DeepTech Series Ep # 4: Betting on Mission-Driven Deep Tech—with Maryanna Saenko of Future Ventures

If a VC is excited about a deep tech company upfront, what can we do to temper our enthusiasm and make a rational decision on whether to invest? Maryanna Saenko is Cofounder and Partner at Future Ventures, an early-stage VC firm that focuses on mission-driven companies at the cutting edge of disruptive technology. Future Ventures looks to back visionaries who push the boundaries of possibility. Some of their recent investments include Beeflow, Deep Genomics and Earthshot Labs. On this episode of Boost VC, Maryanna joins us to share her definition of deep tech, describing how Future Ventures looks for opportunities ‘unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.’ Maryanna offers her take on why the two-person structure of a venture firm is ideal and discusses some of the deep tech deals she wishes she’d been closer to. Listen in for Maryanna’s insight on building organizations around big shifts in science or technology and learn her process for dialing down the excitement after a pitch to decide whether her YES will hold. Topics Covered Maryanna’s biggest accomplishments before age 20Recognized she wouldn’t survive public high schoolGot into Hopkins prep school on scholarship How Maryanna got into venture capitalWorked for early-stage company out of collegeJob offer from Daimler to figure out driverless carsIntroduced to head of innovation lab at Airbus The most important lessons Maryanna has learned as a VCTrust your intuitionDon’t waste time justifying a startup’s relevance How Maryanna defines deep tech‘Unlike anything we’ve ever seen before’Index on novelty at Future Ventures What Maryanna does when she’s all-in on a company right awayAsks what she must believe about reality for YES to holdDiscussion with partner to temper her excitement Why Maryanna prefers the two-person structure in ventureIdeal for its efficiency and intellectual honestyNever puts someone in tie-breaker position Maryanna’s superpowers as a venture investorConfident in ability to assess tech on first principlesKnow how to build orgs around shifts in science or tech  What deals Maryanna wishes she had been closer toStructure of open AIDeep seabed mining, recycling battery technology Maryanna’s definition of successFeel landscape of possibility was totally exhausted‘Everything I could give to this, I did’ Connect with Maryanna Saenko Future Ventures https://future.ventures/ Future on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FutureVenturesVCFuture on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/future.ventures/Future on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/futureventures/Maryanna on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryannasaenko/Maryanna on Twitter https://twitter.com/FutureSaenko Resources Lux Research https://www.luxresearchinc.com/DARPA Grand Challenge https://www.darpa.mil/about-us/timeline/-grand-challenge-for-autonomous-vehiclesAirbus BizLab https://www.airbus.com/en/innovation/innovation-ecosystem/airbus-bizlabBeeflow  https://www.beeflow.com/Decoding the World by Po Bronson and Arvind Gupta https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-World-Questioner-Po-Bronson/dp/1538734311Redwood Materials https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin https://www.amazon.com/American-Prometheus-audiobook/dp/B000OZ0J0W/ Connect with Boost VC Boost VC Website https://www.boost.vc/Boost VC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boostvc/Boost VC on Twitter https://twitter.com/BoostVCBoost VC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boost_vc/