If you’re in deep tech—Quantum, AI, software, advanced cyber security, or any other magical world-changing endeavour—you already know you’re brilliant. But when it comes to marketing and sales, quantum brilliance isn’t enough. According to Gartner, 80% of quantum and other deep tech companies struggle to generate consistent revenue because they haven’t invested in a strong commercial approach (Gartner, 2022).
If your Quantum Company finds it hard to make sales, then I highly suggest you stop what you are doing and read this entire article. Something here will strike a chord and help you diagnose the problem. It’s well worth a late-night pen-to-paper exercise.
NB: Over the past 20 years, I’ve picked up substantial go-to-market experience through plenty of hard knocks, tough disappointments, and the occasional spectacular success in the tech sector—plus 15+ years at the C-level. It’s shaped what I see day in and day out, just so you know where I’m coming from.
Below are the 12 things that may just help you fix your sales worries, all in around 20 minutes. Read, listen, or both—it’s up to you. (audio is slightly wonky - sorry AI’s fault)
Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to meet a number of quantum companies eager to bring their product to market. Generally, I can tell within about 20 minutes if the company is going somewhere—or if it will be relegated to history without ever landing a customer, fizzling out before the big bang. (Did you see what I did there?)
Fixing sales and marketing problems for others is how I pay the bills at WizzWang, so if you have sales problems (and a bit of investor cash) give me a call and skip the article.
However, on the understanding that there are frustrated genius founders out there without that pile of cash, I hope this resource acts as a guideline to get your revenue flowing.
Many brilliant scientists fail to get the commercial traction they need and end up in the bin—often because they lack a strong go-to-market strategy. Below are the 12 most common reasons I see; put yourself on the “naughty step” if you’re doing them. The good news: with a little foresight, strategy, and humility, you can avoid these mistakes.
I’m focusing specifically on sales and marketing because that’s usually where the technically gifted struggle the most.
1. Skipping Market Research
The Problem No one wants to buy a shiny new product just because it’s shiny. Customers don’t care about your technology; they care about their problems. Too many deep tech companies dive straight into development without bothering to ask, “Does anyone actually want this?”
Why It Matters You end up solving a problem that doesn’t exist. It’s like creating an AI-powered, voice-controlled toaster when all people really want is one that doesn’t burn their bread. Without clear insight into real-world business issues, you waste both time and money—ultimately harming your go-to-market strategy.
The Fix Get out of the lab, stop with the endless hackathons. Talk to real humans at real companies with real business problems—especially decision-makers with budgets. Figure out what’s keeping them up at night, then position your product as the solution. This ensures your technology aligns with a budgeted need and strengthens your commercial approach from the start.
2. Talking Tech Instead of Solutions
The Problem The moment you start throwing around jargon-heavy explanations and delve into the nitty-gritty of quantum entanglement or high benchmarked decoherence, most economic buyers tune out. They don’t buy “tech”—they buy results.
Why It Matters If you open with academic conversations, you risk never learning if there’s a budgeted problem your product can actually solve. The CEO or CFO only cares whether you can fix their problem, within their budget, in a sustainable way. If they see a fit, then the technical team will step in to validate the technology.
The Fix Channel your inner translator. Swap phrases like “revolutionary AI model” for real-world outcomes like “cuts operating costs by 30%.” Make sure you still have technical details at the ready for the engineers in the room—but lead with the business case. This pivot back to a clear go-to-market strategy is essential if you want your quantum brilliance to translate into commercial success.
3. Delaying Launches in Pursuit of Perfection
The Problem Perfectionism leads many deep tech companies to hold back on launching until the product is flawless—yet that day never comes. Meanwhile, your competitors are releasing MVPs (minimum viable products) and racking up paying customers.
Why It Matters Spending years refining a “secret” product is risky. If no real-world customers are using it, you can’t get timely feedback. This stalls your ability to prove product-market fit and damages your revenue potential.
The Fix Adopt a “good enough for now” mentality. Launch a stripped-down version that solves at least one critical problem for a paying customer. Gather real-world input, earn revenue, and iterate from there. This approach supports your overall go-to-market strategy by validating demand quickly.
4. Underestimating the Sales Cycle
The Problem Quantum solutions aren’t impulse buys. They often require navigating multiple stakeholders, budget cycles, and technical due diligence. If you’re expecting quick wins, you’ll be disappointed.
The Fix Play the long game. Map out the buyer’s journey, build relationships with decision-makers, and nurture leads patiently. Split larger deals into smaller paid pilots or proofs of concept to get revenue sooner. Above all, ensure your planning and fundraising align with the reality of long sales cycles.
5. Hiring Sales People Who Can’t Sell (Because They Only Know the Tech)
The Problem Many quantum founders look for a mythical “top sales closer with a PhD in quantum physics.” The reality is that great salespeople aren’t always deeply technical; they’re adept at uncovering pain points, building relationships, and closing deals.
Why It Matters When you hire purely technical people for sales roles, they often focus on the tech rather than identifying whether a customer has urgent, budgeted problems. If that’s the case, your pipeline will stall.
The Fix Hire people with proven sales success who can pick up enough technical knowledge to hold an informed conversation. They should be measured on metrics that drive revenue—like opening new doors, identifying pain points, and pushing deals forward. Technical expertise can come from your in-house subject-matter experts during deeper discussions.
6. Ignoring Marketing Expertise
The Problem Posting a few blogs and hoping for the best is not a marketing strategy. Deep tech founders are often brilliant engineers but clueless marketers. The result? Messaging that’s too vague or too technical to connect with anyone.
Why It Matters Your go-to-market strategy relies on translating complex tech into a compelling story. If your marketing can’t clarify the value proposition, you won’t attract or retain the right customers.
The Fix Hire a marketing team or outsource to professionals who understand deep tech. They’ll help shape your product positioning, develop market segmentation, and craft content that speaks to both technical and executive audiences. Think of them as the guides who simplify your path to market success.
7. Misalignment Between Sales and Marketing
The Problem Sales and marketing often operate in silos—marketing chases “brand awareness” while sales tries to close deals. Without coordination, leads slip through the cracks, and messaging gets inconsistent.
Why It Matters If these teams don’t talk frequently, you’re dead in the water. Misalignment means missed revenue opportunities. A cohesive strategy lets marketing prime the pump with leads that sales can more easily convert.
The Fix Set mutual goals, create a shared playbook, and communicate constantly. Consider putting both under one revenue-focused leader—or ensure there’s a seamless collaboration culture in place. Unity between these functions strengthens your overall go-to-market strategy.
8. Failing to Educate the Market and Build Community
The Problem Deep tech often introduces entirely new concepts. If customers don’t understand your product, they’re not going to buy it. Many quantum companies struggle because prospects don’t know what they don’t know.
Why It Matters If you don’t educate potential buyers, you can’t create demand. Building a community and showcasing the benefits of your technology ensures that prospective clients see the real-world application—and budget for it.
The Fix Be a great professor. Use webinars, white papers, and explainer videos to break down complex topics. IBM Quantum provides extensive free training, PennyLane.ai is famous for quantum software tutorials, and QSECDEF’s vendor-agnostic training helps individuals learn the basics by putting a toe in the water. Building a fan base through regular communication and events nurtures your market, making your go-to-market strategy that much stronger.
If you need help in building a training strategy or developing a community then speak to Anna Beata Kalisz Hedegaard. Anna is quite rightly up for an industry award for the work she has done for helping companies tap into knowledge transfer demand over at Quantum Security Defence for good reason.
9. Setting the Wrong Price
The Problem Pricing deep tech is tricky. Too high, and you scare away potential customers. Too low, and you look cheap or jeopardise profitability. Founders often guess the price without deeper analysis.
Why It Matters Incorrect pricing can sink your business model and hamper your sales velocity. According to CB Insights, 18% of startups fail due to pricing and cost issues (CB Insights, 2021).
10. Flying Solo Instead of Partnering Up
The Problem Trying to go it alone ignores the power of partnerships. Quantum and other deep tech often thrive by collaborating with complementary solutions, industry groups, or established platforms.
Why It Matters Lone-wolf deep tech companies can struggle to reach new audiences or scale. Industry data shows that successful companies often have multiple partnerships for market volume, awareness, and referrals (Harvard Business Review, 2022).
The Fix Start networking—your business depends on it. Look for complementary partnerships that help you reach new customers and build credibility. A robust channel strategy can also expand your delivery capabilities, reinforcing your go-to-market plan.
11. Forgetting About Post-Sale Engagement
The Problem Congratulations, you made the sale—now what? Many companies drop the ball, leaving customers to fend for themselves. This hurts retention and kills upsell and referral opportunities.
Why It Matters A negative post-sale experience means lost recurring revenue, low renewal rates, and poor word-of-mouth. Retaining and expanding existing customers is far cheaper than acquiring new ones.
The Fix Think of post-sale engagement as the start of a beautiful friendship. Offer onboarding, training, and ongoing support so customers see continuous value. Satisfied customers become enthusiastic evangelists—powerful fuel for your go-to-market success.
12. Lacking a Clear, Unified Go-To-Market Strategy
The Problem Many quantum and deep tech founders see commercial efforts—sales, marketing, pricing, partnerships—as add-ons. They focus on R&D and assume a great product sells itself. In reality, without a cohesive go-to-market strategy, even the most brilliant solution remains undiscovered.
Why It Matters According to McKinsey’s Deep Tech Report (2023), 70% of deep tech startups fail not due to inferior technology but because they lack a robust approach to market. No matter how innovative your product is, if you can’t systematically reach the right buyers at the right time, you won’t generate revenue.
Conclusion
Deep tech is like having a superpower: it’s incredible, but only if you know how to use it. Most deep tech companies fail not because their technology isn’t good, but because they lack a solid go-to-market strategy.
- Start with Market Research to uncover real problems.
- Speak in Solutions to decision-makers, saving deeper tech talk for the engineers.
- Launch Early, refine on the go, and plan for Long Sales Cycles.
- Hire the Right Sales & Marketing Talent that can open doors and clarify your value.
- Invest in Partnerships, Pricing, and Post-Sale Engagement to build lasting relationships.
- Unify Everything in a well-thought-out, living go-to-market framework that keeps you on track.
Remember to have a little fun along the way—if you’re going to change the world, you might as well enjoy the ride. And if you still face problems, even without a huge pile of investor cash, drop me a line.
Of course these are just 12 reasons, there are hundreds others that can impinge your revenue greatness, but these are the main ones I see.
Now go forth, market your magic, and let me know if this helps!
