Deep tech founders face a unique challenge: turning breakthrough science into a scalable startup. From navigating academia and IP to fundraising, manufacturing, and product-market fit, the path from research lab to real-world impact is anything but straightforward.

This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Capella Kerst, founder and CEO of geCKo Materials and 2024 Startups Battlefield runner up.  geCKo Materials is building a bio-inspired adhesive with applications across robotics, manufacturing, and even space. In this episode, they explore how she turned a Stanford PhD breakthrough into a venture-backed deep tech company. 

This conversation covers:

How to turn academic research into a scalable startup

The challenges of moving from Stanford PhD to founder and CEO

What it takes to raise capital as a deep tech and hardware startup

Why commercialization and manufacturing are the hardest parts of innovation

How to identify real-world use cases and achieve product-market fit

Following recent episodes on building teams, this conversation focuses on the foundation behind every startup: transforming breakthrough technology into a viable business.

Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.  

TechCrunch Disrupt: If you're thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we're back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.  

Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type. 

Chapters:

00:00 The Breakthrough Moment

01:45 From Startup Battlefield to Scale

02:42 What Gecko Materials Actually Does

05:18 Turning a PhD Into a Company

07:44 The Big Vision for Gecko Materials

09:19 From Wild Ideas to Real Use Cases

11:16 Spinning Out of Stanford

14:49 Raising Capital (and a 36-Hour Round)

17:54 Breakthroughs and Momentum

18:00 Building a World-Class Team

22:19 Owning the Founder Role

24:21 Finding Product-Market Fit in Deep Tech

26:54 Why More Research Doesn’t Become Startups

29:15 What’s Next for Gecko Materials

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.