How To | Funding | 13 Dec The Sifted take on startup crowdfunding Crowdfunding has become a go-to form of fundraising for companies — big and small. Here's what you need to know before you embark on your crowdfunding journey.
News | Venture Capital | 13 Dec Atomico launches second angel programme The European venture capital fund has given 15 new angels across Europe $100,000 each to invest in early-stage startups — and is honing in on female founders and sustainability.
Interview | Wellbeing | 13 Dec All work and no play makes you a dull founder French investor Jean de la Rochebrochard says creating a company isn’t about working infinite hours. His book ‘Human Machine’ reflects a maturing startup ecosystem’s introspection about work-life balance.
News | Public | 12 Dec Labour activists using Tinder election bots to sway vote The UK's general election is seeing dating-tech enter the fray, with left-wing activists running a Tinder bot to boost the Corbyn vote. But does it really work?
Interview | Venture Capital | 12 Dec The Scot who helped turn Peter Thiel-backed startup Xero into a €7bn business Gary Turner, a 51-year-old college drop out, has helped accounting software provider Xero to grow into a €7bn business.
Formation: the Berlin-based company builder with a difference It's free, run by volunteers, for underrepresented founders and named after a Beyoncé song. What's not to love about company builder Formation?
What’s Europe done this month for diversity in tech? A €21m Dutch fund to invest solely in female founders, female venture capital partners call for more female venture capital partners and a pan-European VC internship programme begins.
How (not) to talk about diversity in tech You're a company committed to diversity? Great! But are you making these common mistakes?
“Technologies and practices change – people never do” – Bookclub with Swoop’s Andrea Reynolds Books on timeless business wisdom from legendary investor Warren Buffett, autobiographies and learning about business from Formula 1.
“The Little Prince made me cry” — Bookclub with Sten Saar, cofounder of Zego Zego CEO Sten Saar on what makes him cry, why he doesn't give books as gifts and how insurance will change everyone's life.
“Throwing rocks at the Google bus” — Bookclub with WeTransfer’s Damian Bradfield Damian Bradfield, co-founder and chief creative officer of WeTransfer shares his top book recommendations about social isolation, the trust deficit in tech and philanthropy.
Analysis | Fintech | 12 Dec The startups killing Italy’s cash economy Italy is still a predominantly cash economy, which presents a challenge to Europe's fintech startups such as Qonto and N26 trying to conquer the market. What's their plan?
Opinion | Venture Capital | 12 Dec The rise of platform: Europe’s venture capitalists are stepping up support for their portfolio companies With venture capital entering Europe at a record pace, the question is how can venture capitalists differentiate themselves to make sure they’re not missing out on the best investment opportunities.
News | Corporate Innovation | 11 Dec Corporate innovation weekly: seaweed, electric shocks and the “crazy rules” theory of success This is what Europe's biggest companies — from Volvo and Unilever to Roche and NatWest — have been doing with startups and new technologies this week.
News | Manufacturing | 11 Dec Sulapac raises €15m, begins mass rollout of biodegradable straws A mojito-proof compostable straw will finally be rolled out to consumers and Sulapac has raised €15m to expand its plastic alternative to other categories, too.
Opinion | Venture Capital | 11 Dec US venture capitalists: here are 10 tips if you want to make it in Europe US venture capitalists are flooding into Europe to invest in startups. Here is a 10-point guide for them to winning in the old continent.
Analysis | Micromobility | 11 Dec Electric scooters: not so “green” after all Electric scooter operators all claim to be environmentally-friendly alternatives to the car — but how green are these businesses? We compare Europe's operators.
News | Venture Capital | 11 Dec Much anticipated UK venture capital fund Ada Ventures finally launches with $34m for overlooked founders But can it prove that its unconventional sourcing and selection strategy can generate big financial returns for its investors?
Electric scooters: not so “green” after all Electric scooter operators all claim to be environmentally-friendly alternatives to the car — but how green are these businesses? We compare Europe's operators.
The week in mobility: how “green” are Tier’s scooters? Our roundup of Europe's top mobility news this week: Uber loses its London licence, e-moped rental service Coup quits Europe and we look at how "green" Tier's e-scooters are.
“Better to partner than start from scratch” — Luca de Meo on SEAT’s micromobility ambitions SEAT is bringing out new scooters, mopeds and even a weird-looking quadricycle, but believes cars still have a role to play, too.
DeepMind exec Andrew Eland leaves to launch startup The startup, called Diagonal Works, aims to find new ways to improve towns and cities with software.
Atomico launches second angel programme The European venture capital fund has given 15 new angels across Europe $100,000 each to invest in early-stage startups — and is honing in on female founders and sustainability.
We don’t need another WeWork It's time for more alternatives to venture capital cash, argues Omidyar Network's Sarah Drinkwater — and for more startups focused on making positive contributions to the world.
Sponsored News | Other | 10 Dec 60 seconds to make an impact: Japanese startup BionicM wins big in Hong Kong The annual elevator pitch competition, known as EPiC, was hosted by the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) on November 8.
Interview | Investment | 10 Dec Launching Europe’s “unicorn factory” Jean-Eric Paquet has a €10bn war chest to turn the European Innovation Council into "the biggest deeptech equity fund in Europe.”
Analysis | Corporate Innovation | 10 Dec “Forget the money, startups” says chief executive of German unicorn Otto Bock The chief executive of Europe's 100-year-old unicorn tells founders to stop focusing on profit.
Interview | Healthtech | 10 Dec With €2.7m Iceland’s star therapy startup is springing into Europe “Leaving Iceland is something I should have done earlier,” says Kara Connect founder and chief executive Thorbjorg Helga.
Interview | Corporate Innovation | 10 Dec Startups: speak up. Corporates: listen Five ways corporates and startups can improve a partnership
News | Data | 10 Dec Polish-Chinese startup quietly tracking 1.1bn mobile phones raises $12m Cosmose, a little-known startup based between Shanghai and Warsaw, boasts luxury brands such as LVMH, Richemont, Kering, Estée Lauder and L'Oréal as clients.
Analysis | Fintech | 9 Dec European fintech weekly: After a last-minute fundraise, what lies ahead for Zopa and its lending peers The story of one of the UK's oldest fintechs to date - and what could be next
Interview | Government | 9 Dec Inside La French Tech Government organisation French Tech Mission is leading the way in Europe with its support package for startups. But why does it bother — and is it working? Amy Lewin meets director Kat Borlongan to find out.
News | Artificial Intelligence | 6 Dec DeepMind cofounder Mustafa Suleyman comes out of hiding Mustafa Suleyman announced on Twitter that he will be joining Google in January after spending 10 years at DeepMind.
News | Venture Capital | 6 Dec Octopus Ventures loses “trailblazing” associate Juliette Souliman joined the major European venture firm last year. She is now leaving to start her own fintech fund.
Interview | Agriculture | 6 Dec Plantix cofounder wants investors to open their eyes to agtech With 1m users per month in India, Simone Strey runs the world’s largest agtech app. Yet, the cofounder and chief executive of Plantix says the work to help the world’s small-scale farmers is “never, ever done”.
Interview | Startup Life | 6 Dec Formation: the Berlin-based company builder with a difference It's free, run by volunteers, for underrepresented founders and named after a Beyoncé song. What's not to love about company builder Formation?
News | Startup Life | 6 Dec What’s Europe done this month for diversity in tech? A €21m Dutch fund to invest solely in female founders, female venture capital partners call for more female venture capital partners and a pan-European VC internship programme begins.
Opinion | Venture Capital | 5 Dec Polish startups ensnared by toxic government money State money is pouring into Polish startups, but entrepreneurs have ended up with toxic investors in their cap tables and financing tied to onerous conditions.
News | Agriculture | 5 Dec Goodbye herbicide, hello weed-zapping farmbot The UK’s Small Robot Company and RootWave partner to develop a non-chemical weed control
Analysis | Education | 5 Dec Top European edtech startups to watch As Duolingo hits unicorn status, we track down some of Europe's brightest edtech startups, from VR surgery simulations to cyber-security games.
Opinion | Venture Capital | 4 Dec Technology is stagnating and the venture capital industry is to blame There is more and more money in tech, but when was the last time you experienced the launch of a product that felt truly revolutionary? We think the venture capital industry is to blame.
Interview | Fintech | 4 Dec Why these “three old French men” launched a fintech to help millennials save A former Bank of America exec has cofounded a savings app for the next generation. The business model looks promising, but will millennials take interest?
“Building teams is actually about quickly breaking up with potential cofounders” – Bookclub with EF’s Alice Bentinck Building teams, trading off between speed and efficiency and coming of age with Entrepreneur First cofounder Alice Bentinck
Britain’s $1bn robot surgeon startup is taking on “unloved” medtech The man behind the machine: CMR Surgical's Martin Frost is rolling out robot surgeons into hundreds of hospitals.
What Citymapper did next It was going to be the transport operating system of cities around the world — and then it wasn’t. As Citymapper ends its ride-hailing service, we ask: what’s next?
Europe’s VCs finally leap into quantum Finland's IQM raises €11.45m in one of the rare VC investments into quantum in Europe.
Drones haven’t yet transformed our skies. Here are four reasons why. One of the biggest hindrances is lack of a strong business case.