10 Lessons Every Deep Tech COO Needs To Know

Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato, COO at Zama.

In the ever-evolving landscape of deep technology, the role of the chief operating officer is more critical and complex than ever. Unlike traditional industries, deep tech—encompassing artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced materials and more—operates at the bleeding edge of innovation.

Over the past several years, I’ve had the privilege of working as a COO in deep tech, navigating the challenges of scaling highly technical organizations. From leading operations at a company pioneering fully homomorphic encryption to engaging with deep tech leaders through my research, I’ve seen firsthand how COOs can make or break a company’s trajectory.

Something I’ve learned is that success in this domain hinges not only on technical breakthroughs but also on operational strategies that scale innovations into transformative products. For COOs navigating this space, the stakes are high, and the challenges are unique.

Here are 10 lessons I believe every deep tech COO needs to know to excel in this demanding yet rewarding role and position their company for long-term success.

1. Master the science of translation.

Deep tech thrives at the intersection of research and commercialization. As a COO, your primary role is to bridge the gap between technical teams and business objectives.

While you don’t need to be a technical expert, grasping the basics of the technology your company develops ensures you’re making informed decisions and communicating effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Moreover, translating complex technical ideas into clear, actionable business strategies is a critical skill. This ensures alignment across diverse teams, from R&D to sales.

2. Prioritize talent management.

Deep tech organizations are built on the expertise of their people. Attracting, retaining and aligning top-tier talent should be a central focus. To help with this, create a learning culture that values adaptability and encourages continuous learning and professional development. Deep tech evolves rapidly, and your team’s skills must keep pace.

Another important step is balancing specialists and generalists. While specialists drive innovation, generalists often excel at operationalizing ideas. Strive for a balanced team that can both create and execute.

3. Embrace agile operations.

I find traditional business methodologies often fall short in deep tech. Agile frameworks—adapted for research and development-heavy environments—are essential. Consider:

• Iterative development: Encourage small, incremental progress over large, high-risk bets. This reduces the impact of failures and accelerates learning.

• Cross-functional teams: Foster collaboration across disciplines to ensure seamless integration of technology and business goals.

• Scenario planning: Deep tech’s inherent uncertainty necessitates robust scenario planning to prepare for multiple potential outcomes.

4. Navigate regulatory and ethical challenges.

Deep tech innovations often venture into uncharted regulatory and ethical territory. As a COO, you must stay ahead of regulations by working closely with legal and compliance teams to monitor evolving regulations in your field. You can proactively engage with regulators and industry bodies to help shape favorable policies as well.

Embedding ethical considerations into every level of your organization is also essential, from data privacy to AI bias. This not only builds trust but also mitigates risks.

5. Scale without losing agility.

Scaling a deep tech organization is a delicate balancing act. While growth is essential, you must preserve the agility that enables innovation. I’ve found implementing modular systems can help with this. This involves building scalable processes and structures that can grow with your organization without stifling creativity.

Fostering decentralized decision making can also support agility. Empower your teams with the autonomy to make decisions quickly. You can maintain alignment by establishing a strong shared vision.

I also recommend investing in leadership development. As your company grows, this will ensure you’re developing leaders at all levels who can uphold your culture and values.

6. Champion collaboration across ecosystems.

The World Economic Forum posited that collaborative ecosystems are the future of business. Deep tech doesn’t operate in isolation. COOs should build robust ecosystems of partners, investors and customers. Key considerations include:

• Strategic partnerships: Collaborate with academic institutions, industry consortia and government bodies to leverage external expertise and resources.

• Customer co-creation: Engage early with potential customers to ensure your solutions address real-world needs.

• Investor alignment: Deep tech often requires significant funding. Cultivate relationships with investors who understand the long timelines and high risks associated with your industry.

7. Manage the long game.

Unlike traditional startups, deep tech ventures often face extended timelines from discovery to commercialization. This requires a long-term operational mindset and patience with milestones. Celebrate small wins and progress markers to maintain team morale and keep sight of the long-term vision while ensuring near-term operational excellence.

8. Leverage data and metrics.

Deep tech operations generate vast amounts of data. A COO’s ability to harness the following data for decision making can be a game-changer:

• Operational key performance indicators: Define and track metrics that align with your company’s strategic objectives, such as R&D efficiency, time-to-market and customer satisfaction.

• Predictive analytics: Use advanced analytics to anticipate trends, optimize processes and make proactive decisions.

• Feedback loops: Implement systems to capture and act on feedback from both internal teams and external stakeholders.

9. Cultivate resilience.

Deep tech is inherently high-risk. Failures are inevitable, but resilience is what sets successful organizations apart. As a COO, you can foster resilience by encouraging experimentation, which requires creating an environment where calculated risks are celebrated, and failures are seen as opportunities to learn. Honest and open communication is also critical; this builds trust and helps teams navigate challenges collectively.

Plan for contingencies as well. Develop robust risk management frameworks to ensure your organization can weather setbacks.

10. Be a strategic partner to the CEO.

Finally, as a COO, your partnership with the CEO is pivotal. Together, you form the backbone of your organization’s leadership. Define your respective responsibilities to avoid overlaps and inefficiencies, maintain open communication to stay aligned on strategies and priorities and leverage your unique skills to support the CEO’s vision.

The role of a COO in deep tech is as challenging as it is transformative. By mastering these principles, COOs can not only navigate the complexities of this dynamic field but also drive their organizations toward sustainable success. In deep tech, the future isn’t just built—it’s operationalized. As COO, you are the architect of that operationalization, turning groundbreaking ideas into world-changing realities.

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