In the second episode of TechnologIST Talks, host and CEO of the Institute for Security and Technology Philip Reiner sits down with Dr. Manish Kothari, founding managing partner at First Spark Ventures and former president of SRI International. Manish shares his journey from a biotech startup founder to a leading deep tech investor, offering insights into the unique challenges and opportunities within the deep tech ecosystem.

Manish and Philip explore the history–and cyclical nature–of Silicon Valley, the unique funding environment for deep tech startups, and the key factors that Manish looks for in a company specializing in deep tech when thinking about investing. “One of the challenges of deep tech relative to tech is scaling these quickly is challenging, because it costs more money. You're still in the early development phase. We really want to make sure the underlying component technologies are mature.”

How would Manish assess the government interventions that have been made so far to accelerate American competitiveness? How can the United States maintain its competitive edge in the global tech landscape, especially in light of advancements made by countries like China? And how are machine learning and automation playing a central role in the deep tech renaissance? 

Join us for this and more on this episode of TechnologIST Talks. 

Learn more about IST: https://securityandtechnology.org/

00:00 Introduction to Technologist Talks 
01:37 Meet Manish: A Deep Tech Pioneer 
02:57 Understanding Deep Tech 
05:10 Manish's Journey in Deep Tech 
07:44 First Spark: Investing in Deep Tech 
09:12 Challenges and Opportunities in Deep Tech 
18:41 The Role of Government in Deep Tech 
24:55 China's Influence on Deep Tech 
30:09 Future of Deep Tech and Final Thoughts