Welcome to The Deeptech Compass: A Compass for Founders & Investors to De-risk Deep Tech From Day Zero

Turning science into ventures takes more than breakthroughs — it takes guidance.

Deep tech ventures don’t fail because the science doesn’t work; they fail because the path from lab to market is full of blind spots. From day zero, founders and investors are forced to make big bets with little guidance, and nowhere is this truer than in the Global South, where funding, regulatory, infrastructure, and talent challenges make the journey even more complex.

According to Catalist, around 600 climate tech startups are active across the Latin American region, yet, over 90% remain pre-Series A, facing (or en route to face) the valley of death that prevents most deep-tech companies from scaling. While forestry and land use have historically captured the largest share of climate tech financing in the region — driven mostly by carbon markets — emerging trends indicate an increasing flow of capital toward energy and transport. However, critical areas like green construction, circular economy solutions, and water infrastructure remain underdeveloped, despite being vital for long-term resilience.

The broader pattern is clear: Latin America invests only 0.62% of GDP in R&D, well below global averages, despite high returns on technology adoption. Early-stage capital is flowing, but follow-on financing remains scarce, leaving founders stranded between proof of concept and real scale. In short, our region is rich in science and potential, but fragile in the structures needed to turn that potential into impact.

Furthermore, most of the available educational materials on entrepreneurship, investment-readiness, and venture-building are either too scattered or too generic, failing to address the unique challenges of deep tech ventures. On top of that, much of what does exist is concentrated in English, creating an additional barrier for many founders in Latin America and the Caribbean. If we want more science-based companies to survive the valley of death, we need educational and investment-readiness tools that are both deep tech–specific and accessible.

Our region is rich in science and potential, but fragile in the structures needed to turn that potential into impact.

That’s why I created The Deep Tech Compass: a space to share frameworks, case studies, and insights on how to de-risk science ventures from day zero. My focus is on Latin America, a region with untapped scientific talent, unique market challenges, and global-scale opportunities for innovation.

🌍 Note: While this site currently publishes in English, you can soon expect full content in Spanish and Portuguese. Bear with me as I work on expanding accessibility across languages. Making these tools available to the widest set of founders is core to the mission.

Here’s what you can expect:

• 🧭 This Week’s Compass – essays breaking down deep tech venture building.

• 🛠️ De-Risking Tools – frameworks, templates, and playbooks you can apply right away.

• 🌎 LatAm/Global South Spotlights – stories and lessons from emerging ecosystems.

• ✍🏽 Compass Notes – short reflections and mental models.

Choose Your Compass

Find the right level of guidance for your journey:

🆓 The Explorer (Free)

Read, learn, and get inspired. 👉 Best for curious readers who want to follow the conversation.

• Weekly essays breaking down deep tech venture building (This Week’s Compass)

• Compass Notes (short reflections)

• Teasers of LatAm/Global South spotlights and case studies

• Occasional free tools 

  
  

⛵ The Navigator ($11/month)

Turn insights into action. 👉 Best for founders & ecosystem players ready to apply proven frameworks.

• Everything in Explorer

• Full access to de-risking frameworks & toolkits 🛠️

• Complete LatAm/Global South Spotlights (case studies & insights)

• Unlimited access to the archive of tools & playbooks

  
  

🚀 The Pathfinder ($51/month)

Go deeper, with insider access. 👉 Best for investors, advanced founders, and institutions seeking depth & community.

• Everything in Navigator

• Monthly due diligence deep dives (how investors assess risk) 🔍

• Extended case studies with founder & investor perspectives

• Early access to workshops & events

• Monthly 30 min call w/Mildred 👧

• Private founder/investor circle (pre-screened opportunities)

• Compass Premium Reports (long-form reports) 

Why Deep Tech Compass Matters Now

1. High reward, high risk: Deep tech aims to solve existential challenges (e.g., climate change, health crises, sustainable materials), but the path is long and full of pitfalls. In Latin America, many ventures stall due to a lack of follow-on financing, weak institutional support, and political/regulatory instability. Without guidance, promising science is often abandoned.
   

2. Gap in infrastructure & systems: Regional investment in R&D is far below need; many reports highlight insufficient policy/regulation, infrastructure (e.g., data, power, materials), and talent pipelines. Bridging these gaps requires more than enthusiasm: it requires new frameworks, playbooks, and systems tailored to LATAM's context .
   

3. Inequality in opportunity: Women STEMpreneurs in LATAM face larger funding gaps, bias in investor access, and negotiation strain. Mapping, training, and shared tools can reduce these inequalities.

   
   

4. Underexplored verticals: While sectors like AI attract attention, others like cleantech or advanced materials remain underrepresented yet growing. There is value in diversifying risk through supporting more verticals.

   
   

5. Timing is urgent: With rising interest globally, investors are increasingly considering Latin America and the Global South. But unless venture builders from day zero are aware of risks, strategies, and regional constraints, they will be left behind or fail to convert potential into impact.

This is an invitation. Whether you’re a founder, an investor, a university, or a government body, there are many ways we can collaborate to build stronger deep tech ecosystems in Latin America and the broader Global South.

So welcome! And thank you for being here from day one. Let’s chart new routes for science to become ventures, and ventures to become impactful.

👉 Subscribe now and choose your compass: Explorer, Navigator, or Pathfinder.

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