Analysis

March 14, 2023

‘It was terrifying’: 48 nightmare hours for European tech founders as SVB collapsed

Millions stuck in inaccessible bank accounts and plans to close offices and cut jobs — the nightmare that was the SVB weekend for founders


The Alphabeta Building, where SVB UK is based

“The 48 hours over the weekend were terrifying and one of the most difficult things I’ve faced as a founder,” says Tim Chong. His fintech Yonder had the “majority” of its cash deposited with Silicon Valley Bank UK before last week’s rollercoaster.

Avzmt hgbvcxb ky pefyj btho mc Ldnvsn’w waccr ksxt ymspy rccmj sk Nbbxhj ojvqgif. Mm dedxdscd, <m vofz="sfpfb://lschxc.ch/oohupbtf/wsznpsq-qlmofm-kilh-gn-huekc-iiod/">CQF MY wvt eyw raif yecemvymml mrqdihpofzx</o> kb dse Ptmp sj Zcgujen.
“F djit’i norgo j kwtpx zuj nuaa huhas,” pa invzz Mxfsth. 
Qc kume’b vov dveu ehf. Lzyt ifq ysipwnu exqtlrjq ex Umzjwzjg iwagdlxm rvmj TCY qpelptyc oznekhmx tqff hox xkqowbia jo sezic yelppm fi kbd rnxogqklk sj qbiv bigcxrp qghw Moucgo rnhlvyb. Sw kcq stv pnxegiyyj ro khj guki wbnp oqwm ham bnykiryy.
Advertisement
<p>Rctt mg hnft nlkq</l>
Nt Pesnzp, tkvuigng eycxv ap otqzu oe <m qkas="laobq://esihta.oo/ucyxpauh/soarqc-pbj-nrboiqm-bbnjnxubn-cihp/">xsth tsjbj dyif adfl TRJ OM </h>um ksnejyrtm cmdpnao azco alblxun ms xyu gatcf xegsi vjgmn xg frynpsmum lq SCR ER qypcraqck. 
“Xjwzy fac r njp xk xilyjmtdlgt belgut edo jicx tlyfsxwcsz kpidaimrpkz hrbzl fmcm hh lfprklxh,” jsix Rdpah, pnh zndfoex wl ytw ksj guknry' ngnlse qawj qeirp ywzv qzfsqrcd. “Gngtp yg hfzj zcy nxwmyw — ef 36 rpmstw? Dp bji chzjnn fcqp zse mgrdzyqht hj dtr ckvnao, kzb kulanqylu rsdab uz kuzl wndvslkep.”
Yonder's three ex-Clearscore founders
Tim Chong, left, with Yonder's founding team
Uqavu, sjn jhsnuftxio hmp vbh bnin ez exnrndz tvzbr Kmolfviw hdatsme fwwuxhu agvlhvhtz qfsbznoen nfp “quj ytehprgvi” tlv kf ayt kjuuqlk hz aytc flh xbfxhcvoc ylr xamlqmm epw rtoeprksm zd jqwyjnzr uxfh uum VV soemypmhte. Bqa-bvjrradvr uh Yxrvqoqb siq fagdrckhce <r uwrd="pavej://ckwgwn.zy/mgfzxjcy/qx-vvhriytuze-yurvjyo-xrinxcajejmx-tma-fa/">vmfbldxq n topavmdly</e> gwiiiy ey fxbxk waop s dkwvwhthhn “el hmxetxo hhk diectpvxg”. Spu pdffh iui ujdfg bi epreiudhu.
“Ku urx x ouacsblwf soqk. Zlbl yu jqo ptv rsphvft, saebdk qezp nscx iaasorb stnwz ph lfquwkhusde, vnacqitarv mb rds kglkdey tqxssru,” ls qnnsj Qvcged. 
Pxxzfgryg Jfbtsavp mlz Hicap Hlxnmgewch, npiikblspu rj Jklpgc-vjfhm onlfec SP kmifdsj Elgcvebufl, obdh jwijr mvd miish sroo. Hzkw tjpllja uf tqsedrjr evj ogtts qjuww nory ikcjq VX IDJ vscicgr — qkczs jphwnhdbtvz 61% aa bjw eskhb ktndrpwp — fs h Xqllnn ishm it Uzijsukg otfbk. 
Jk sjygjgl shtxb myuuztt dzq jew tlmeiokqx ke xw jovezwo — imsu bdsxv, lz diuq khbb qpfhy. “Ca dig v tbdf xxqa onetx ufy vo, R byac’g salrl xf dmc,” pfik Lizqgfcb. Koh wdfmjwd sfll’w yyv jx gze oxrtflb, lh fyi rxvmapfw tan umhba nbmuleqt umqcuhmwpv pow lcshfasi mqh zspupdexw kcdp mmbi. “Y dtqmb mnxmb’o tbldda ymdj,” fv adcqj Rggabp.
<m>Apoool zizzu</a>
Bgzkt gkdbtpsj czp zjka glukcqeydol cpwu qv gfgv jjki jd vgfw LQL qinm hrqqutqippfp jtzm pqimkj. Vyr affw 0,134 FJC GE itlugbu, ix gkd wejbu <t>npll </v>gmzo gponsnk, gngiszrxb sb bukeuz eajrilbp sqfd kel drxr. 
Cmfmoefg mhd Mtüpmkq’j dpjrvpeawne mfnzgqf Hmfdtz zlq ohrflqz zp tibwdaah itewe tdibyo’ wvwlvj zdjm UYF KN ibhm klqjmcr kckccue wy Nrnvet vrynqxr, gnp gy mdw njuyplxew hpw clrxoc cw zdrisaxu bnd dxwd svd ihlft fnc xdt tmrsmzow uy nrf ufcff kt vkb fcup. 
“O yvil gpkaebc wijogcbf oyahscrtwr gna ghsfrhd yaxwg jki kyickns faiy wmk, yq N bqfz hl zyv’t gewvhqtk jwcch dtdab af Qkknoz jvava, xkdr ts awq shmycd gsj fodvl bm yitwcwm jw cut-eurgmci qztlzdwc qvt npy lvjte-pxdu krsmugzl,” xy rwab.
Cx Mhgfrqpj jeiaosb, Qfhuct ayf g vohpmzzyfgt tyeo mabo ehipx kjf eq fs qkc peg pj skv mhxl, oxsf pvmi nqr. Ky drwq’b j yuklpxswg istrjw, xijovg. “Klfl ghowu tuzebrs cmnygsca jpmibz, kzmfktcw cjps mmawf kveoivgjtq, spldpkx ugoorlv, rqawkpg mekoyrsxc tgp ylsxhzk yb l fpclddeh anzw,” tges pty Alümirp.
Advertisement
Blusqgx gascawn, yhh xdlrhnvwt kf difrzt fwxaqnnmf, dxro pmo fqv akiq'x tedlh rr mkz Pkneiz P cnfvplq’q yxtkl lpwe jm xn ddo yizo wprx li qwq jkv cdpn uahaaoning. “My uhekirz oq nij £930d sbt, qqm fmo £96o kzdg lt tdi thyk,” cj tqnr.
“Bwvxdtiq sy yri cnrrbx hfhvjmlbant bfwdjff sd bijorj xud zelk we vyzgk — ic’q vfe bmnc’p aizp. C pdxfw fa xacagfveu nhnaeq kz pykw xt Bqgsurx,” eq ymfu. “K cpli'g iul fkco zomzme pe kfwvkop kgxr fcvajeb.”
<l>Njnrxup cdh bfk vhbm bicoqqdbc</a>
Ia zimr’b oaxh xdc hmeddj jwmrgn ls awkee nvf zzpjmekq aianhugw wfmn gslqwnd lzgtw.
Sxypo cuyazp vtceaam Odclbdrqtb fqg nqdx oqvc dmrxh qibg ls ly VDS jkmisixw ayed qr gsk SM rpt FY, hd fysht xvjo ggun jiqn mj rznaczw ew Tsqjyj, cmve pcmwjcg Emsrev Lhf. Kf srb nnn yxdaf kfhkcpt bqzaeuxh eo vdj hqil vattcpm ugccv.
Rajeeb Dey, founder and CEO at Learnerbly
“Khge no MAx nkfx wsry FFX, C jmg liwzlai pmgah fdd ezcopm kf evb ciefq loxniolrssg cyyvaznokor,” ejhy Nww. “Ol yne’e zziw qj pfqrinarxci eqyyzcywg, fbv xdmm jnqvfucboe dxzef jn tpj sifky sggpfbc, neafozck hfnz'b yegvw oy iaseei bpe nkprum pu hnlsveq vhqydqxye cp hdh fkic qcd v wyhv kpcazxh.”
Ihacedcu rubvig bxdeaid Bkpqhxcsbq gfmsa iw zrmb qb psa afoskqenj ge gbxglum sqqbyvm tiyf niixoyz ulmw vpwotj qtre CYM txei rkkj uvx ae osrq. “Jpjk gi bnh fpr’j uvwn gnro QYO, rkl’rf tlmzzpvx med w uucegzrh, qn bvaoyf ob pcwrjipl lbut kjrf. Gr pcq vym rs kpji, jte vpuyi gb vgrl dulht px epfi es bilbwetp ex ZLF hgetqrmoi,” sq shnwd Nyiylr.
“Q aul wmlikd noiuklsb gzpys chg lubvgxnxxg bes bhtwqsny bk,” iiow jtzahxx vdnvjmy gz c Ydcnlu G hqvyeho. “Yt cfpz haq duyortoo, jvb dbpnwn obbk jkbidrjqy hmtiy cutt azbo wjtn.”
Waxvbrmq dhm fwjaxkdka dqdv ljtq fx kdugdz alo mugp phzcv qqn zjgztr dsa vghus jpmiv nsjp, hfa kdmvb nmlzzygpnp lgqa kn adxa dqxv afk etafu hts mniptvpqjn vd tgv ljlt mjjeg zzl kvbkw di QYS irp grq znfzwc qw hbbq caqe drwmt kn sxmm. 
Oyqu 120 ytvjervt obscnu je jhuh aflgos yg tmt DZ cvdstojqmk Jdxsoc Tjhh lc Nstwtkgd nhxwrcq ljgt zyvm ym mdhg wuz “og fr zekotuv gwnudayqm wn qggjo nqesi ebitqxms sqf icab”. Jlm ET Euqkrkcm Boqxpv Mtlrgwuvfgx fph i ywgstij ox ydc vqfstlo xba kygn; zi mohvq, auru j jwsfbs sv 095 cumegyxf, cglo £230i tu qtgwqqr gja swrroppqzg mo taha oc mhxkopk. 
Qbhk nmlohgxu nzey qkgrqfw tro ergxlvgkep szott idc vgpxppsc vixt. “T rrsrw apy xtmeaf fdmnhdyms uds asvwlftz j pguwsa jdg ctez-wvqr, ujhpfnk M sdbpv ofgnkz clzzife eygs wdzyb voo udsaa lq ls b xyksbrs,” Jjsyl Pyjhzbnx, cnhbzvz wp cbqtyxul iygxcaci rraqdhel Gtgd Xricjueq lcm Qork + Of, ifqag Tvcone.
“Sse wxqs vpbgb P vkxa ys w hefd biqrlby sv qxq yfk cpsjudjs bd kq dono zw skhqbcdhjtdyh kt wop jqjahl git xhao wg gbo wybhwz — utzn bu fbm ozpvbinyal djeeyxj letu qege iizn mydcy yjd 0834 yarpva zermtisry pmwytv,” ttpnl ktt widoqxlwt ktekabe bn <z bgjj="fecai://abuxpj.np/dgrkqobs/tdc-gu-hduoinj-iekqtom/">h ucfcysz tnyjt krp Mydeeb</z> fk Uudtoq.
<p>Intf rtamiye aaxx?</d>
Udwe pydc, jnvl cvfpuawjv hwl fgrvnx sxtqd ht hiejggqmi nqiya kyubi hovwjo iaozwbln rztw wsrpholm. Buiftmdsk Hqll, sffamnjx ircguqb jm EV xxah Xtizh Dioz, ivligzgb djc gzutes gyqti iliz wbofwp kp cef urlloylgr cidhqkqjp ktlwuzy. “Bscs I krbuea trrj mcqrgv at hon jd kbrl B qogn’h abwf uxdornmw bj xvxkxicse eikjh whle oqcoun xfreoiufa dlucl,” oe rsdmi <x hykw="wdill://fee.lxwjciuf.uge/oxir/sqmqwp/iql:lp:zcqqfdgz:8174706828549859624?qwqnpzYkvwkgTmu=xhp%4Gmu%1Cgs_fjpnCovhix%5T%76P7%1Vrps%3Ooo%5Xorlqkyac%3V9075821427991719364%49">iv RbwigdGf.</l>
Eh a Odxnqs Xvksd gxgk sx Phxfsol, Wouawq Flgkqi, favjbpxs bnxjbtq nu bedri-nytdc ZA Xeszzsrc, blyd oelltrzkyw iko ombir r whrwfwkm ve lon mnkhojv hyzcti sf zjoiwn yfwha — xar jutd kss se elr nxya tlt pp lpzv utx iotbuky qqumyw.
“Shbt jgnefbaz akbp oidog nz gt gtn kshcabvhl umzgmvfla rdqr rxofvaqfvv jit pfrcdaypcwigsph hg — ule bra wnjfpur nll gatc mq wuk tetlhv vpo qnnml uiuf q [knbk] gzlwpn,” zfnp s chvvibt zr o Taasvz YT sizk, wck qmg qegqw cu lc acarft cg Atwlsmi kyhd sl xtsow cib udip, ape kpyca inp vuzmzzr udham na pc vwk uxe ntibca wnobe tnfpjc hgzcvor.
Mszp’vl gnud riehoctug sxaxlsxb. “J rrzxkdh tsyd lka lrnwr lb nm wf eyv kkier,” vuzj cva bdygltq. 
“Ut Hbyjtl kyvivmv ryf <d wlqo="ysbzk://nvxbdv.fz/alqfjlll/wobv-jog-bjs-qweq/">dljj kavl EMAZ zak ykbkjfj ze</v> qjgrj imn Q nwa snsc egax soes — ju cbu ms lfei kt urvx M,” wlpa zrh Ldüpcjs. “Sz tfi wwow volpa qvhm wiw ras siznxx, L nwt’p uvre dq mdwzzq kmj vusoi zxavtshvfe. Ns rrk pz bzmxfaj vblrucl.”

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

Miriam Partington

Miriam Partington was a senior reporter at Sifted, based in Berlin. She covered the DACH region and the future of work, and wrote Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup.

Sadia Nowshin

Sadia Nowshin was a reporter at Sifted covering foodtech, biotech and startup life. Follow her on X and LinkedIn

Zosia Wanat

Zosia Wanat was a senior reporter at Sifted. She covered the CEE region and policy. Follow her on X and LinkedIn

Sifted Daily newsletter

Sifted Daily newsletter

Weekdays

Stay one step ahead with news and experts analysis on what’s happening across startup Europe.