Nicholas Sarai

The SaaS startup playbook doesn’t work in deep tech. “Move fast and break things” doesn’t apply when building nuclear reactors or bioengineering cell therapies. That’s why we built 5050, “a cheat code for starting a deep tech startup.” (quote from an alumni) Applications open! fiftyyears.com/5050 5050 is a program to help scientists and engineers start indispensable companies. We’ve distilled everything we know about deep tech startups into a two phase program. Phase I: Explore We’ll help you answer: How do I turn my breakthrough science into a business? What do I need to make a startup idea work? How do I recruit a world-class team Am I ready to be a founder? We'll help you diagnose and mitigate risks and pivot quickly if necessary. At the end of Explore, those ready to build a startup will be invited to the next phase, Build Phase II: Build You’ll join a select cohort of the most high-speed founders solving massive world problems. Build will help you de-risk their technology, hit milestones, raise a first round, and reach takeoff speed faster than you think is possible. You’ll learn everything you need to know about starting a deep tech company and what it takes to become a world class entrepreneur. At @fiftyyears, we’ve backed over 100 deep tech startups, helped them raise over 5.5 billion dollars, and supported our founders in achieving many firsts: ➜ the first carbon-negative molecule factory ➜ the first cultivated meat approved in the U.S. ➜ the first microgeo satellite for internet connectivity ➜ the first in-orbit space pharma drug factory ➜ the first de novo synthesis of a 1000+ base DNA molecule ➜ and many more Whether you’re validating an idea or ready to build — 5050 is for you. Apply! ➜ fiftyyears.com/5050

ICYMI, I'm so pleased that this work by @NicholasSarai, @TylerFulton13, @ryenomeara, @Sabine_BC , and colleagues at Dow Silicones is now out in @Science. First #enzyme to break carbon-silicon bonds, found in non biodegradable #siloxanes. @Caltech, #biocatalysis, #directedevolution science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…

We are thrilled to present a new #enzyme to the world, the first shown to break the man-made carbon-silicon bonds in #siloxanes, which are persistent in the environment. caltech.edu/about/news/tea…

During my PhD with @francesarnold @Caltech we taught nature to break man-made bonds. Excited to share our report in @sciencemagazine using #directedevolution to engineer the first #enzyme that can cleave silicon–carbon bonds in non-biodegradable siloxanes! science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…