Technology Readiness Levels: The Missing Compass for Deep-Tech Founders

Deep-tech founders live in two worlds:

the lab, where things behave perfectly under controlled conditions, and the real world, where nothing behaves perfectly.

Most deep-tech projects fail not because the idea is bad, but because the leap from scientific promise to industrial reality is far larger than most teams expect.

There is a simple tool that helps founders stay honest about their progress, brings teams and partners onto the same page, and makes hidden risks visible.

The Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).

1. What TRLs Measure

And Why It Matters

TRLs are nothing more than a shared language that says:

“How mature is this technology and how much evidence do we have that it works outside the lab?”

Developed by NASA in the 1970s and standardized later (including in the EU’s Horizon programs), the TRL scale spans 9 levels from a basic idea to a fully proven industrial technology.

Think of it like climbing a mountain:

TRL 1: You’ve observed and documented basic principles.
TRL 2: You’ve formulated a technology concept or application.
TRL 3: You’ve made your first foothold through experimental proof of concept.
TRL 4: You’ve validated the technology in a laboratory environment.
TRL 5: You’ve validated the technology in a relevant environment.
TRL 6: You’ve demonstrated the technology in a relevant environment.
TRL 7: You’ve demonstrated the system prototype in an operational environment.
TRL 8: The actual system has been completed and qualified through testing and demonstration.
TRL 9: The actual system has been proven in an operational environment, which means you are ready for scaling in the real world.

Each level is about evidence you can trust.

2. Why TRL Is Essential for Deep-Tech Startups

Founders often assume “it works in the lab, so we’re almost ready.”

That assumption is a major trap in deep tech.

Analyses across sectors show that innovations appear stable in labs precisely because labs artificially suppress variability. Conditions can be 8x more stable than industrial environments demand. Real industrial conditions are messy; labs are greenhouses.

TRL forces founders to face this gap early.

TRL asks:

“What have you actually proven? And what remains an assumption?”

This clarity is a communication tool for teams, customers, and investors.

3. How TRL Improves Decision-Making

TRL turns ambiguity into a sequence of validated checkpoints.

It forces you to ask:

What is the one experiment that moves us to the next level?
What is the minimum evidence required to reduce risk?

This means:

Fewer wasted experiments
Fewer emotional bets
Sharper prioritization

TRL can improve how investors assess a deep-tech venture, because it turns technical risk into a transparent roadmap rather than a black box. Startups that communicate their maturity this way often find investor conversations more efficient and focused.

Keep in mind: Investors don’t fund ideas. They fund predictability. TRL turns risk into a timeline.

4. How to Use TRL as a Strategic Tool

TRL needs to live in your daily decisions.

1. Internal Alignment

Every team member knows exactly what test, prototype, or validation is required to reach the next level. This dissolves personal preferences and focuses the team on evidence.

2. Customer Conversations

Industrial partners aren’t afraid of risk, they’re afraid of uncertainty. If you can say “we are TRL 5 and here’s how we’ll get to 6,” you turn ambiguity into a shared roadmap.

3. Funding Strategy

Most deep-tech funding follows a pattern that mirrors TRL maturity, even if investors don’t explicitly use the term.

Grants and early R&D funding focus on the scientific stages of technology development.
Seed and Series A investors typically enter once feasibility and early validation are demonstrated.
Growth and strategic capital appear when a system shows stability in near-industrial or industrial conditions.

TRL helps founders target the right type of capital at the right moment by making risk and maturity visible.

Conclusion: TRL Is a Mirror

TRLs are a reflective tool that answers a deceptively simple question:

“Can this technology handle the weather outside the greenhouse?”

Startups that embrace TRL honestly:

make fewer costly mistakes,
communicate more clearly, and
scale with fewer surprises.

Every technology moves from greenhouse to weather. If you don’t know your TRL, you’re guessing where your risks are. And guessing is the most expensive strategy in deep tech.

TRL helps you see when that transition actually happens.

Want a real-world example of deep-tech maturity in action?

In our SCALEup Talk episode with Johannes Homa from Lithoz (a TU Vienna spin-off), we discuss how breakthrough technology makes the journey from research to industrial deployment.

Watch or listen to the episode here