When people think about space tech and deep tech, they conjure up visions of rockets, visiting distant planets and the spin-offs that have come about as a result of space flight in our daily lives – pharmaceuticals, MRI imaging, robotics, memory foam, space blankets, textiles, satnav and CO2 filters to name a few.
In the next 50 years, according to a recent report from the Royal Society the space economy is poised to become as influential as the Industrial Revolution. New pharmaceuticals, bioprinted organs, molecules made at zero gravity and semi-conductors made in orbit are all within close range.
So it might be a surprise to learn that the CEO of Beyond Earth Ventures, a deep tech VC fund, Alexandra Vidyuk, believes that the key to the future of deep tech may lie in learning from the dynasties of the past.
Vidyuk has drawn up a list that, she says, can shape our thinking about the future of deep tech. “Every era had its builders – and its backers. Today, we need both.
“If the Renaissance had the Medici, and the Industrial Age had the Rothschilds, who would fund the rise of post-Earth civilization? Of programmable biology? Of the quantum economy?”
When people talk about the Renaissance, they speak of Leonardo da Vinci’s genius or Michelangelo’s divine brushwork. When they speak of the Industrial Revolution, they mention steam engines and steel. But behind these eras of transformation were not just inventors and engineers – there were families. Visionaries with capital, conviction, and the courage to bet on the improbable.
Today, as we stand at the cusp of the next wave – AI, space, quantum, and synthetic biology – it’s worth remembering that every deep tech leap forward had its patrons. If we’re to fuel the next one, we must understand how these families operated – not just as financiers, but as architects of civilization.
Inevitably, any selection is contentious. Vidyuk says: “I am not trying to rewrite history. It is not a judgement of the moral qualities of those dynastic families.
“As a deep tech venture capitalist, I’ve been considering the families who combined their capital, vision, patronage and opportunity to change the world we live in.”
So here is Vidyuk’s list of top 10 influencers. Do you agree or disagree? Who would you include?
1. The Medici and the Dawn of Innovation (15th–16th Century)
Florence, 1400s. The Medici were not just bankers – they were empire builders in velvet robes. Cosimo de’ Medici realized that the true return on capital was not just interest, but influence. By backing artists, scholars, and early scientists like Galileo and Pico della Mirandola, the Medici funded the infrastructure of thought.
They financed observatories, universities, and the publication of works in astronomy and philosophy. Galileo even named his celestial discoveries the “Medicean Stars” in their honor. They invented the concept of “innovation patronage” – investing not for immediate returns, but to elevate an entire city-state into a hub of genius. Florence became the Silicon Valley of the Renaissance, and the Medici its first VCs.
2. Frederick the Great and the Enlightenment Engine (18th Century)
In 18th-century Prussia, King Frederick II – known as Frederick the Great – transformed Berlin into one of Europe’s premier centers of scientific and philosophical thought. He personally corresponded with and supported luminaries like Voltaire and Leonhard Euler.
More than a monarch, he was a knowledge catalyst founding scientific academies and patronizing physicists, mathematicians and thinkers. His court fused power with intellect, laying early groundwork for the German scientific tradition that would shape the modern world.
3. Rudolf II and the Imperial Court of Curiosity (16th Century)
A lesser-known, yet profoundly impactful patron of science was Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. His Prague court became a magnet for some of the greatest minds of the 16th century, including Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe.
Rudolf funded observatories and fostered a culture where astronomy, alchemy, and art intertwined. Under his rule, the fusion of mysticism and empiricism sparked breakthroughs that would shape celestial mechanics and early modern science.
4. The Rothschilds and the Engine of Industry (18th–19th Century)
Fast-forward 300 years. The Rothschild banking dynasty emerged across Europe with an understanding the Medici never had: that capital moves faster than armies. With a family intelligence network rivaling that of modern nation-states, they funded railways, steel foundries, and telegraph networks – transforming Europe into an interconnected economic machine.
They didn’t just fund infrastructure – they perfected and popularised financial tools (like sovereign bonds and risk arbitrage) that enabled industrial entrepreneurship at scale. The Rothschilds backed not just companies, but ecosystems- an early lesson in platform thinking.
5. Alfred Nobel and the Legacy of Recognition (19th Century)
Known primarily for his invention of dynamite, Alfred Nobel left an even more explosive legacy: the Nobel Prizes. His fortune was redirected to reward those advancing physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace.
In doing so, Nobel created an enduring global incentive mechanism – one that catalyzed generations of scientists to pursue fundamental breakthroughs with real-world impact.
6. Andrew Carnegie and the Science of Philanthropy (19th–20th Century)
Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie believed that wealth should be a tool for human advancement. His creation of the Carnegie Institution in Washington funded early research in astronomy, biology, geophysics, and archaeology.
Carnegie’s philanthropy wasn’t scattershot- it was strategic. He invested in frontier knowledge before it became profitable, planting seeds that blossomed into new scientific disciplines.
7. The Rockefellers and the Power of Scale (20th Century)
In America, the Rockefellers bet on oil and chemistry – not just as resources, but as platforms. John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil was a masterclass in vertical integration, cost engineering, and the scaling of science. Later generations expanded into medicine (Rockefeller Institute), education (University of Chicago), and global development (Rockefeller Foundation).
Their genius was turning private capital into public infrastructure. They laid the groundwork for research that fed into Manhattan Project, the eradication of yellow fever, even parts of the Green Revolution – all trace roots to Rockefeller-funded research.
They taught us that the deepest tech isn’t just built – it’s scaled, governed, and diffused.
8. Simonyi and the Patronage of Pure Thought (21st Century)
Charles Simonyi, Microsoft veteran and space tourist, created the Simonyi Fund to support theoretical physics, mathematics, and cosmology. His philanthropic investments include the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton—home to legends like Einstein and Gödel.
Simonyi’s model is modern Medici: funding not flashy startups, but abstract ideas with world-changing potential.
9. Sakharov, Bonner, and the Underground Ethos (20th Century USSR)
Physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, alongside his partner Elena Bonner channeled influence and limited resources to support young scientists and thinkers under authoritarian constraints.
They championed scientific ethics, human rights, and intellectual freedom during a time when doing so came at great personal risk. Their defiance was its own kind of funding: moral capital for the next generation.
10. The Agnellis, Toyodas, and the Industrial Complex of the East (20th Century)
Meanwhile, in Italy and Japan, dynasties like the Agnellis (Fiat) and Toyoda family (Toyota) shaped entire national industrial strategies. The Toyodas pivoted from weaving looms to automobiles with military precision, embedding Kaizen principles that still power global manufacturing.
These families were not just heirs – they were stewards. They linked national pride, corporate innovation, and intergenerational wealth into one aligned mission. They showed that industrial transformation isn’t a quarter-to-quarter endeavor – it’s a century-long relay.
The Investors of Tomorrow: Families in Formation
We’re witnessing the formation of the next great investor-dynasties—not necessarily by name, but by network. Syndicates, family offices, and long-horizon funds are stepping in where venture capital fears to tread.
This new class isn’t looking to flip apps or chase unicorns. They want to back the next Galileo, the next Marie Curie, the next von Braun. They understand that deep tech isn’t about timing the market – it’s about building the future with patience, precision, and purpose.
As a final thought Vidyuk adds: “If you’re reading this, maybe it’s you. Not just as an investor – but as a founder of a new family legacy. One that doesn’t just seek returns, but remembers the ultimate return of investment (ROI): relevance in the story of human progress.”