AI Agents' Discussion, Master Fundraising & Cofounder agreement
This Week’s 5 Good News for Deeptech & Climate Tech Leaders – March 18th, 2025
Hello everyone!
I just got back from Hello Tomorrow, I saw a lot of my readers :)
This week, we’ve got funding opportunities, AI breakthroughs, and startup essentials for entrepreneurs navigating deeptech and climate innovation.
Also, this week, I am adding 5 early-stage deeptech or climate startups or scale-ups that I spotted and my newsletter recommendations for further reading.
Let’s go!
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In 1 minute:
1️⃣ Plastic Waste Incubator – A free 5-week program for researchers and startups worldwide tackling plastic waste innovation. Apply now to scale your impact! Global but focusing on Asia Pacific.
2️⃣ AI Agents Are Talking to Each Other – What happens when an AI makes a call… and the other side is also an AI? The future of automated, seamless communication is here. This video blew my mind. Go check it
3️⃣ Fundraising? Don’t Get Ghosted by VCs! – The #1 mistake founders make when pitching? They don’t think like investors. Here’s how to make your pitch impossible to ignore. They want proofs, give them.
4️⃣ $1B ARR with Just 30 Employees?! – AI startups are rewriting the rules. Some are hitting insane revenue numbers with lean teams and zero VC funding. See the Lean AI Leaderboard. Entrepreneurship at another level. Not directly applicable to deeptech and climate tech but surely inspiring.
5️⃣ Co-Founder Agreements Save Startups! – Skip this and risk startup-killing conflicts. Here’s the ultimate co-founder agreement template to set expectations from day one. I was looking for such an agreement, I am happy to share it!
What newsletters am I reading? French Tech Updates
5 early-stage startups or scale-ups I spotted this week that blew my mind:
1️⃣ Transforming Plastic Waste: Apply for the IPPIN Incubator
💡 Apply by April 11, 2025
♻️ The Challenge: We produce millions of tons of plastic waste annually, much of which never gets recycled. The world urgently needs better solutions—and that’s where the IPPIN Incubator comes in.
💡 The Opportunity: If you’re working on innovative plastic waste solutions, this is for you. The IPPIN Incubator is a free 5-week online program designed for:
Startups, researchers, and SMEs with early-stage plastic waste solutions
Entrepreneurs looking for market validation & expert mentorship
Teams worldwide, with a focus on Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam
📅 Deadline to apply: April 11, 2025
🔹 What You Get:
✅ Customer discovery & market validation—is your idea commercially viable?
✅ Mentorship from industry experts & investors
✅ Access to international networks to help you scale
✅ Support in improving pitch & business models
📍 How to Apply:
Applications are open now! You can submit your idea here: Apply now
Thanks to Pakpoom Tanthaprabha for sharing this opportunity!
2️⃣ AI Agents Now Have Their Own Language
I don’t talk a lot about AI as there is so much out there but I cannot ignore the progress as it is a very advanced tech - a deeptech :)
The Future is Here: Imagine making a phone call… and realizing the other person is also an AI.
At the ElevenLabs Hackathon, Boris S. and Anton Pidkuiko introduced a revolutionary AI-to-AI communication protocol.
🔹 Why This Matters:
✅ AI agents can now communicate in a faster, error-proof way
✅ This method is 80% more efficient than traditional communication
✅ It could transform AI automation for customer service, negotiation, and B2B transactions
💡 The Big Picture: AI automation is moving beyond simple chatbots and into intelligent business conversations. Shortly, AI could:
✔️ Negotiate contracts between companies
✔️ Handle customer service interactions without humans
✔️ Optimize sales, logistics, and legal discussions autonomously
Check out the full discussion here below!
Thanks to Luke Harries for sharing!
3️⃣ The Ultimate Fundraising Guide: How to Win Over VCs
Fundraising is a Game of Trust.💰 VCs don’t just invest in ideas—they invest in founders who clearly understand their business & market.
But most startups fail to communicate properly. Instead of telling your own story, you need to tell it from an investor’s perspective.
🛑 What Founders Get Wrong:
❌ They don’t anticipate investor concerns
❌ They focus on product instead of market size & scalability
❌ They struggle to explain why NOW is the right time to invest
🔹 How to Fix It:
✅ Diligence yourself. Before pitching, ask:
What does an investor need to believe to say YES?
What’s the biggest risk they see in my business?
How do I prove my momentum & traction?
✅ Use a Proof Map:
Map out key investor concerns
Prepare structured answers for all potential questions
Focus on why your market is exploding NOW
Want the full checklist? Check out the guide below!
Thanks to Jonathan Crowder for this game-changing insight! 🔥
📄 PDF here:
4️⃣ Lean AI Startups Are Redefining Success
What if I told you a startup reached $1B ARR with just 30 employees? 📈 🤯
💡 That’s not a fantasy—it’s happening. A new wave of AI-native startups is emerging, rewriting the rules of scaling.
🔹 How They Do It:
✅ AI automates 90% of operations (customer service, marketing, coding)
✅ Ultra-lean teams (5-50 people instead of 500+)
✅ VC money? Not needed. These startups scale profitably from Day 1
💰 Compare the Economics:
Old model: Burn $1M to generate $1M in revenue
New AI model: Generate $1M revenue on just $200K in costs
Next step: Do it with $100K or less
Who’s Winning? Check LeanAILeaderboard.com
Thanks to Henry Shi for sharing this amazing insight!
5️⃣ The Co-Founder Agreement You Wish You Had
Most startup breakups happen because co-founders didn’t set clear rules. ❤️🩹💔
🔹 What’s in a Good Co-Founder Agreement?
✅ Equity splits – Who owns what, and how does it vest?
✅ Roles & decision-making – Who’s responsible for what?
✅ Exit clauses – What happens if someone leaves?
✅ Confidentiality & IP – How do you protect your company’s assets?
✅ Non-compete agreements – Prevent founders from starting a competitor
⚠️ Why This Matters:
Startups fall apart over misunderstandings—avoid this from Day 1
Investors expect a strong agreement before funding
Legal issues can kill your company before it even scales
📍 Get a Free Co-Founder Agreement Template BELOW 👇
Thanks to Fazlur Shah for sharing this crucial resource! 🙌
Newsletter Recommendations 🙌
French Tech Updates
https://frenchtechupdates.beehiiv.com/ by James Saulsky
What you need to know this week in France.
Why? Useful closed fundraising campaigns, events to go to, and analyses.
5 deeptech or climate tech early-stage startups or scale-ups I spotted this week 🔭
Black Semiconductor - Enabling the creation of an ultra-chip by connecting them with graphene
Blue Planet Ecosystems - Producing fish locally. Like on your parking space.
Atlant 3D - Manufacturing pieces by assembling atoms.
Totalinux - AI data centers with eco-friendly cooling systems - liquids.
QuinteQ - Solve electricity grid congestion with flywheels
📩 Want More Deeptech & Climate Tech Insights?
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Let’s keep building the future of deeptech and climate tech. 🚀
Keep innovating,
Jérôme