Why We Started Atlan and How We Build Ventures That Matter

In summary: The innovation landscape in science-based sectors is full of talent, capital, and breakthrough ideas. Yet most commercialization efforts still fail – not because the ideas aren’t good, but because the systems meant to build them are flawed. Atlan was founded to change that. In this blog, we share why we started a nature-aligned venture studio, the problems we’re solving, and how our model brings deep-tech, science-based solutions into the world – faster, stronger, and with real impact. It’s something we’re proud of.

Where the Current System Fails

After working with over 1,000 startups across industries and stages, one pattern became impossible to ignore: the system that should be enabling founders is often the reason they fail.

We’ve seen brilliant researchers being pushed into business roles for which they were never trained. High-performing technical experts find themselves in people leadership positions that quickly become their biggest challenge. First-time co-founder teams unravel over misalignment. And promising ideas stall out – not because they lack potential, but because there was no infrastructure or funding at the right time. Worse still, many innovations never even make it out of academia. Meanwhile, capital continues to flood into trend-driven ventures chasing fast exits instead of building lasting value.

We’ve been there – as founders, startup advisors, incubator and accelerator managers, angel syndicate leads, scale-up coaches, and C-level operators. We’ve built products, led turnarounds, resolved founder conflicts, and advised high-performing teams through intense growth. And through it all, one thing became clear: 

There’s a gap. 

Especially in deep-tech. If we want better companies, we need a better way to build them.

Why Nature-Tech Needs a New Model

We live in an era of environmental urgency. Our ecological systems are under pressure, and science-backed solutions are more critical than ever. But these solutions don’t reach the market on their own – not the way they should.

When we say nature-tech, we mean technologies that work with or for nature, not against it. These innovations are rooted in ecological understanding and deep science, addressing challenges related to biodiversity, water, circular production, and regenerative materials. They aim to restore, protect, or regenerate natural systems while creating viable, scalable businesses.

Yet despite their importance, nature-tech innovations often sit idle in research labs. Why? Because the traditional venture path doesn’t fit the shape of these ideas, even despite increased government support in recent years. They require cross-functional talent, deep expertise, upfront validation, and precise execution to get off the ground. What they need is not a fixed funnel or generic commercialization track, but a flexible, entrepreneurial structure designed around their complexity.

That’s where Atlan comes in.

How Atlan Works

Our mission is to help nature thrive alongside society. We’re building ventures that combine deep science with disciplined execution, designed to solve urgent problems while creating long-term value. 

Our model combines:

• A holding company handling the capital
• A studio operating hands-on to co-build ventures from zero
• A selective ecosystem focused on real-world problems and scalable solutions

We don’t wait for pitch decks. We validate the problem, test the solution, and acquire customers before we even register a new company. Then we go all in, injecting capital and talent in structured phases to accelerate the path from idea to scale.

The Atlan Build Cycle

From Innovation to Impact with precision and a quality-first approach:

Scouting

We partner with researchers, technical experts, and institutions to find high-potential ideas – often still at the pre-commercial stage. We evaluate the problem, the intellectual property (IP), and the market relevance.

Validation

Before a venture exists, we validate. Every case must demonstrate a working proof of concept for a validated problem with clear defensibility. This step encompasses activities for customer development and securing intellectual property (IP).

Venture Formation

Once a concept is validated, we officially form a new venture, with Atlan initially owning 100%. We begin assembling the core team in phases, following a structured roadmap toward product–market fit. Capital from Atlan Holding is pre-allocated but released in tranches tied to milestones.

• The first tranche is unlocked once the venture achieves a strong problem–solution fit, evidenced by at least one recurring, happy customer.
• The second tranche follows with a clear path to securing product–market fit with three or more clients in the same market.
• A final portion is typically reserved to support the venture strategically, just before or during the Series A raise, with the aim of scaling up.

Following Series A, Atlan Studio – the operational arm – retains at least 10% ownership to reflect its continued strategic role. Combined with Atlan Holding’s seed investment, we typically hold 25–30% post–Series A, ensuring alignment across all stakeholders.

Team Transition

As the venture scales, ownership transitions to its full-time team and new investors. Post–Series A, our target cap table includes:

Atlan (studio + holding): ~25–30%
Core team (including option pool): ~50–55%
Series A investors: ~15–20%

We maintain hands-on involvement through the riskiest phases and support the transition as the venture scales.

Exit

Atlan typically exits its ventures after Series A or B, depending on traction, capital requirements, and readiness for scale-up. Exits are designed to maintain company momentum and support their success in scaling up.

What Makes Atlan Different

Team Formation Is Our Superpower

We don’t just find founders. We build teams with a proven framework.

We bring the right people together at the right time and develop and maintain a team that outperforms expectations. We’ve done it for others as well: coaching scale-ups, resolving founder conflicts, and helping other venture studios and venture capital firms fix their portfolio teams.

Built to Build, Not Bet

Most early-stage ventures rely on instinct and luck. But we apply a repeatable company-creation system – from validation to venture formation – based on structured gates, proof points, and controlled capital deployment. That means fewer bets, smarter builds, and faster kill-or-commit decisions. Atlan is a machine for company creation that learns, improves, and evolves every day.

Nature-Tech Is Our Territory

We specialize in science-backed, nature-aligned deep-tech innovation, where ecological urgency meets immense commercial potential. From biodiversity intelligence and circular materials to water ecosystems, we build in spaces where our studio model offers a strategic edge: savvy international network, deep partnerships, and cross-disciplinary execution.

Turning IP into a Strategic Asset

We don’t just co-create ventures. We secure and manage key IPs early in the process. This allows us to deploy IP strategically across our portfolio, unlock revenue streams before scale, and protect valuable assets even if a venture pivots or does not proceed. When ventures are ready to grow and bring in outside investors, we can transfer or license the IP in a way that maximizes both alignment and growth. It is operational leverage with real financial upside.

Profit Reinvestment Commitment

As part of our long-term commitment, Atlan allocates the majority of its profits from exits, typically between 50% and 70%, toward the creation of future ventures. This reinvestment strategy ensures we remain focused on lasting impact, ecosystem growth, and value creation beyond single exits.

Opportunity: Why Now, Why You

For investors: Venture studios offer better-aligned, lower-risk investments built on strong foundations and repeatable success.

For inventors and researchers: Venture studios offer more than just commercialization. They also provide co-creation, team formation, and shared success at a significantly higher level.

For institutions: Studios are the missing link between research and impact, bridging the gap with faster, higher-probability outcomes – a more reliable and efficient track to generate returns on IP.

For partners: Venture studios include industry partners in their ecosystem. Partners benefit from pilot opportunities, access to breakthrough innovations, strategic collaborations, and early investment in ventures aligned with future market needs.

Studios don’t just help ideas grow. They help the right ideas lead.

What’s Next from Atlan

In the coming weeks, we’ll share more about how we co-build with inventors, how we reduce risk for investors, and how we work across ecosystems to tackle complex, meaningful challenges.

You can also find us at key events and meetings with stakeholders on the research, policy, and capital sides, helping to shape a shared understanding of what this model can do and where Atlan is headed.

If this resonates with you, follow along. And if you’re thinking of building something that matters, reach out.