Hello Tomorrow is a global non‑profit organization that accelerates the transfer of deep‑tech research into real‑world products by identifying, supporting, and connecting scientific startups with investors, corporates and research institutions through competitions, programs, events and consulting services[3]. [1]
High‑Level Overview
- Mission: Hello Tomorrow’s stated mission is to “accelerate radical solutions to improve human and planetary health” by leveraging and scaling deep‑tech ventures worldwide[3]. [1]- Investment philosophy: Hello Tomorrow operates primarily as an *accelerator/connector and non‑profit ecosystem builder* rather than a traditional venture fund, facilitating access to investors and running funding programs and partner‑led investment opportunities through its investor network[3]. [1]- Key sectors: The organization focuses on deep‑tech verticals across health, energy, environment & biodiversity, food & agriculture, industrial biotech & new materials, industry & machines, and medical biotech/pharma among others[1][3]. [1][3]- Impact on the startup ecosystem: Through the Global Startup Challenge, regional programs, summits and an investor network, Hello Tomorrow has created a large curated deep‑tech community, surfaced thousands of research‑based startups, and provided visibility and partnership pathways between startups, corporates and VCs globally[5][3]. [5][3]
Origin Story
- Founding and evolution: Hello Tomorrow was founded in France (Paris) and has grown into an international non‑profit and deep‑tech network with local hubs and representatives in multiple countries; it evolved from running the Global Startup Challenge and summits into also offering consulting, events and investor matchmaking[3][4]. [3][4]- Key people & partnerships: The organization has established long‑term strategic partners (for example with BCG since 2017) and works with universities, corporates and innovation partners to run sector‑specific challenges and programs[5][3]. [5][3]- Early traction and pivotal moments: The Hello Tomorrow Global Startup Challenge has run multiple editions, receiving tens of thousands of applications from over a hundred countries and culminating in high‑profile Global Summits that brought thousands of experts together, which helped seed its reputation as a leading deep‑tech discovery platform[5]. [5]
Core Differentiators
- Large curated deep‑tech network: Hello Tomorrow claims a network of thousands of reviewed deep‑tech startups and hundreds of institutional partners, giving startups exposure to investors, corporates and research partners[5][3]. [5][3]- Global scouting + competitions: The Global Startup Challenge and regional pitch programs systematically surface early‑stage science‑based teams from research institutions worldwide[5]. [5]- Consulting & corporate engagement: Beyond competitions, Hello Tomorrow offers innovation consulting to corporates seeking to integrate deep tech or spin up new ventures, creating another channel for startup‑corporate collaboration[3]. [3]- Sector partnerships & programmatic focus: The organization runs partner‑led vertical initiatives (e.g., energy, environment, food/agri) that combine corporate sponsors and domain expertise to accelerate specific technology classes[1]. [1]- Events that convene stakeholders: Large summits and curated events provide deal‑flow visibility and knowledge exchange among investors, policymakers, and researchers[5]. [5]
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
- Trend alignment: Hello Tomorrow sits at the intersection of commercialization of academic research and the growing investor interest in *deep tech* (hard sciences, advanced materials, biotech, energy, etc.), addressing the gap between lab breakthroughs and market adoption[3][5]. [3][5]- Why timing matters: As climate, health and materials challenges demand capital‑intensive, science‑driven solutions, platforms that can identify, validate and connect high‑risk deep‑tech projects with resources are increasingly valuable[3]. [3]- Market forces in their favor: Rising corporate R&D partnerships, specialized deep‑tech funds, and increased public and private funding for climate and health technologies create more pathways for the startups Hello Tomorrow surfaces[1][5]. [1][5]- Influence on ecosystem: By lowering discoverability barriers and educating investors/corporates on deep‑tech characteristics, Hello Tomorrow helps generate more informed deal flow and collaboration models tailored to science‑heavy startups[5][3]. [5][3]
Quick Take & Future Outlook
- Near term: Expect Hello Tomorrow to continue expanding sector partnerships, run additional Global Startup Challenge editions and summits, and deepen its investor network and corporate consulting practice to create more direct commercialization pathways for deep‑tech startups[3][5]. [3][5]- Medium term trends shaping them: Growth in targeted deep‑tech capital, demand for corporate‑startup co‑development on sustainability and health, and the increasing need for infrastructure that translates research into products will shape their relevance and program priorities[1][5]. [1][5]- How influence may evolve: If Hello Tomorrow sustains high‑quality matchmaking and measurable success stories (exits, partnerships, licensed technologies), it could become a standard pipeline partner for VCs and corporates seeking vetted, science‑backed deal flow—effectively reducing friction between academia and industry[5][3]. [5][3]
Quick take: Hello Tomorrow functions as a global deep‑tech convenor and accelerator that bridges research and market by combining competitions, corporate programs and investor matchmaking to surface and scale science‑based startups—positioning it to be an increasingly important node as capital and corporate interest in deep tech grows[3][5]. [3][5]
If you want, I can extract specific metrics and notable portfolio startups or summarize one of their recent Global Startup Challenge cohorts.
