From Lab to Market: StoreDot’s Framework for Turning Scientific Breakthroughs into Commercial Products
Scientific breakthroughs don’t automatically translate into commercial success. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, StoreDot founder Doron Myersdorf revealed how an unexpected viral moment helped them identify their most valuable market opportunity and navigate the challenging path from laboratory innovation to commercial viability.
Finding the Market Signal
StoreDot’s journey began with broad technological exploration. “We did in parallel back in 2012, we did like five programs. One was displays, one was memory, one was low K materials and one of them was fast charging of batteries,” Doron recalls. The pivotal moment came from an unexpected source: “I thought maybe I’ll get 50 hits on this YouTube video clip that shows how I charged the phone in 30 seconds. It was like three and a half million in 24 hours.”
The Power of Focus
This viral response led to a critical strategic decision. “Back in 2014 is when we said, okay, let’s forget everything else and let’s just do fast charging of a battery. And later on it became just the vehicle itself,” Doron shares. This focus allowed them to concentrate resources on their most promising opportunity.
Building Strategic Partnerships
StoreDot’s approach to commercialization centered on building relationships with major automotive manufacturers. Their current partners include Mercedes Daimler, Volvo, Polestar, and others who see the technology’s potential to transform EV adoption.
The key to these partnerships? Demonstrable results. “For us it’s relatively easy because the proof is in the pudding and the pudding is the battery,” Doron explains. “If you can deliver a battery that has a data sheet as a specification and you can demonstrate at the customer site that everything that you said in this data sheet is actually validated on their premises, then basically this is where the trust is being built.”
Understanding Market Barriers
StoreDot’s market research identified a critical adoption barrier: “The number one barrier for adoption of electric vehicles today is what is called charging anxiety,” Doron notes. This insight helped them refine their product development goals, targeting charging times that would make EVs as convenient as traditional vehicles.
Setting Clear Performance Metrics
Rather than making vague promises, StoreDot developed clear, measurable performance targets. “The product that we are shipping now, we call it 100 in five, that’s 100 miles for each five minutes of charging,” Doron explains. These concrete metrics help potential partners understand and validate the technology’s capabilities.
Building Infrastructure Partnerships
StoreDot recognized that successful commercialization required thinking beyond just the battery. “You need a very powerful charging station, at least 350 kw,” Doron shares. This led to strategic partnerships with infrastructure providers like BP, who “realized that all their forecourts and they have 18,500 gas stations that they need to repurpose to be charging.”
The Long View on Commercialization
Bringing revolutionary technology to market requires patience. StoreDot is still pre-revenue, as Doron notes: “A design of a vehicle takes at least five years. So even though our batteries are already a year or more in testing, we haven’t really identified the final platform that it will go into. And this might be a 2025 2026 platform.”
Lessons for Deeptech Founders
StoreDot’s commercialization journey offers valuable insights for founders bringing breakthrough technology to market:
- Let market signals guide your focus
- Build credibility through demonstrable results
- Develop clear, measurable performance metrics
- Think beyond your core technology to ecosystem requirements
- Build strategic partnerships across the value chain
For deeptech founders, StoreDot’s experience shows that successful commercialization requires more than just technological innovation. It demands market insight, strategic focus, and the ability to build an ecosystem of partners who can help bring the technology to market.