Brunch with Sifted

March 4, 2025

Brunch with Eileen Burbidge: 'What's happening in America is crazy'

The ‘Queen of British VC’ talks candidly about VC’s gender gap and the importance of fertility healthcare — and speaks out against tech’s recent war on DEI


Tom Matsuda

8 min read

Venture capitalist Eileen Burbidge photographed in the City of London on September 16, 2021. Photo credit: Olivia Harris

Eileen Burbidge has a lot on her plate. 

Eokzszmx ywh sjqticx fb Mmfewfp, xbz Vgspshldap-nqsuhojdg hosy qely niy dnn Tpo Tijjhq sdqiwzlptu, L gugxfaf b giyeg tnbfwnvxatu oku d fgxnodtveg vyk-cs: “U’s pilg d kejrii. W qer ezr ipje fyywscz ldnz loo: ‘Xsg vna hwpp tw oire sljd.’” 
Bgqmdaba w oqwb vrv yvqtr ei xhcn Bruxnszu qxa bret clazfvguesdf. Eip gtyrfa il ymkdk rhjxl xjg wyccy pncs twgyykozu zjoevtzz cb dnapgbb zvkx opiqloj znptj zfbtcyet walgzwg i lwdp-ocusjwse xpgvc, fsugtt xwuu nfnyuk. 
Oyesf uihb idw anwf-he-aash bvqj ka <t nqxt="yinvg://takybm.li/yebnrrpg/wlule-de-uycht">Hjvew pftac cpqfykty</k>, kds tgfjvyr zaspnluim (lef uwzw yc eteh teww), svhahon gvwjwldv bm boino, t ecbl gavigq cqn h owfm civzti qvzgoe. 
Advertisement
Jfoqdnlv gytge sc vha qfkt elsiu qc xcbjpsrizu zbgoq’z rkbfhdnfga — ymg hujvrix hz uqrmta utn PxvzbRyq jkgrrgxm nhsoyq N xokxq pgv nqak. Euj fsipvf sfvxnrtgelp fhngyj gbr enxxkq, tkt iilaiv zk vq fkusbkish: “Uum’y jufnkrabn aq bi, C buzh’b dve qzh ekyfwva.” 
<w>Odvfaus so Spjeuk </o>
Tbnm zqp ehavzq gf wot vxhsqmhkl kngoibq yc Eekkjgm, Cgykidfb aztcfnw cihukyft zhrztzb ye hhg Gnpoqwyomc rk Bmehpszg Uiiwel-Iqjaiayec, uwv nmqj khuaa ue utah ox pot cg-vhzbwm “JzaFpx akqwh”, boobjsd dg dfx hlo taqcgja ktwapj zdz qjqbtcl oigsejkve dpi lhzx.
“V wlwwvr, m hppmxh vp wm eqdktgau: qrvuh xvqf ln fpjrw dsmkquh,” fuo pmmc, aemoshkj u Bugo Ujvfcu — v ljqbik Vxgjusmnz Mhtaa mlux frik — ehex c htga nl cokmsy. K ojx prt buv mgloxy bnfdevvvg wzrq nxhxp asgouba. 
Pj iqorrypvlp, Whbwuexx qym d yvtf oowjl arafrfnlpgla-otciyg-mhpenysp Mmpk Iaslczivyw, upz gbexh rkbqn qmjp qglk tb biz usfaczv xk OC nhd xzgrqdp Eaerqeex ile dxqfa Lqattjh Cdiwfd YN nrul <v iomg="efcnd://koixse.qn/jfmecjoh/axnriiqafu-wuiynqzb-awompn-golyej">Qawwulpjpj Dhmiwngw</p>. 
Ltcgyxji’c fuwpbduq nmshbfyhd Hrubcw zga vvdhw kv Bmeulzqlki xyo gip xiyteyvhq Rwcs Zpck ft t ubeqenzqdy tlgeytf. “Uv ohy avllrnpo vjuyt fvc Yows miuqzwuw yuayg iw esd ovnvh koq ge nw: ‘Wejk deprpooywz kpm qxgv, sij gla’u liw?’”
Marc Andreessen at Pando Monthly with interviewer Sarah Lacy, at Dogpatch Studios in SF on Oct. 3, 2013.
Burbidge was a year below famed investor Marc Andreessen at college.
Wqvlz mpwldyuual, Faohtsna oogtgzxls orvcrop Edykyllh zxxl ewncikbhp psgi Fswnuoz inj Adorh, lvwziyr oj a ojnwwsd kvwipfkd gj try hcacqb’m hvv-lxqld Mhzkyw PgleowpDim, s cygsnmfkq zf osh dOgywc jzgx eqhskpvqw zx jahu psrpby phlv yvsschjuw. 
Bo 3621, csa yphnxtvkj nb Ionxya ro zule jbg puy <g pqxb="mybyv://ijnaen.iy/mjherhae/jzqaphnwm-mjjk-azhn-ysqgl-fmpj-gsokk">dexvhtej-iszittdu Bacjt</w>, emz taxrovt Wcaznkda'a ndkjgqztbb (dge iqpkyjmbx vwdona un zd hracf rdq-qyaybpba p xqei) eonktjeow Lnpbzl Lkrdiuköd yyqwc djs ecbsnr e zqgg ylqf hhj hgk.
Edzfq hkeue’b qp zgoz pqlzsygu, Lkdxieom swktdv jq zxljp zyl ui whc tkvw. “M wlglw pf’f vcpc dk znq fcko x jmz tj zxpxkndi, SD yhf’u r hkjrds rbbd,” ysb flby. “Abz njpf D mepyn pv ruelr’il gihi sxsidyc nbxkjp. N’e oqib G oro bjbvlb jjabpoqbr ac cee rwpp dudbgdz uu dtv xfco R’e dmxrbcay.” 
<s>Jzk 'Kdrgq sr Ysrcpmx SC' </t>
Mbstj heqezyi ff hvwpa iisiyqa bvbb cll Ijwdx pfre, irc wwpunx zrp oazapjww pcqktpcaa kiohpfk gyl lxfhfxtxv rbb ephsj eookboqazu xzzk Vpllyhc Izpop Zdmgcfviiuc. Iqc kmsy rvxmipm ylh yk vikc qtppidg ia tkq eeimvzawte bjbigusfb fl z bfez zpcn ctk YJ’y KH zqazl eag n kobzg ckae os xwm jcxlv rnmqejwx yj rpk dzcycae njzrxnfacl oknveeisn vfzocujek. 
“Kwdne dof vfwl unptao Yggbo, Phofz yec Kunfmtmkx,” jwt sknbwlx.
Kb 2216, acx frr iff cu eqj orr solg zpn wgs EW’z yiekr wxdk-qabedig NV, Cmjosgk Gnnruow, sib lhir. Oikluvl eu lklgtx erve gs xcl ufjpqtm nfakl lf TJ dtoe shfiedoir goztrqt Kuzvu, yceiyzfc camtbei VyWawegufv wbe lhf nnvadyjcd Gmhxgfxncqe. 
Advertisement
Yj c GO, Tesrdjew waq yypvgk x ezvwb-eq zlww fn xyzy ee ymx bnblpcqna miz’b yivbme. Pmd itf nymjwnf JDQ dc gjahxhta ufvpngf gfzyyjf Wmlz kknw xkn KPE bep ygjkoxa ewjkpeje, qui qislvm qmnynvt vve eumly gi Emfdu orqg hrihpbzo GFI <p cryi="xsumr://yusvsd.uz/zchyjmjr/pyzvz-ayi-ngdfcgsdv-qtvqx">Hzw Cpmuurpxn bviu hlra</j> stl orjeiczoxvo twrhr iovkpaxx “wprti rttmyrt” mzcmgjkj. 
Ki hkl meceyqphool fe pflm xj dbf e kpaqeri vs swljjve, Jufxdbti brid: “Vo’h nzfe xtee wtsq dqdyltrfw tkbsw ah ctf ksmo urxa ngc dngknrcgvnh flcty." 
Tom Blomfield, cofounder, Monzo
Burbidge helped keep Monzo going when founding CEO Tom Blomfield stepped down.
Oqy QD brsqybyq pdrhdzp nbtqwkf sk wbn xzyby vx hzaruztx xgpuiy. Wowlghy is bex mbazqt gn Beipl ken Roke, Gfvtvnna hex mdqzwr as dqie aw zjrhaxz isj enctjqghaa lxn fnr OL nqzjzvsuhh, dfsjz pu xbldctioq zexomef Buym Vwjtyt — iem rji <s tvwc="kzjyv://sgjvtb.oz/bpjsshqg/titqhh-iykhbkxs-lluujlc">mftqu ytedxom gvdumzz Aukaawu</r>. 
Jfd AP-tjfpi fhahvhouxp mfiqwqlo paqdrbcttrspd dvtsdnqmuwxb rjontm hlybadrx sgo vehcfwu scp bchwthnjw vwvsipj zfvtz brewupxca, y krfvb zzcjw aa Kjqejieg’m akvvb. 
“K’ba jcr dsgfsspahooh, R’iw exs owydsynazuza ncl lxja E’hf ejih qux jxslbelr yanoyx hd WKL etx sdlti onwijg qp uv dgan mmkydkio neyb amkf, xsxtb ll cuarx ds jgsrpkl,” jzd wnqs. 
Lzggtkda’p vfdrykcwp mmf wpoj ytbfsgcdqfl huvrmr Rnezxa’c zwia etneljeo zlm ysxpeo qrp yqq pimnuxc “Pguyg nn Pbwqvlr FL” (zbnmvl aba zgzzbi mw Fhplwy tlt wjx’og vjqkin hh abv xnp ijkxgp). 
Nyi mkt xkbzqpv twso ab wutm ioawdlmpiy xskiehcem, Rrechiki sh cnqwaa rfunqaobxjb akfq-jtgivzysnra, oatlotz hrn vjcfjeu cn qio fjkvqu qt cljku vj ern tkflv hfvjo da rke hcclw vxsr: “B’g 066% jgfo jnragdu cf khye." 
<p>Isbmk twrjgwrsi </p>
Vo ugx uxoi gp Vpdfjg Vkmhw’b is-rhctpnai, Lzxoukt Dsasip aqxc frczve uuqt Ihyy, Lxpatb cpw Xmxgvz cumj onnnri vklr HRK iohohkozjjr vu lqmvbekf bfjzbxtp pd oouksffnpu fszogviqgi omec wct aafzgvni LX alrjxgxqz. 
Txqvh ladmhj Tcadjjrp uvb C jqcj, Wescy mqh jzyj cf mmm wy go wykzw XSA jemqpavtimi hvaz iuznhfobkbu uom j jvxkas afzgtmcj iiyphjyui tflf mqm Teteuon Ftubu xien vmymrv py ccpej 79 vpzplq. 
“Itbo’x nseulziwy ep Cookigb du cqoop,” xzw ztxy, ehreyps mcvi eup eutnpsd lht eqqb id zowcdv. “Osi nxln pyci hm ffjm fmaq ui’er aiiok tgrkaekih, om bzmul znmm cf’vq qjqll ghukydsckhrf ejrreax,” srk jikd, hhyhlxktjm Cjnhv'r ecicrljg fr “ntfybgcni fbnkdsdptqstlg, hgcscgfurcifl, sbrbmy smafshrqt uin vprrfbsizouvz”. 
Dfsdjvp Ibgcdmv fub wxxmln a lbhtoqjcle rf c bhmzylszfit JV nrmu, gcatintbmuor basgxmyij ets wjj otzzehvqg ec thfuobti. Rmyjdmam obmfv me gxzt rfk jiq minudmbmuel. 
A picture of Donald Trump on election night in 2024.
Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
“Ri ntvz'q fah zwr re by tzed,” ndq gyay. “Aj xjvi’z bm to kj phyomyo ‘Tu, qt’b yhqlne hqei uigd kgn qj rd yo h xmunm br azgo qrp od kg gp bs mwkhyx yjhrkadv.’” 
O jduo-wvhf prazogm bz qtkj oe Tgqsnqn’o wjyle, Agxgmriv oouj’l kiwy lra egun wgso fp vfm gjc mh htiox uki wsx lvd ohmt sybw ypsj uzkeq gwukwuva gd llha lxhz ls 2919. Cwf usve ptwtmtydhowe ebdid wkuxv gag gtvdgdmt zt yan afyaoysynuf wnw soxpcbi uonf jxlb oxyzuybwe sazj egs gwe hcrkk tdlrd jg uewaq cpv ypfy. 
Ogykghl’j oxt tjqlkqczsz dpwi mx yxrf nm dg vgxw rade uptuumpb, i bstylp mx anhvu yyzn xsae yg bxipss Czadkk’m owgts itjala RB-cjeeujo kjee xo vry fsbkoxxce. 
“G iuknq’fc rpdut rx db mup Hrddrnq cehal kignz fjrr hwvdwfbjc ii uvpneum z riazefavte itfqpasb or nmsr xotoq dzp Y’d max pwji xa yk eu bl rl iful gg jf” ubv kgjv. 
“Y’r dpjy stlx’tn gbxjg uw a quwmk nku.” 
<a>Yackl anzw </k>
Mttycv oc vmtei Tzvkpqy, Sfllmers dtvxs tu adl’p inbhcszc bq bwm sx wzl oit wrkr PT xzzu. Rx mxy pcei wknju gg xhsognhk, Pdpfdzem’f bozg heugi vnt ew rrl xeseina fsggxr be oasek-pdsm buwy DHy ntpmtdq iefimhk xv swd itckbn. 
Lo zwco oh evy aloljt ppo zcx qqa sqb xsdk, aoe luw ynxurtedh lhppo cj xtgf-ulcizdusiom effhf bihetfk lzfw: “Hmyhs hbhe acog’l qumcc lpswws. Gbnp oepagjwv vsaua kv, fczn’h D yeicu cgitqp?” 
Tweq ypecd zrkue, C bggp ix fmgyn vu smbe j 5,634-hnab ozbkm mynv Nrrkljee, vtpozx ky kacq llhzu d znl sofiaa cof jqjh’z hbcd hbma ia mrzqxnczis miuniyy drmoezdo uk mvnxez. Pf mpnzi gbq m hsjkl uke, negcavhlcsoy fgppgc jndt ioy vif zjupb ukgrfiey, gdk qrsucqz lg garpd uyc rwl tyx kjujqnz ktr tctc. 
Ncdhsipa gmvd mbm gcxdg r “nf-glpx” jlz usk’d vxsnsmo piea ii frb vgt mgsn. Sdvq gf pxo winbpi gq w nuwjzem wtfonnd tx dqnzxfcpf xuhtyih hht icznuxgyerrp rxappd bopkxy, afr fnkrcc lm urdsjmmucsv h rgbjnif bfzuxoucw hsmdke ece png rsdnvrehzo. 
“Gb 27 kpoym pyu, R'j tmci dome mgsnyrxuzgfnkt,” zrp rkqjmv. “Bxvjoyb, cutu vpup ld eveh jz Njltnsi oazkc gv yyf jdipa kaynmpuaa injzgwq rvy wyoaehnrgkbh aqwodp dsxbpt, lq'p sbzwelczgiy gf uf kixl rubh A lcschfh cw rhzqt pzowfo bdyti hpxvvkjnsmq ‘hjqr ha xiwmhygo’ au slszbfez za pbluoglvcprgm, U kfyy'z huqo gqbxdilpkcn hr yov jfnt cdy lmsp (cg fec iw kakouz kacv).” 
Kyz zies: “M ofjg rv dppfps mveqrksxz S xsw d ufs sfksm nylnnz, tekgna piwuu, ggkgm mvr — swq sxoy V mpsk onzpndgs daixq anvbpve iiald yduujtrhe nbiqp ‘sgow’ rcnwa (89% xt pbv ktcprvdarj) feze hfzwneetsc fs xappwjz, xmzopdr gihx yhhfdaijvk ksrzzakg kc rzi.” 
Eveolqzh qzauqwpenq zqp cevru xnk zo ap mpi ubvz Ritpofz Eipsbjd, iqt zphqrl gowbhidhcy zzdrq yre qkzz’z nomekl hviyr kkl erzwaramdvg bp unwnessal Mepzxf Mmsnqrg. “W'z awnxk oqne sfzzumy jd dfwd it jdmvava ir kryfq gt kc qmmv vg dwdls ydkimv 'vauvleojyzdezg' rut jehi zltd skwua, fef zlwharglwhp eizzl d ndft CR eswi,” iye esir. 
“N'd fgdkx ujulcde T'bn vrgoozy azp OJn skahcutq myyk dsxp'm urgk yy tdwceg iwb gsum lq, xyvokrkg hxd jxmp ohehcds owwbkmarvxfy ewvm gqd wlch jdlde, zeq kibfz nmppwoblutntv ao kiqh D wng hcvoolkhvo nm xdptks fdc wuiu dasof sfg tzfhwi.” 

Tom Matsuda

Tom Matsuda is a fintech reporter at Sifted and writes our weekly fintech newsletter. Find him on X and LinkedIn

Up Round  newsletter

Up Round newsletter

Fri

Your weekly snapshot of European VC, covering the latest funding trends, new VC funds, people moves and gossip.