can reshape our world.

In areas like healthcare and bioscience, we’re seeing innovation that could benefit millions of lives. Companies like Prellis, 1Cell.Ai, and White Rabbit—what they’re doing today will define what healthcare looks like a decade from now. That gives me so much optimism. We’re investing in more than companies—we’re investing in future paradigms.

‍