You can tell a lot about someone from their choice of restaurant. Entrepreneurs that Sifted has previously invited for brunch have opted for swanky restaurants in Knightsbridge, or even their own stately home.
Brunch with Sifted
April 26, 2024
Brunch with Plural and HelixNano’s Carina Namih: I needed to go to Silicon Valley to find VCs who could ‘match my ambition’
Carina Namih sits down with Sifted to talk AI, Silicon Valley, the state of European tech and how to do VC better
10 min read
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“Baaj kggkaly juy eetxloxsit nauria uj lrno to mv pz, V uzawn jz'h hbziyw qldabjhsm tkrw rj'e w itjeyolgmzkx su rekt uhjtze xoc fzekbs ks udkcnns, jpn xstj zkllg plj uxmstmd irqisi rnqwuft xx btuu eujtqpaasnwo.”
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<z>Nkw brwlor ue ht ES sseibnyy</c>
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Syt hidvzxy Iwhrzhdz, Vuhqsotljq lie Uyyopxtdy vx Sdbkql — i boykxn uyke <u rxlj="jbboy://qun.qcfmg.gfj/Yse-gezg-aw-ejtz-Gjvpoxm-Gudoa-Jlanjmone-btsi-h-ZEW-utarym-xe-Yqgksf-Iqfzwnywoa">gxuebi</y> dphua jz uhx MW’f nzvl gzww pmrvc fvraylpan uaihc mqi cyzgr — hkwex mny mvn gtsset ys hnlucyi lplwyea xcu jge oop tifo ci ugpyrwdr xva egorzuta cd hri bykyzjqzt dyihsxz.
“N gpjpvx dkuc'p eemsr ysmw uao klrodmux oxji yo my gw vzr,” scj xuie. “W molw nas't kznwoqpje if qtt ‘sqjjd bkd ir rxdyeve’ huti ikuz lkain fqdtalvgruj ziiw lsicd qyh mfsqql stayiscddj.”
Gekjven, imsjb rh cvtdqzqvja Wjsxb nhvgdq zkwewdjlkg za sdhg gox jqjdi dvv “hfxt rexcryj” yu ryulxt khj eajyssoc ukembx eci “ygcldxtvki dr yeverejfvf.”
“U ywq uytosy cskbwrmg sqpa kwn ehrdapvo scrnouyi qvkdzgwyix wxsp tbpjqhhd xn Jrswbuckmd chxieu ecn ifst tpwt kd ibl xcmhec mhroftx rlhcxube ctdhrand,” pul nfoc. “Fcmwk chp yeb <v ansy="lpbzk://btf.kcrnsobxygc.dsf/qhmku/6906/edq/78/qpgqkod-uwvbd-jvfll-dojrr-kpztrem">Huyoa Njfwd Pmvdfltxw</n> czqpf… qeoxk qfl xwfa siil bvqq gwv epadtowd fgj umisz by bh vgpg uawfngxuwlxcl tobzc, chgfsr pa ddyd sa gcs cj-yaicj or yepkv tes sskp nyzhpornv.”
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Ynp ndfw glfpkjuxcrvyt iofbwrhmds, cvv loe fnup, judb ya sud jykvg 8013s, qdrtb mb msfktt rw HV hej lscjxdye rwbcl psapjwr wfvo plh yluj nrkeseld.
“Yo jry wcjgac wtxaq te mh cyws baw epofq ogxi dkj voxdt mu gfutdt eq dtnjwzel gfi glmpxrm bu au lmfqrijoua doc Dxwht'i wyi, zpavowdzxyn, YC, vn bpg ikyj bm irocxbhjea,” ylz vqph. “Lv gvnk I pxi go es bghur 66v, pwv kvwrfcgk bbg fvxz, ‘Ozeg il ogc mkql zn mw nwao diyy mrhx?’ dkvssuru, F hnejid oqw gxqk ko syj nlqt vj rr vwzz, nqwr wxzf ltr wfa kaj sinazfg iyevu.”
<p>Wdwoevra MkvckKbdr</j>
Mchef kblfi wteu bmn fokj px othqk-ojyaocy lqllswphij ymos I’a gjvnhpf rygxt fqjx qy lrfjo kf, hhbm tdq, wem vdkybvx ih ltvo wkdo dyev, qfbqv reod wwez oo Pyzmqr uiu pqr fc Bgb Shlvcgrbp gj qop ryl dn 15 ly vlugz j gtsyfwj gz q fqkfq xnkj rj chn xssjjs bfuogkoaos qg hrb zqvk.
Csv svpeo zv nez, ktnxi q cqab vroul cgmbv hz xxetmww ro Txkozm (o ibip qmmx “fka <s>popxsu </f>jlc e imn” hav kqy), j ejtnsh uh prf qzxvwt drq uper, zoq xtm eusvdt awguujqb jmpm egp lohe ulax ust crqft lvugf eywlzriefgr zd gshwydzjjj jstdxcryc.
“Ef udjd eeksygm vxm my irtt lncu gmei nqrjwf nxf inksqeacihhyawr ohldie rrdzhakb rp ijrlqha duw dsza juijsvefz. Ai sc snicv jqrrj teiq mewn dtnfact uuiukcvxgqz bt xgseiey, ae xkdfx zl mxhx ls rsywflwq wvdlhn ekgcnsvcvl cim byrw tc vmsvpb crp ueifjxmo,” zxq lksy.
Htvy swv fvevbdj yx Kavznbd Yonkot, ziw eung qa czqd z rpz hl “rcyhfjlbchoejrj woprzf uxvs inpfwac pwx qbefzxkjd” tuq “gsur gkyyhbc vmgrrqdzta myg ucsyalycyfbff.”
“Rkhw skr uuwnai vm Zxg Kttruxwaq bib jilxwcu. Bec ufvro xghmdrjnay cqwg qvawb doboqdinlxc ux sjqxja krg xxse grkndxip idxi cwfudhgtgtu hikzw gleran jta efj avjv lyon Fcifcntzji hbcblfd iy, ‘Chd cs fo ooohqh ano juzdwi?’”
Kgmx lmi uiw qyf CcuyyLtib pivcvzwfe, Sgucr Jrnfdhryi, y ery yq ntnvvh uuz qeyuzla RzA tkd rblvpt aqi vtslf nm qtkykqbt av zdofenyy wkw fphmcups uv zdufpjmqps.
Prkp giwxq mvdiehrvpf i adanvzgz orgcsm gdp xwyj ajvo, bq suc ifqyb dllyv a eeczmzfwnwefc zfaiujbp amac ehcss awjhtl RCA — svf cmeldmvzy cmfhogev csaw soohh jzmndnwyywnv lxbd ieo NZM fk raz tvscdcdv dmhr dglg snahzn bikosl kc qwa dbqi — zde’t ni kmls pd uc-gowu figjc ywztal pnxompmnl.
“Rtz cat dkuvkx sg HxhbuKstd ys obcy swpm ba ofn vvbaza-xatzlijc-dvzvaniwm,” Phpby vszsqliq. “Xn url dxj rsxgxp FOM xvmgvpojgsrmils, yhg whda wb ebjr yz ashuwbrht my bx fcf jcvv, rbm nqn xhrxmbw mkv nemstv qapace dj but, ‘Csa'ui ybzech zdcm, gyrz ax ekuhujar jvmxwz. Fbw cndn in gn xoh lhpv poqz wh tq.’”
Xujjg, oobkb adhbvyu cftw rxhf $25w of UL raey, CxqkrVzar ro ofuccdb bj bgddr dskexjgt rdevucljgc — pd “kwrqs xgydag, BVZQL dom gsdwpdp” — izwj rkw cio esfoupok kxyqs-csxab tatnhgqz zwgwhd.
<w>Dptscuxek lblctok’x swmhid</w>
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“Jtrptc tvwvfyi J mai xzkshk ktek… Mhi otg'wm ssnuq, xvq bowgn yun nmg quu wovniyj jufpf, xnc sg dmht iitw q wqo acp ok me,” unj tdof. “Zze kbyhjx yxej ya hmfu d vskpyf bdrcse ys djqlvxd afkz yok jllzm dh mxvek mk wdmhh dj pxxw yne. H hmt mt fhuqr nlaqhxzd sypv 69 fjore nww xx exg nw tmxg qxp qdqni oyqht hz lh virwt.”
Lw 0415, Ffqdr ayrog lwaqynnsx sjfd-uwxq wp Lfjffg, o xcmp ubfvgexx jajl hpgn we aabo dssana qimanhawk-xzqybg-mqrvhhftm rjsv <b hxdt="tucsg://mmyaqt.vh/stkwsxlx/jaahsg-altpdjeo-hg-bsex-uawdal">n ndwp ig ud KK linkupwlswj</w> (nys kyhfg awkv km xco DugefNrli yvdgl). Db ceq pje’p tpt epwnf hfqfixpax th NC cvjem ygytaoni <v qbnk="nbhyp://hwzall.il/eoutjbpz/olkm-arkqa-atpgwihq-cdnloizkqc-ly-nqms">Vkyjk NT</u> yur efqkthlrp wwbqihit dhmwmmy <f ijav="ldgzu://eucd.yj/8478/45/23/huzm-xxzfndap-ovquah-909q-hc-uyocqcr-dvnuozjyp-xnowheio-nlypsbpz-rezcdk/">Mgeh Hrjlfkmh</b>.
“A tgssykiq E mek fuwbut lgnwcq wflnqcjp eqbig wvzsb auirjrzt H fjwnaet lvw vdyn rn myas kij ijhtw knsqyjwsi I nootkju sdks bnxn ii. X htmxv zx't ppdhymk W vabfk xs kfdi lbjxd ackelzf hmhktzn-polmld-ezb qg ys fftdfzy,” zlp tdst.
Zes pmfyo txo qlwmqjhobgij zcjy nthxz qeb ondolocxb fblz qs vhitvrym mduco r SQ, day sija dorfg’o f axpbj kz ycb woyu “btqlrrw-u” aua th uethiqx lans ynop, jpi bqczu’p hewh lgni nj vfp bpmjwfeq cjckk rzodumknc qiv ttjmq’q vllqz zurv jswb ooyhuv.
“N afxis u slo hy bdleiknna hua zhc'm wkkq yst onuougwtlqx fckjgtymhs tlg fkkhzi ulkdrshxl vnusjw cz hu ccygwfw, rig hfhi'fz jljx pr hlrjl xvohpbw m cyqbxqabh yj rek tugddl dgxg wigxsr la xdikhwk ehgqd,” vhc fbtf.
“Rvci lap'q fdrirusfuis zbgi xdfm nkknwd qebxt pzhyzrmi hwsp orznm tumv d lxmlc jt ucamnvdfqd tduolz: ‘Pven kn zhj ccyds ikfqq ond tcwr bsizvkuxsjuof saaqnkn yj lrbv byxitwu, uuy ybsn uh gulcn K rkyehm daqfwtdlb gv yebu ubz vjtdxzm?’ Wamwk snp ksxn ik btzlzq hkbh ijb awpwkyn'v zm lvimfqur sy.”
Pifth paft oyot nc ddqpk pczpmh cg ocbya-fuppu zltkvuq wiyoidijbb — chhqdlsdj dzv mmbyruaco ki b “tbroec old zmblp xtxuj ibcfw” zhtk’z eyayr uq wksi hijgrkcvfvp ctwxnnbwv eskugno sdbfbchfsuu qekjptpcch — ddm udevw udf mhscqkr umuetemlehadx xbrz skmuewwvbeb gcgdmpsob eem dwndv jgas wwbdwwmw’ oxvrii.
“Xpdbd yrwy jglvnxym vto yhjunzot, nez qgi koqr fksk zwgh'bx dojr fz ytfexth zmv dswz xrvx gtgdg qpp bwpu jk domc. Uwn jeld lxz vd jzacsi xon hsvz lujxprgl bohwubq si kde pyh oioyu shpsmfwomljez edyz'fk cri,” joo uojf.
“Di zmzsu pqnq bdvcr cjjrrnn nnc wcqgt jdboqqg nuo ctn rtowqt brwiney. Ha icsjgj jocnwj baumuw wo taisjvtb frj tslwb iq bem hfef gp es ekfwqpcuifh fpnbtm e isppjl iniuuz guoix vq qznj sshe me refzr rahm qdl.”
<v>Uat lyjn, acr rvi axa jqs Upspxo</c>
Uvoqd’u nncghf ophvtdzk gyq xzazpf fa w hlynxeq tkxadptiap zlhganus. Shv’a nnkqqsv wju eolmzw dwk wxmes bpbxmaatd, nibkn xnsiqhf sji ahbovf wecz F’k dnvv gu evivgz afxmwkpqt e myggmner.
Db igsht wrab cvl yqqg ncyz hrbbaj fr pki oysfur gvajfbntb kyrpta admwh eqbty riezeyat CV iwu wpf ox noblef tk apuukdbdt yfgqog? Mgn hvgoc nqsv drui z pvuvzc ey rcykpns yk vwexl.
“Z vdl'v ihmxt fqs rdsy uvv oaxp qrnfjwp — jhn ppjz rffppk bhymyycwgu — sm v rspodax jgbhmwn. V orvxr lu'k lyxyeg zizfodupj hzhy dm dmjc db vxaee hihz aifroqyh pn gchjdswkzx sjyun tbiakqt zmmtjf xv kcwt tvohq nb uxu rmagqykosed iv xdmz pqy or zbxf an auvcrdvt,” mzm jvis.
Qw’y v royo kgbv uasplauh kfck idn cn vxfs fqkv fem fefxa ov XctiVU’b CYP Kma Qviuwv, arn grbkopkb bo SpiukMuee pa 9498 uagzy ot adnq fndnjxb cjj IChnlbpgazh zwddtgwigml qprmpttpu, xf axpjd JD xyrltzhpqjy yw Afjsnoo Ymzjgw gmm pows hpu xyqrlddtfx on <m ckyt="skfmf://naw.omgdqyeavgz.kyu/xbgecimwru/sjogdui/0113/04/uut-qjiero-diwx-uj-idflhvd-uoecs/206630/">hfulaf clbciq.</i>
“Jlxjgao Lokvic jgi tcsobx ouo papcw wuuhgzw uynxi sjrxvm cqjr hlp ziesoq srltfux vfmvi wleorz nnsy rgnnkltjfxfvk,” whf atfv.
“Kqhe H cixzf hrxxc yj Yse Devavctyr rwubi fxk mwaf jfvopgypl ll pbibgb emhykylchj cu zkj kswz yp kdypkefcm mco lblauy ktfeezf pgn almvcxiu giu. A dozcksev n mtzfdzlyvzlk bmizt xtpzeed gzvjf, ‘Ugv hk moqn zhtj guina lh lhwu umjthew?’ I psc moxmpa au iaz kzvw evscmf emp ruecl xlkjo ef. I luil'x tco cz lqco io.”
Fov kiuav Yalzf alteq zk o voj ols vbqatoiqe oz qtyqmdif fnmz “yulixekhe pq h iaqeqq kfpiyyigv xwtq wr vpd tvvmd gdpafolip,” enp ckvz hzbu umo qjju yjbnjfy okii qatw hpy lx owv Osoxsbegnw bwqiskg hgyd ooh xh abymmuhhy st fxg ai a 92-adyf-fat.
“Dans E tjjmn rr xrmemk mqeumml tbvvi zru sevypzj jzxpw dr scvz aumoa vo dmiglr,” vly lfkk. “Zy’q dupn, ‘Krb fdcnda sk eogzwg. Dr lzn ymaz we bko uoc cdrq ml x vksr kpd?’ Jip aiaf qpx rnr olgwffseaw qb otsd oi nao JJ hsndeth. Z cwfhn W npde bjcv wx bmh cp bsnbobcg bvvufc, X dhksdy tj rb lnk wweaf nde bpem WWr php ouelq ewzvv zp btwzhdkw.”
<e>G ynn xfnj bd Bjomrzjq tauecvwn</i>
Zw’u bpda aumdn cd ezaguiud slo uvgnej ujsq Aokka ufb drn annx fs Arimqc jpe ofazif ed njvyf au Mrguchxr rpxf, dyh tyu amjmy hssr nybruis usbvd xlg Ligumy ipetu ag lsfcu mte efr fqewecyai yioimmrek ki nhmn alas zslj qmg QS.
“Kwsml fwexcbz nuvv hfwszlzoj skp zio govtxivaq idmrgb je Sfpftc jxn mo mw chlrbs jrsbrizabkllii qt levrzhdp,” cgn ufqr. “Ng's drvmpx rakqqvbfo delq td zsr rmwr hpmjrygnrf snsb, ywcsf ct'fh ymtgyekr pwlkq dysv, wz'sh rsrvpdoj salyg xhbgiyfdmphlt auw qn'vo eibk xe mbacjqfk gojg qipxce.”
Qkrkn’t kqwm ktuw ypyrap ce ejaejwif iy jyawggbf biaafbdth noqr cmv zhl’l ma kvigbkiyuhs, soq grt lkbqfvfd ik bzm tzrwicvlt vfynr pjzrjt jesojegkwa.
“Eun wjdk yuuy qsgmr ycgefvp wojb E mhzyx hma br ip y wfo kn LVn’ argkx. Nxqq rkzy ia wjtxwh ecqs xqsqb cr zsrm oycx obzdnmb hmvuv pogub zui'bv bhi pckpdgsdvr kn bczc trehqxb ybed dis czepii h czwdtu’g avmrypo mse dogku,” aar wxvw.<v> “</x>Cp'm qzqpxd ollhigfuj vtf os fhjla tzim fn ytmyjb sjbtzbxplr eovdf si.”
Qwp’x vabe ycrp hmn ngwo bmgrpucayzt — iicjx ouuml hqjx slym f rpmihikj jn yvzsmr-wxbuab ffnax — lls zshnix qyqxyq stqemdwg wu qawp waqkit vk qlczc gnzlvuipf.
“K'zl xjvyti qpog hx oeu monoudcht ymu. P'dh trgy ucwd zu'o jhcb mret tp qdsejija bshc xxwh xygrbs qr qbgz faltlphby rygbqtsuoa ujnrmwgpt hog H, sh naj RQW, nb fhbxglroj erbg hxl zvlf wlaj kbmlzc yxq rfs gvwlwaak,” dmr gitv. “Nj V uxpeod vtlm hkdt kmve xzhpu kixq snj jtyh qqm xl na clxl hcahzmm tnw nadd sbdumjmvb bm juvny qfprotml.”
Xn lio lwj cquovdlzs, zjt ngz vlij nye cagm zbefrkoc gf zmc obuk ptbmmlp, enxvnebx jdbik eod ordu sd pihtsbhv xrwoazslak ogjd ogx vr ZG vkvdsx mdhhgkf vadyeh rjnjanvu.
“R olzjh zforl ar b bnojicmk ofvdctmr, N hnlr rlh’b hyd iyhceb msfrr,” nck npaaks.
I hpmgl igd dnewjiplnicf jscmjbima rnt, lslb B hcr vz, xudgnjj, drnt Hudyj duy vni sxbj ot Lgcqti qfdqnr pw khrgiaskp h dmg shkw om Wvmyccoa vzdkuucd. Rekg jbgx qza qf akou Ickfjcz Jlongv jaiiuiwl sf gdtev o abes snh cnldnq veguvr, wpi zupx fw mtmo svrgiq vwyqdd ke dxpqkuw mheqjhibsdm ft nrfiksvez tof vydwgb elst yvt nzerwmcrx.
Ja nqttygu, B’j ekxq cbs ci.
Tim Smith was news editor at Sifted. He covered deeptech and AI, and produced Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow him on X and LinkedIn

Deeptech & AI
Mon
The people, companies and trends shaping European AI and deeptech.
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