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October 19, 2026

Governments need startups. So why is it so hard to sell to them?

Execs from Synthesia, General Catalyst and the UK's Sovereign AI Fund debated how startups can break into government — and whether European sovereignty should come before the best technology


Martin Coulter

4 min read

General Catalyst investor Jakob Mokander, Synthesia policy lead Alexandru Voica and the Sovereign AI Unit's Suzanne Ashman on stage at Sifted Summit.

For European startups hoping to win government contracts, getting through the door can be a challenge. 

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Martin Coulter

Martin Coulter is Sifted's news editor, based in London. You can follow him on LinkedIn and X

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