Sony Acceleration Platformは、スウェーデンのルンドにも拠点があり、ヨーロッパを中心に世界の事業開発に挑戦するあらゆる企業の皆様を支援しています。
本連載「北欧に学ぶ！イノベーションレポート」では、北欧のイノベーション文化に気軽に触れていただけるよう、Sony Acceleration Platformヨーロッパ拠点のメンバーからのレポートを全編英語でお届けします。
ヨーロッパは、特に科学や工学の分野において「ディープテック」の世界的なリーダーとして注目を浴びています。
公的な支援も受けながら、世界的に評価される研究機関、成長を続けるイノベーションハブのネットワーク等を背景に、長期的に技術のリーダーシップを築くための基盤を整えています。
この記事では、 「ディープテック」 がヨーロッパの未来をどのように変えていくのか？さまざまな業界への影響について紹介していきます。
Blueprints for Disruption: How Europe is Leading the Deep Tech Revolution
Oftentimes in business, new innovations are built off the backs of old ones. Think of the adage “reinventing the wheel.” If something isn’t broken, there’s no need to replace it entirely—just make it better. But every now and then, businesses encounter novel scientific or engineering breakthroughs that rewrite the playbook entirely. These are the foundations of “Deep Tech.”
Within the European startup space, many ventures are striving to commercialize technologies that have never been brought to market before. These Deep Tech startups focus on foundational advances in fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, biotech, photonics and advanced materials. Their R&D cycles are longer, more experimental and require specialized talent and infrastructure. The journey from lab to market is not only longer but also much riskier and capital intensive.
Compared to traditional tech ventures, Deep Tech companies often face a “valley of death” during early commercialization. Setting up the first production line or transitioning from prototype to scalable product demands heavy investment—often before revenue materializes. According to Boston Consulting Group and Hello Tomorrow, Deep Tech startups typically need 2–3 times more capital than traditional tech startups in their early years, especially in hardware-intensive sectors.
Despite these challenges, Deep Tech is gaining traction across Europe. Cities like Helsinki, Stockholm, Malmö, Copenhagen, Delft, Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris and others, have become hubs of scientific entrepreneurship. Many of these companies are spun out of universities and public research institutes. Europe’s academic strength plays a key role—its universities make up 30% of the top global computer science institutions and host some of the world’s leading faculties in engineering, physics and life sciences.
Deep tech examples from the Nordics:
*1 Einride https://www.einride.tech/
*2 ICEYE https://www.iceye.com/
*3 SNIPR Biome https://www.sniprbiome.com/
The continent is also home to 40% of the top 10 world-class research institutions, with Germany and France standing out for their robust public funding frameworks. Meanwhile, UK institutions lead in Deep Tech-related patent activity, particularly in areas like biotech and machine learning. According to the European Patent Office (EPO), AI and quantum technologies are among the fastest-growing sectors in terms of patent filings, indicating robust innovation momentum.
Public support is growing. Horizon Europe, the EU’s €95.5 billion research and innovation programme, has explicitly prioritized Deep Tech. Initiatives like the European Innovation Council (EIC) provide blended financing (grants + equity) tailored to the unique needs of Deep Tech ventures.
As Kerstin Jorna, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, aptly stated: “There will be no European industrial leadership without Deep Tech.” This reflects the strong alignment between public ambition and private initiative. If Europe wants to lead in the next wave of technological disruption, fostering Deep Tech is not optional—it is essential.
If you would like to know more about the European Deep Tech space and how you and your company could benefit from it, contact us for more information.
いかがでしたか？
ヨーロッパのディープテック分野について、また、貴社がそこからどのような利益を得られるかについて詳細を知りたい場合は、以下のフォームよりお問い合わせください。
