“Deep tech” is a term used by venture capital and policy makers to refer to the sophisticated technologies with the potential to address many of the challenges of economic development, public health, and climate change. Unlike better known, consumer-facing digital startups that can generate large returns in a short amount of time, deep tech projects require large initial investments and long development times to find their market. Yet, where the term has become widely used among venture capital and policymakers, academia has lagged in assimilating the concept, leading to misconceptions on how to properly leverage deep tech. In response to a need for a more complete conceptualization of deep tech, this article analyzes the phenomenon as it appears in various media outlets, its embryonic academic literature and related accumulated research. We uncover five key defining dimensions encompassing various interpretations of deep tech: as fundamental, as complex, as distant, as beneath, and as profound. From this conceptualization, we then elaborate a research agenda in deep tech to help support policymakers and the business community as they deal with this emerging domain of investment
