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Why Software Lost Its Moat and Deep Tech Is Winning with Jacob Jackson of Julian Capital

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Jacob Jackson, partner at Julian Capital and founder of Deep Checks. A physicist turned SaaS founder turned deep tech investor, Jacob brings a unique perspective on the shifting landscape of venture capital. He shares his personal journey from developing MRI techniques at UBC to founding MedStack, and why he made the full-circle pivot back to backing companies building real, hard technology.

Jacob Jackson

Jacob Jackson

Jacob Jackson background

  • Jacob Jackson is a partner at Julian Capital and the founder of Deep Checks, the world’s largest network of deep tech founders and VCs.
  • A physicist by training, Jacob pivoted from academic research to founding MedStack, a privacy and security SaaS platform, before returning to his engineering roots as an investor.
  • He now backs founders building hardware and tackling the world’s hardest problems.
  • Jacob is known for his data-driven approach, obsession with team quality, and candid takes on the future of venture capital.

Episode Overview

  • In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Jacob Jackson, partner at Julian Capital and founder of Deep Checks.
  • A physicist turned SaaS founder turned deep tech investor, Jacob brings a unique perspective on the shifting landscape of venture capital.
  • He shares his personal journey from developing MRI techniques at UBC to founding MedStack, and why he made the full-circle pivot back to backing companies building real, hard technology.
  • Jacob offers a frank assessment of the defensibility crisis in software, explains why AI is democratizing superpowers across every industry, and makes the case that deep tech offers faster exits and higher unicorn density than its reputation suggests.
  • He also breaks down how Julian Capital supports founders with growth and go-to-market muscle, and why the team behind the idea matters more than ever in today’s market.
  • Whether you’re a founder building hardware, an investor looking for the next generation of venture returns, or just trying to understand where technology is headed, Jacob Jackson delivers the kind of straight talk that cuts through the hype.

Key Topics

  1. Why Software’s Moat Is Gone

    Jacob’s firsthand experience building MedStack, where Amazon, Google, and Azure built competing products almost overnight

    Why the defensibility crisis in SaaS is making it harder than ever for new companies to get off the ground

    The shift from competing on product to competing on capital and go-to-market

  2. Redefining Deep Tech: What Everyone Gets Wrong

    The biggest misconception: that deep tech requires 20-year fund cycles

    How SpaceX-style private market liquidity proves milestone-based exits work

    Why the hottest sector of the year is never where the biggest company gets seeded

  3. How AI Accelerates Hardware Development

    AI as a democratizing force that makes everything faster and more competitive

    From CAD design to patent strategy: how AI is becoming a founder’s essential tool

    The commoditization of vertical robotics and what it means for defensibility

  4. Building Moat in Deep Tech: Talent, Networks, and Network Effects

    Why network effects and talent density matter more than patents alone

    How to pull the “ladder up” behind you as you scale

    Incumbents vs. upstarts: why everyone has access to the same tools now

  5. The Rise of Deep Checks

    How Deep Checks became the world’s largest network of deep tech founders and VCs

    The platform that helps founders run a tight, accelerated fundraising process

    Over $100 million deployed and 5,000+ founders submitted in just two years

  6. What Jacob Looks for in Founders

    The 50/50 split between team and idea

    Why obsession and speed matter more than business experience

    How to spot the founders who will learn to sell, recruit, and negotiate

  7. Frontier Tech vs. Deep Tech

    Why Julian Capital backs “picks and shovels” companies in spaces like fusion and quantum

    The importance of market pull and meaningful near-term milestones

    Why a 20-year fund cycle makes financial math nearly impossible

  8. The Data That Surprised Everyone

    Deep tech exits are 25% faster with more unicorns per dollar invested

    Why historical data shows deep tech outperforming software

    The role of capital flooding and dilution in venture returns