ABOUT DSV
Deep Science Ventures is creating a future in which both humans and the planet can thrive.
We use our unique venture creation process to create, spin-out and invest into science companies, combining available scientific knowledge and founder-type scientists into high-impact ventures.
We operate in 4 sectors: Pharmaceuticals, Energy, Agriculture and Computation, tackling the challenges defining those areas by taking a first principles approach and partnering with leading institutions.
THE CHALLENGE
Mineralization is a sequestration pathway focusing on storing CO2 as rock. While it is a smaller flux as compared to the net land or ocean flux today, it has a CO2 drawdown potential of up to 10 Gt/yr. The rate of drawdown of CO2 is limited by its exposure to metal oxides, reacting to form insoluble carbonates, capable of storing CO2 for centuries. Enhanced weathering approaches aim at increasing the available surface area of abundant silicate rocks, serpentine and olivine minerals ex-situ in chemical processing plants or in-situ by injecting CO2 in silicate-rich geological formations. To fully exploit this option it will be essential to establish an inventory of existing tailings of reactive but unreacted rock and explore industrial or mining substrate options. Future approaches within this area will have to enhance reaction kinetics e.g. by sparging CO2 rich gas through mine tailings or using microorganisms, as natural processes are inherently slow. To sustain large scale CO2 storage, it will also be essential to expand available subsurface CO2 storage sites in geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs, deep saline or coal formations. To accelerate the evaluation and selection of suitable sites it will be important to combine effective regulatory oversight, monitoring programs and remediation strategies to be able to detect and control CO2 leakages.
OUR TAKE ON BUILDING NEW VENTURES IN THIS SPACE
Increasing the amount of CO2 stored in rocks is considered as a quantifiable, long lasting way to reduce CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. For it to be applied at scale we will need to build an inventory of accessible, unreacted alkaline substrates on the ocean floor but also on land (including mining tailings and industrial waste). We are also keen to investigate options to increase reaction kinetics either through material pretreatment or process design for ex-situ or in-situ applications. At the same time we want to co-optimise long term storage of captured CO2. To accelerate subsurface storage will depend on efficient site characterisation, selection and logistics. This includes the implementation of monitoring programs, remediation methods, ways to reduce seismic risk and identifying options to store CO2 combined with e.g. H2S, SO2 or NO2.
JOIN US TO BUILD THESE VENTURES
You’ll join DSV as a Founding Analyst (fixed contract, full-time) and work with us for 9-12 months to further refine the approaches. At the end of the 9-12 month period you will have helped to design and spin-out one or more ventures, and will become a full-time Founder of one of them.
Taking up a Founding Analyst (FA) role at DSV differs quite significantly from the entrepreneur in residence (EIR) role in other funds or venture studios. Instead of scouting for existing technologies which might overcome a specific challenge, an FA starts with identifying the areas where there is neglect or repeated failure yet potential solutions exist if considered from a different perspective, mapping the limitations to existing approaches at the specific and macro-level and considering the constraints of the broader ecosystem (capital, expertise, IP, knowledge, competition). You will start to build a company, iteratively determining the optimal solution for the problem.
OUR OFFER
We provide a monthly salary (at a pre-seed stage startup level) to bridge the gap between developing the concept and getting it to an investable company stage. You and your Co-Founder(s) will own 80% of the new venture at inception and the pre-seed investment capital is already secured from both DSV and Grantham.
OUR IMPACT
In the past 2 years, we have built and invested in 6 brand new companies in the energy sector across high performance materials, energy storage, green hydrogen production and carbon capture. In doing this, we have partnered with, and our companies have received funding from, the world’s leading climate-focused institutions and investors.
Previous Founding Analysts: Gael’s journey
Gael joined DSV with no specific ideas, IP or team members. He left having built both a direct air capture company Mission Zero and a green hydrogen company Supercritical Solutions.
He had the option to join either team as a co-founder, and chose to work full time with Mission Zero as it better suited his skillset. Mission Zero is developing a radical new form of bio-inspired direct air capture. 16 months after incorporation they have:
• Secured a carbon removal pre-purchase agreement with Stripe worth up to $1.5m;
• Raised £250k in pre-seed and currently closing a oversubscribed seed round with top-tier climate investors;
• Had their DAC pilot development funded by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) through its inaugural DAC & GGR competition;
•Participated in the Net Zero Technology centre’s (NZTC) Tech X accelerator program, winning the Equinor award;
• Secured a number of commercial agreements worth multimillions including the UK’s largest offtaker of CO2.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
We’re after deep technical expertise in geology, ideally related to CO2 mineralization and subsurface storage.
OR
Process engineering or chemical engineering, ideally related to carbon capture and gas flow through porous media.
Additional interests: materials science, industrial waste management and life cycle assessment.
Needless to say that a strong desire to build a company to make a huge positive impact towards the net zero energy transition is a must, you cannot wait to get started!
