We’re proud to invest in TriMagnetix at the critical moment as the team is ready bring their technology to life. We believe this combination of breakthrough energy efficiency, natural radiation resistance, and the tech’s compatibility with current systems will drive impact across a wide range of industries – accelerating compute in a way that’s smarter, cleaner, and more resilient is our focus for the future. And as always, our commitment goes beyond capital – TriMagnetix will have access to a brand new dedicated mini fab in our Seattle innovation hub, supporting rapid scaling and refinements with maximum cost efficiency.

TriMagnetix is tackling one of the critical barriers for next-generation computing: the skyrocketing energy and cooling requirements of AI and advanced electronics.

By developing a new chip platform that leverages nanomagnetic logic, TriMagnetix is setting the stage for dramatic energy savings which will bring magnitudes more efficiency than traditional approaches. These chips aren’t just greener; they’re designed to be inherently robust in high-radiation environments – which, in time, opens up transformative opportunities in sectors like aerospace, space technologies, wearables, medical devices, and more.

One thing that excites us about TriMagnetix is how easy their technology will be to adopt. These chips are being built to plug directly into existing hardware and workflows – no overhauls, no specialized adapters – making it easy for developers in data centers, AI data processing, and edge devices to unlock their benefits right away.

If you’re building next-generation technology and want to connect with the TriMagnetix team, get in touch for an introduction.

CONTACT US FOR AN INTRODUCTION →

Researchers have developed an engineered protein therapy that can rapidly remove carbon monoxide from the bloodstream in minutes, offering a potentially safer and faster antidote to CO poisoning than current oxygen treatments. (Full paper here)

MIT spinout, NeuroBionics, is developing ultra-thin bioelectric fibers that can be threaded through blood vessels in the brain to deliver neuromodulation therapy for neurological conditions – a less invasive alternative to traditional brain surgery.

Researchers have developed a flexible thermoelectric wristband made from carbon nanotubes that can efficiently harvest energy from body heat, moving wearable tech towards battery-free operation – very excited to see this direction starting to emerge.

Non-dilutive funding has always been a core source of support for deep-tech and space-tech startups in the US. These resources – ranging from federal grants to university translational programs and corporate partnerships – provide crucial initial support for ventures addressing tough science and engineering challenges.

Non-dilutive funding de-risks early science and engineering by financing feasibility, prototyping, validation, and initial regulatory work that equity capital often won’t cover at the outset.

Beyond R&D, effective programs create pathways to first customers, especially in government and dual-use markets, by pairing pilots and test environments with procurement mechanisms that translate funded work into deployments. In defense and space, mechanisms like Phase III SBIR and SpaceWERX’s STRATFI and TACFI explicitly connect prior R&D progress to acquisition, aligning funding milestones with real buyer demand. Used well, this capital extends runway without dilution, preserves founder ownership, and supports iterative development cycles.

& Because these awards are competitively reviewed, they also serve as external validation that lowers risk for customers, partners, and investors.

Prioritize teams that map non-dilutive dollars to technical and regulatory inflection points tied to commercial outcomes. Look for clear evidence that funded milestones produce demand: live pilots with defined success metrics, government-to-commercial transitions, contracting progress (this can even be recurring government contracting, which is a phenomenal signal), as well as non-dilutive funding program progressions – such as progressing into Phase III or STRATFI/TACFI awards.

While invaluable for early progress and risk reduction, there is cause for caution about relying entirely on non-dilutive sources. A well-positioned startup typically blends non-dilutive funding with commercial revenue, or at minimum, can present a credible roadmap for their path to revenues. Early demand signals that are strong indicators of technology viability and genuine market pull can be: a clear channel of communication with end users/customers, active or planned initial pilots or test projects (if planned, have documented LOIs), and focused business development that has been iterated on based on market/customer feedback and requests.

Early in the journey, it can be common for deep-tech companies to rely on grants (as non-dilutive funding truly is a lifeblood for deep-tech entrepreneurship). But the most successful startups combine these funding sources with a clear path to revenue as early as possible – be it via pilots, demos, commercial partnerships, or straight-up sales – working to ensure resilience and long-term business viability.

Non-dilutive wins are a welcome sight: they signal teams that have cleared rigorous, competitive diligence – and recurring or later-stage awards further strengthen that signal as programs renew confidence over time.

The most compelling investment opportunities pair this momentum with growing commercial/customer revenue, building a diversified, resilient income base that can sustain scale beyond the next grant cycle.

HERE IS STARTING POINT FOR NON-DILUTIVE FUNDING SOURCES:

Additional local, state, and community or demographic specific programs can often be found by checking with economic development agencies in the relevant area.

Non-profits, incubator/accelerator programs, and even VC firms in your respective sector can also be great sources for more specialized programs/non-dilutive funding sources.

FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS

DEEP TECH & STARTUP PROGRAMS

UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS

CORPORATE & NON-PROFIT PROGRAMS

DEBT & LOAN OPTIONS

OTHER NON-DILUTIVE FUNDING

Seattle Space Week  – Seattle, WA – October 3-10, 2025

LA & SF Tech Week by a16z – San Fransisco, CA – October 6-12, 2025 and Los Angeles, CA– October 13-19, 2025 
JOIN US in SF on 10/07 for an Investor Luncheon

Zero Gravity Summit | 47G – Salt Lake City, UT – November 4-5, 2025

Contact our team at Actuate Ventures for official investment advisory, exclusive deal flow, market insights, and world-class venture building support from us, and our network of experts and repository of resources. Email us at: [email protected] and read more about it on our site.

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Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

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