What Does It Take to Bring Deep Tech to Market?
Part of Twin Cities Startup Week 2026, September 14–18.
Deep tech companies face a different path from idea to market than most software startups. The technology may begin in a university, research lab, or highly technical field, but proving that it works is only one part of building a viable company around it.
This panel will look at the path from technical innovation to commercialization, including where founders can find technologies worth building around, how hardware moves from prototype to something that can actually be manufactured at scale, and what founders working in areas like cleantech can expect when bringing complex technologies into established industries. The conversation will also cover the partnerships, technical talent, testing, manufacturing, and commercialization infrastructure that become especially important when the thing you're building has to work in the physical world.
Speakers & Perspectives:
Bardia Bijani, Managing Partner / Visiting Assistant Professor & Executive-in-Residence @ FuzeQube Group / CSB+SJU - Commercialization: Bardia will bring the technology-transfer and venture-building perspective, including how founders can find opportunities within universities, research institutions, federal labs, and existing IP rather than assuming they have to invent the underlying technology themselves.
Gopalakrishna Ranjan Melpal, Senior Mechanical Engineer @ Starkey Hearing - Product engineering: Ranjan will focus on what happens between prototype and scalable product, including designing for manufacturing, cost, performance, reliability, testing, and working with contract manufacturers.
David Koerner, Cleantech / Sustainable Energy Leader - Cleantech: David can bring the industry perspective of commercializing technology in sustainable energy and cleantech, giving the conversation a concrete example of a sector where technical feasibility, physical infrastructure, economics, and adoption all have to come together.
Pat Dillon, SBIR/STTR & Non-Dilutive Funding Advisor – Funding and commercializing deep tech: Pat brings deep experience helping science- and technology-driven companies navigate the long road from technical innovation to commercialization, particularly through federal SBIR/STTR funding. He can speak to how deep-tech founders use non-dilutive capital to fund R&D, validate technology, reduce technical risk, and build toward a business that can ultimately reach the market.
Getting here on Wednesday. Parking, Basecamp, lunch, and the rest of the day: tcstartupweek.com/wednesday