Tech Innovation Grants

🚀 Engineering time is expensive, but the right hardware can be a game-changer! 🖥️ Sometimes, a big upfront cost on tech seems hard to justify—but when you factor in the long-term productivity gains, it becomes clear. Improving dev velocity can have an astonishing impact. Take this real-world example: Upgrading a team of 9 to 2021 M1 MacBooks cost $32k, but it cut Android build times in half. The result? A $100k productivity boost, with the break-even point reached in just 3 months! 📈 TL;DR: Investing in top-tier hardware isn't just an expense—it's a strategic move to unlock serious efficiency. Engineering hours are far more valuable than hardware. #EngineeringProductivity #DevVelocity #TechROI #InvestInTech

Most deep tech startups do not fail in the lab. They fail in the funding gap. You need years of research, experiments, and prototypes before anyone pays you. Investors want traction in 12 to 18 months. Your science needs 5 to 7 years. The result is predictable: Founders reshape their story just to survive. They reframe long R&D roadmaps as short GTM plans. They accept dilution that would be unthinkable in a software company at the same stage. But there is a capital that was built for this exact situation: 𝙉𝙤𝙣-𝙙𝙞𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨. Grants are not rare. They're just hard to see. Programs are scattered across agencies and regions. Criteria are written in policy language, not founder language. Key calls open and close quietly, and most teams hear about them too late. From an investor's perspective, this is a lost opportunity. Well-targeted grants can extend runway, de-risk core science, and improve the quality of future equity rounds. Used well, they do not replace strong fundraising ambition. They strengthen it. They buy time, increase leverage, and help you raise the next round on better terms. So we pulled some structure into the chaos. We put together a concise bundle of 𝟮𝟬 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 that we see strong teams actually using to fund R&D: ✅ What each grant really funds ✅ Typical ticket size ✅ Geography and eligibility ✅ Link to the grant If you are building deep tech, this is upside you cannot afford to leave untouched. Comment 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦 and I will share the bundle with you.   Follow us at APEX Ventures and subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content on groundbreaking Deep Tech startups:   🔗 https://t2m.io/EV2qHQuo

One of the questions I get most often from FS CEOs and Board Directors is whether rising technology investment is translating into lasting change and improved ROI.      We've just completed research examining how some of the world's largest banks are investing in technology. Average spend rose by 11% in 2025 - and a few things stood out for me: 1️⃣ The scale of investment is not the issue, it’s how it’s spent.     The largest banks now spend on average over US$4bn a year on technology – with some spending multiples of this – but only around 12% goes into revenue-driving transformative change. Most spend is absorbed by keeping existing systems running and meeting mandatory requirements.     2️⃣ The way investment is approved affects what gets delivered.     Most banks operate a 2-year return-on-investment cycle, and 88% say unclear ROI for tech spend makes it difficult to secure approval for longer term projects – even when they’re critical to delivering the bank’s strategic plans.    3️⃣ Legacy systems and skills gaps constrain impact.     More than 80% of banks told us that legacy systems stand in the way of lowering day-to-day spend, and 86% cited them as the primary cause of IT project failures. On talent, 71% of banks spoke of capability gaps in key areas such as cybersecurity and GenAI, which is further constraining transformation.    These findings paint a picture. Technology investment is rising, but high levels of BAU spend, governance structures, the approach to ROI measurement, and legacy systems are limiting the impact of that spend. To unlock more value from technology spend, global banks need to move beyond incremental change – redefining how they prioritise investment, measure value, and build the capabilities to scale transformation.   You can read more here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eEkHwxAD   #Banking #Transformation #ShapeTheFutureWithConfidence

On fundraising and pitching (for early stage enterprise AI startups) Something that keeps coming up in my conversations with founders is how much pitching and fundraising has changed in the AI era. Building is cheap now. You can come up with an idea, build it, and test it at very little cost (unless you're doing something capital-intensive like robotics). It's great time to be building companies but the bar has moved for fundraising. Even at the earliest stages, investors expect more traction because getting to a working product is no longer the hard part. So how do you pitch? 1. Cover the basics You'll be surprised to know how many people don't cover the basics in a pitch meeting. What are you building? Who is building it? Why and why now? What's the vision for what this could become? How much are you raising and what will you do with it? Do you have customers? Do they love the product? How do you know? Will you eventually make money? How? You can add more on pilots, sales cycles, etc., but get these out of the way first. 2. Then mention your spikes I think that most investors invest in spikes, and your ability to <waves hands> figure it all out. Spikes can vary - maybe you've been obsessed with this space since childhood, maybe you have an incredible team, maybe you're just really good at one specific thing. Internalize what you or your company are uniquely good at, and lean into that. Trying to check every box often dilutes the thing that makes you interesting. And you’d be surprised how far that gets you instead of a long list of advisors or flashy names. That’s ok too, but you’re selling yourself short. 3. A few tensions worth addressing (for enterprise AI) And now for the questions that annoy every (enterprise) AI startup founder (I’m sorry but you will get asked these at some point anyway, so you might as well prep for it) a. ⁠“What if OpenAI builds this?" aka what is your wedge?  Could be community, trust, physical goods or hardware. figure out why you're differentiated and defensible b. “Your sales cycles are long" Focus on stickiness, ACV, upsell and cross-sell potential. c. “You have a few LOIs, some pilots, some monthly contracts. What counts as traction?" Walk through what meaningful traction is to you and be clear on what it is rather than what you want it to be. A 3-month discounted pilot with clear graduation terms? That's traction to me. 4. Specificity over polish Some of the good pitches I see are usually not the most polished (I'd be surprised if they were at this stage). But they are able to convey the specifics clearly (on customer, problem, team, outcomes) and signal that this founder is going to figure it all out. Note that I haven’t really talked about TAM or competition. Hot take - at the earliest stages, that stuff matters less than you think. If you're preparing for a raise and want to pressure-test your narrative, I'd love hear from you. Send me a note at aarthi@schemavc.com.

The worst pitch decks don’t fail because of bad ideas. They fail because of poor storytelling. Healthtech founders often think investors will “get it” if they just see their tech. Spoiler - they won’t. If your STORY isn’t clear, your pitch won’t land. Here’s how you can simplify it: 1. Start with the why, not the what Don’t lead with product features. Start with a real pain point investors can feel, not just understand. 2. Ditch the jargon If they can’t repeat what you do in one line, you’ve lost them. Say: “We help doctors detect cancer 3x faster” Not: “AI-powered clinical decision support system.” 3. Let numbers do the talking Don't claim your product is impactful - prove it. Instead of saying "We're improving patient outcomes," say "Reduced patient readmissions by 25% in 3 months." 4. Make your business model obvious Investors want returns. Who pays? How do you scale? Show the path to profit early - don’t hide it in slide 15. 5. Close with a vision, not just an ask Skip the boring close. Say: “We’re building a future where every patient gets the right treatment - starting with 500 hospitals in 2 years.” The best pitch decks aren’t just data dumps. They’re stories. And the founders who master storytelling don’t just raise money. They build category-defining companies. If an investor only remembers one thing from your pitch, what would it be? #startups #funding #founders #healthtech

Spoke to 3 founders about fundraising yesterday, so I thought I would share my thoughts. You've got your pitch deck ready and pitching like crazy, but it's collecting dust. Why? Because the oldschool pitch deck is dead. It’s like trying to sell a smartphone with a rotary dial. Investors today want more than just slides. They’re looking for something else entirely. Here's what they truly want to see: A Story → Investors still want the Hollywood Hero's Journey. Why are you the one who will build a generational company that will return my entire fund in 5-10 years? ↳ Why will Open AI not destroy you tomorrow? Real-world Applications → Investors want to know how your AI can solve actual customer problems. ↳ Show them how your technology is being used, not just how it could be used. Scalability → Can your AI solution grow with the market? ↳ Demonstrate the ability to scale your product even when the new hotness drops tomorrow. Team Expertise → Highlight your team's ability to execute. ↳ Experience in AI is a must, but so is a diverse skill set. Clear Path to Monetization → How will your AI startup make money? ↳ Investors need to see a clear financial roadmap. Risk Mitigation → Address potential risks and how you plan to manage them. ↳ Transparency here builds trust. Customer Feedback → Showcase testimonials or case studies. ↳ Real user feedback is more convincing than hypothetical scenarios. Market Traction → Show that you've already begun to capture the market. ↳ Numbers speak louder than words. Vision Beyond the Hype → AI is booming, but where do you see your startup in this ecosystem? ↳ Investors want visionaries, not opportunists. The key takeaway? Investors are looking for authenticity and depth. They want to see that you’re not just dreaming big but are ready to execute. Gone are the days when a flashy deck would seal the deal. Today, it's about proving your AI startup's worth realistically. What else am I missing?

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗕𝗠 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 These days, every business is, at least partly, a technology business. Whether you’re a manufacturer, an energy company, or a telecom provider, technology is central to how you create value and stay competitive. But managing tech is tricky. It’s not just about keeping costs down—it’s about making sure every tech investment is pulling its weight for your business. Many companies are still looking at tech costs in isolation instead of tying them to business goals. That’s where a smarter management approach like TBM comes into play. It’s about taking a holistic view of your technology landscape to drive efficiency, boost profits, and fuel long-term growth. 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 One of the biggest advantages of a well-structured tech management approach is visibility. Imagine if you could see every cost, every investment, and every technology’s impact on your business in one clear snapshot. Take the case of a manufacturing company. If you're looking at production costs, you need more than just the price of raw materials and labor. You want to understand the tech driving your operations: the software that handles scheduling, the sensors monitoring your machinery, and the systems analyzing your supply chain data. Seeing how all of this fits together helps you make smarter decisions, like investing in better automation tools that reduce downtime and drive efficiency. 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 Technology investments only make sense if they support your broader business strategy—whether that's scaling operations, enhancing customer experience, or increasing profitability. Smart tech management is about finding value and then reinvesting those savings into future growth. You get clarity on what's draining your budget and what’s truly driving success. Those insights let you cut unnecessary costs and channel the savings into the areas that matter most—like innovation, product development, or new market opportunities. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗕𝗠 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 The mission of Technology Business Management (TBM) Council has always been to maximize the value of technology investments across every corner of a company. TBM’s real power lies in how it brings together frameworks like FinOps, ITAM, and a range of strategic practices, making them all work in sync to drive smarter, faster business decisions. It’s like pulling every department—finance, tech, and operations—onto the same page to make sure the full potential of each investment is realized. The right framework brings all the puzzle pieces together—cloud, software, hardware, on-prem infrastructure—and shows how they drive your business. By aligning your tech with your strategy, you can turn technology from a budget line item into a catalyst for growth. #TBM

📥 Reviewing all inbound pitches Not all investors require warm intros. 💷 Last year I made investments into a material science and a medtech startup, both originating from cold inbound emails. The latter used the following text (copied with permission but with details redacted): "Dear Avonmore Developments I hope you are well. I have been following your investments and compiled a list approximately 4 months ago of who I believe would add huge value for the Medtech [....] start up that I have co-founded with Dr [….] I believe Avonmore Developments would bring immense value beyond just potential investment and would love to pitch our venture (pitchdeck attached). I was a huge fan of OC Robotics that you have invested in previously. Since starting 8 months ago, we have had significant traction with 4/5 grants won, defensible platform IP filing and numerous other prizes. We started our funding round last week and already have £200k committed. We have a deep understanding of our market and expect a 250 million dollar exit in 3 years. To be completely honest, it would be great to just meet Mr Simon Blakey [....]! Best wishes” 💡Why this email stood out: ✔️ Reference to both me and my portfolio (specific reference to Avonmore and a past investment, OC Robotics) ✔️ Evidence of traction (e.g., grant success, IP filing, funding momentum). ✔️ Clear market understanding and a compelling vision for the startup’s future. ✔️ Genuine and personalized outreach, showing they’d taken time to craft their approach. I feel too many pitch emails fail to check even a few of these boxes. Alongside a concise pitch deck, there was enough here to arrange an intro call and the rest is history… 📖 Best of luck to entrepreneurs embarking on their fundraising journeys 🚀 And to fellow investors, especially those at the pre-seed stage: please keep an open mind about those cold inbound pitches! 🙏

Tech investments go wrong when companies chase trends instead of solutions. I’ve seen businesses throw money at AI, blockchain, or whatever buzzword is trending, only to realize later they didn’t have the infrastructure, talent, or strategy to make it work. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype. But the real question is: Is it solving a problem or just adding complexity? Smart investments aren’t about following trends, they’re about aligning technology with business goals. If a company wants to scale, they need solutions that grow with them. If they need efficiency, they should focus on integration and automation, not just buying tools that look good on a pitch deck. And then there’s the talent factor. Even the best tech won’t deliver value if teams can’t leverage it properly. Without the right expertise, it’s just an expensive decoration. At the end of the day, tech investments should move your business forward and not just add to your expenses. So, before jumping on the next big thing, make sure it checks the right boxes.