Innovative Ventures: How VCs Are Turning Sci-Fi Dreams into Reality

A venture capital fund called Deep Future is aiming to explore groundbreaking ideas that traditional investors might shy away from. They’re interested in projects that might not yield profits for years but show promise in the lab. Funding is capped at about $500,000 for each project, just enough to create prototypes and attract further investment.

Pablos Holman, a partner at Deep Future, has a rich background in innovation. He spent over ten years at Intellectual Ventures Lab, which was co-founded by Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft’s first CTO. Holman has also been involved in other notable projects, including Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket program. Recently, he has supported over 30 startups in various fields, from autonomous shipping to underground nuclear power.

Holman emphasizes that while companies often strive for slight improvements, like a 1% enhancement in inkjet printer technology, his fund seeks ideas that could potentially revolutionize entire industries. “If you can go ten times better, then we’re interested,” he explains.

Innovative Nuclear Solutions

One standout project emerging from Deep Future’s funding is Deep Fission, a nuclear power initiative. They plan to install small 15 MW reactors deep underground, where geological pressure ensures safety and efficiency. This innovative approach could drastically cut construction costs and simplify decommissioning. Remarkably, the US Department of Energy has endorsed this design as part of its Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program, aimed at addressing rising energy demands.

According to Holman, the regulatory landscape is changing. “Nuclear energy is finally being considered alongside other renewables,” he notes, highlighting a shift that could lead to broader acceptance and support for such projects.

Breaking New Ground in E-Waste Recovery

An exciting development in sustainability is the work of DEScycle, a project partially funded by Deep Future. Researchers have discovered a way to extract valuable materials from electronic waste using Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES). These solvents, made from safe chemicals, avoid the toxic methods of the past. In June, DEScycle secured a significant investment from Mitsubishi Corporation to construct a processing plant in the UK.

Chasing the Everlasting Battery

Holman is also pursuing the dream of an everlasting battery. A figure of interest is Harold “Sonny” White, a former NASA engineer. Together, they believe they may have found a way to harness the Casimir effect—a phenomenon that could theoretically generate energy for free by placing two conductive sheets very close together in a vacuum.

Though exciting, this concept lacks peer-reviewed validation, and skepticism remains high. “We’ll see what gets tested because bold claims have been made before,” Holman cautions.

The Balance of Ideas

Holman also has a history of working with ambitious ideas, including efforts to combat malaria and hurricanes. While some projects showed potential in labs, they often fell short economically, highlighting the challenge of turning pure research into viable solutions.

His experiences suggest that while deep thinking can inspire incredible concepts, practical implementation often requires immense resources and potential buy-in from governments or organizations. For anyone looking to pitch to Deep Future, understanding this balance is key.

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