Methodology
How the DTMI measures
organizational readiness
The DTMI is a structured diagnostic, not a survey or a maturity checklist. This page explains what it measures, how it scores, and what the result means in practice.
The problem
Awareness is not readiness
Most organizations that engage with deep tech have some awareness of the opportunity. Very few have the structural foundations to act on it systematically, the governance, budgets, talent, processes, and partnerships that turn interest into execution.
Without a baseline measurement, leadership conversations about deep tech remain qualitative and prone to the cognitive biases of the loudest voice in the room. The DTMI provides a structured, cross-functional perspective that can anchor those conversations in evidence.
The diagnostic is not designed to assess whether you "do deep tech." It is designed to reveal the specific structural gaps that determine whether your next deep tech initiative will succeed or stall.
Framework structure
Seven dimensions and engagement mode
The current DTMI diagnostic (DTMI v3.0) scores a weighted composite across seven dimensions, the same seven axes on your results radar. A separate engagement-mode profile captures depth across five modes (integration through public programmes); it informs interpretation but is not averaged into the composite.
Scored dimensions
Engagement Mode
Depth of involvement across five engagement modes: technology integration, venture client, corporate venture, R&D co-development, and public consortium programmes.
Strategy & Governance
Commercial hypotheses, executive sponsorship, board attention, and governance for deep tech in the corporate strategy cycle.
Investment & Resources
Ringfenced budget, financing visibility, and investment logic suited to multi-year frontier technology programmes.
Execution Competencies
Need definition, evaluation capability, time-to-engage, initiative management, and learning capture across engagements.
Operational Execution
Talent depth, pilot track record, procurement adaptability, and TRL practice for onboarding frontier suppliers.
Ecosystem & Partnerships
Structured relationships with startups, universities, corporates, and public programmes; partnership terms that work for frontier suppliers.
Risk & Ambition
Risk appetite for pre-commercial and cross-border work, commercial framing of returns, and ambition to scale beyond pilots.
Scoring
How the score is calculated
Responses are scored on a structured scale. Each question contributes to one or more of seven dimensions, each normalised to 0–100 on the results radar. Dimension scores are combined with fixed weights into a composite score (0–100). Priority actions target your weakest dimension, refined by maturity band, engagement-mode profile, and response flags.
The result is expressed as a score and a maturity band, providing both a quantitative anchor and a qualitative interpretation.
Maturity bands
Individual scores reflect one respondent's perspective. For a fuller organizational picture, the multi-stakeholder diagnostic aggregates results across leadership.
What it's for
Intended uses
Self-assessment baseline
Establish a starting point for your organization's deep tech readiness before investment decisions.
Leadership alignment
Surface differences in perception across executive functions. Misalignment is often invisible until measured.
Conversation starter
A shared reference point for board, strategy, and innovation discussions grounded in structured evidence.
Investment input
Inform allocation decisions for R&D budgets, capability building, and external advisory mandates.
What it is not
Limits and caveats
One respondent = one perspective
An individual result reflects the view of one person in one function at one point in time. It is a starting point, not an organizational verdict. The multi-stakeholder diagnostic aggregates multiple leadership perspectives for a fuller picture.
No detailed peer benchmarking yet
Peer comparison data is being built as the diagnostic cohort grows. Individual results include directional guidance but not statistically significant sector benchmarks in v1.
Not a certification or validation
The DTMI is a diagnostic tool, not a credential. Scores are not intended for external communication or competitive positioning.
Questions
Frequently asked
The DTMI is designed for C-suite executives, R&D leads, strategy directors, and digital transformation leads in corporate organizations. It is most useful for organizations actively evaluating or engaging with deep tech, whether through internal programs, partnerships, or external investments.
Around 15–20 minutes. The assessment includes role context, an engagement-mode profile, and scored questions across seven dimensions. You receive a composite score, maturity band, and priority actions. Questions are structured and require considered responses; it is not a rapid-fire survey.
No. An individual result reflects one person's perspective from one vantage point. It is a starting point for a structured conversation, not an organizational verdict. The multi-stakeholder diagnostic, which aggregates multiple leadership perspectives, produces a more reliable picture of organizational readiness.
Responses are scored on a structured scale. Each question contributes to one or more of seven dimensions, normalised to 0–100 on the results radar. Dimension scores are combined with fixed weights into the DTMI composite score. Priority actions target your weakest dimension, refined by maturity band, engagement-mode profile, and response flags.
Results are confidential. DTI uses anonymized and aggregated cohort data to develop sector benchmarks over time. Individual results are never disclosed without explicit consent. See our Privacy Policy (/privacy/) for full details.
You receive an immediate individual result: your composite score, maturity band, dimension breakdown, and 2-3 recommended next steps. You can then invite colleagues to participate in a multi-stakeholder diagnostic, or request a DTI executive briefing to discuss your results in depth.
Get started
Ready to see where your organization stands?
The assessment takes 15 minutes and produces an immediate result. Free, no commitment required.