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Welcome to the 67th edition of Deep Tech Catalyst, the channel by The Scenarionist, where science meets venture!
Venture capital typically backs the early stages—team building, refining the business model, finding product-market fit. Private equity enters later, when companies begin showing strong commercial traction and the need shifts from validation to acceleration. But for deep tech founders, approaching private equity isn't just about timing—it's about knowing what to show, how to scale, and why gross margin matters more than vision decks.
In this episode, we sit down with Jean Schmitt, Managing Partner at Jolt Capital. With decades of experience navigating the intersection of high-tech innovation and institutional capital, Jean breaks down what private equity really looks for, why deep tech founders often misprice their value, and how gross margins—not hype—win deals.
Together, we dig into:
How private equity funds actually work—and how they differ from VC.
The metrics and market signals that unlock late-stage capital.
What it takes to cross the elusive $100M revenue threshold—and why that changes everything.
Whether you’re a founder preparing for the next fundraising milestone or an investor exploring capital-efficient deep tech models, this episode offers a rare look inside the private equity mindset—and what it really takes to scale from strong tech to strong business.
Let’s dive in! 💡
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