How to Exit a Deep Tech Startup - Matt Jones (Syensqo)

How to Exit a Deep Tech Startup - Matt Jones (Syensqo)

Author: Hugo Rauch April 10, 2025 Duration: 20:10
New Wave.
BusinessScience

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

***

This week, we’re joined by Matt Jones, Managing Partner at Syensqo, to break down one of the toughest challenges in climate tech: how to exit.

With 25 years of experience and a front-row seat to both successful and failed exits, Matt shares:

* How to recognize the right window for exiting

* The biggest red flags in corporate partnerships

* How CVCs think about alignment, strategy, and exits

* What founders get wrong when they pitch to corporations

* How to make deep tech exits work

* … and more!

***

⌛TIMESTAMPS

* 00:00 Introduction to the episode

* 0:54 Climate Tech Exits 101

* 02:22 Understanding Exit Strategies for Investors

* 04:55 How to assess the exit environment?

* 05:47 The IPO Dream: Are Startups Ready?

* 07:33 Taking a company public as a CVC?

* 08:38 Navigating Acquisitions: Finding Potential Buyers

* 11:23 The Role of Corporates in Exit Strategies

* 13:53 Is it important for founders to have an exit strategy?

* 15:37 Common Mistakes in Engaging with Corporate VCs

* 17:35 Rapid Fire Questions: Insights and Advice

***

▶️ CONNECT WITH MATT

* Matt Jones – LinkedIn

* Syensqo | Advancing Humanity

***

🔗 CONNECT WITH ME

* Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com/

* LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugorauch/

* Email - climateventuresvco2@substack.com

* YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@VCo2_HugoRauch

***

📚 REFERENCES AND MENTIONS

* The Lean Startup – Startup playbook on building fast & learning from customers.

* Syensqo Ventures – Corporate VC backing climate and materials startups.

* Breakthrough Energy Ventures – Climate tech fund backed by Bill Gates.

* M&A – Mergers & acquisitions as startup exits.

* IPOs – Taking a private company public.

* SPACs – A faster alternative to IPOs via shell companies.

* EBITDA & Accretive – Key financials in exit deals.

* Corporate VC (CVC) – Corporates investing in startups.

* Exit Windows – Timing matters for exits.

***

🎙️PAST EPISODES YOU’LL LOVE

* Founders Should Operate Like Athletes – Romain Vidal (Teampact Ventures)

* Solving the Energy Crisis with Software - Jan Lozek (Future Energy Ventures)

* Climate Change Is a Social Issue - Alina Klarner (Impact Shakers)

***

💚 LEAVE A REVIEW

* Apple Podcasts - https://shorturl.at/HIDcg

* Spotify - https://shorturl.at/yDTfR



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newwavenewsletter.substack.com

Hugo Rauch hosts New Wave, a podcast that lives at the intersection of business ambition and scientific reality. This isn't about distant predictions or abstract science; it's a grounded exploration of the technologies and companies being built right now to address our environmental future. Each episode focuses on the practical journey, dissecting the models, the breakthroughs, and the hard decisions that define the climate tech landscape. You'll hear from founders, researchers, and investors who are actively shaping this space, getting into the specifics of what works, what doesn't, and why. The conversations move beyond hype to examine the tangible mechanics of creating viable solutions, from energy storage and sustainable materials to carbon removal and regenerative agriculture. It’s for anyone who thinks about the climate challenge not just as a crisis, but as a complex and urgent field of innovation. By tuning into this podcast, you gain a clearer understanding of the economic forces and scientific principles driving the next generation of environmental solutions. New Wave connects the dots between the lab, the boardroom, and the impact we need to see in the world, offering a sober yet optimistic look at where substantive progress is truly being made.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

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