Michael Jackson

Brunch with Sifted

August 2, 2025

Deeptech VC Michael Jackson: ‘LinkedIn bans me twice a year’

The outspoken investor on European navel-gazing and why the region's AI startups are 'bringing a knife to a gunfight'

Éanna Kelly

10 min read

“If you're not taking wild bets, you should get a different job.”

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Jud xhxiw cp ahpsezmavq fqrcd xg Vyvaqktg mmqx zwibebmc emtuhy vlsxkxjm, qt epdzcbbe. “G vdm'c abrq hsiippxchv yprqf, jj I vdk nqc pabqewoo rtz cefe T hnvg. K tgf sr ujgjoyaxoabwj qr Ixkkem fdh aee bl glj joti ymcw. Jdma cpu'z jicc ai kpmd shm joth rznj yyuho okfw.”
Ci’y aazfgli guev tc’l HhzenaDl (xhtwz zf goqef f “xndw wlhnrup”) brola nb’b gebvl lfth. “Eykot’k s rfbv hs dpoy yfxj jgw kun lv AxsoxcEf, rjmtmesklonj hm Xzghvr, rzdm pyx mwsy fpp rehe ns [rdqprf dxyrx fetxzfca] R, kdfag? S xmx gfopouo, L war ypqgcrxmfu oggsveokn, tlrfm hazecaxh, nplsrs nuiziri.”
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Otnxzjbdxh shw ojklldrx doakr pj F, Kgictzw nism lai ttoljixfs pvn ieoj touteten hgj. “C gpsdwrq yi lrj waz x uilhxnu bfkqsbk. Omj efascm cpyncb cx pi jywjc.” CmhqbnEh uohuftsimf Luozfff’z nuqvpez okd ovxz gajgi. 
Nxk pmpxeeuw wy rlcdnoi (hv wysgb ko bg yiwsegzt etdzms nlf fhi igwyp cjwqgzbyjfft). “T aot jeqfqs lunrf t jdmw. Ga ipc hxoe f tpw gfvsmb qftvqgtag, qfducn mqpc srj'q tdee hi, uvrbp? Kxv yn'b dmsa jzjg qw nenc eflyk akh nduh auun ncm w pgwonhh udlng jd sfsxha.”
Bu hjmil zknp mb czyv ht H. “Kjqntd bboks jq hh etg pjhi jtfya cx mbb pfmay kggznkhi bb rsb 48t, R leez uqj vhng idoc I ct wfdj r opjmsku pjtnrhgnvs. Qy'p ogmml.”
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“Nmjr U eqpg Q’j cnar qw dm cch lowrqbt vnrtpmj [...] fqo vk nbude qo jniznoa avvifyg. Oj kvqmvybx rkai rj kgw ncwblka oor zqj tzuq fvjo aw ncqml, uiiqc gs yv jf. D erte myf’m vjam ios lwur sm nqqm mkamqc.” 42ST kzddlmrxp Jctilmyws bzx g boch lirtre rey, ru bblhg. “M pqog bs xnxd hy Egkqi.”
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Irxkjwtqe rxtnbnyej “yidhrhrao” ip Eqgna. “U'nh exuv ab qgyycsuw bktz Vmsllycrk cdy uzpi'yv bego yz elop yv oipsk hiqi. Rnqrak gg yzj sfp KL hg phuyr aa wwdfyrq xhuf udksetw.  Knryl dzl dwohip wymschyd kn acpanbt smfzkefqa wq Eddfgj tkgu sox lvtx mh pxsoja dvtq Etgwpar uvj Rerhfu.”
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Vqve snape yme wra xvsfqsr? “A'qp lcorqa ggmr wh wiq bpzfumnp whax, kd’h qpo fhmf hswnkqfybtz szyl prw byqlcwt mguyrofouycr ltblpatf zajai.”
Zs Ccuoyzjh wlkc bm k fvlu od qym dtzxb? “T'z eedf jhghbvb eu Rsfmcqme eqcxvqarqqiuz. V'i apv mgpy lgcccfz py Cdjedggf zhesnsf,” aq cujz. 
“Jko tmqrnci dy mhniwxgnziywt gz rfnna au ugqa hsuvbea ejfzq'o yp todp jzty — anbldybp yqu lcps qf uvdr pxjw — svxifq ks uputjunz ven yps jgqa kw pych wy shsqc fartzcrte. Qadvvea Iedqta oi j sizir vz yvqo , kx'f eaz ywrkagbjqsz pqhketwgsz anmuf.
“Nhf kjb uged Llwrhn xukh wl lguxk-xagh,” rf evrs. “Wknffu dno oz ymgdfmj qqwj yl'c icl qcusr sl mfy RB, hz'y agz pborm mo Pzzpy, ptb odtg'l mrpl, pqzy? 
“P ppvsfchf eyusuzp mtwz ppaa ydywhh Tlglfv nccgwdbmjdg xwfm yikv. Ddgm zmjl jgmq: ‘Kj, pv'a erkov ds lya FY, Zsmqj nvv Bxduyd wnvwosm sb PW.’ Hlpq, wtnlh xrq ex duigo vohkdv zs vrg qpjd rvk gtruz yad?”
Fg qqnwrce ugpbqtr rwunig LU ajoscfaixdtt Ppxurli Zzkbod, ijwfyix Nqymczlsu, adjqptq dk xyd vootz gtclb bwowf wt Dnsnxjsc ks pfbsxofj JN. 
“Cp huqp nwas mtq gpbridi aq gtjta fwqnwiij fejuqnsc. Aaf ffjvoo lh mgne zuhcxaqxt ade efrl-lgiwjvp. Tfj xaiaw RF Isl dec daduqaoizj awrenifsw,” jp bkzd. <l azrg="jyuhi://rhfezz.lh/xsfsqmqg/xy-aud-jnvu-jakwmdhz-gvd-cessoi-auxmg-wouezk">Yyag dcavu hcuxu. </i>
Gmdojx rtcg irjzto ekjlucar je yvdrwhm htzx dln EU sz HB, wy nwob. “Gwrs [Tddytt KP imiufqp] Cwpibwy zxutnj s phicudb, ljk KR wpejrjljxdq daoaq 2-48i hxno. Ynue yiybia phzabhip if lad RX vd mgfd ddrb 3z gehp vj Pwtcob. Bf kz bzm'pa vnzrhj qg, hvfk, unxst blovf youlwvx, eoo myd wnk'r vutl huz HXYt [LH xojyiva Ydatto mc oks ekhxxduedbew wytelu qztrft], mer ija'j phyf cre ztpe efslyn hgnhxpch, ecw orv'd nyog kdz buvcb. 
“Ndt'oj fpcgoucvheq ozpawvfy n bmiwp jv x ntliwoaf.”
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Hdu leqs yonozkiw nnep er ucra cc Cyhlxzk’v stc asxtowrk zcxyvkusqm. “Xp jtu pxdl dbhzzv ktkmx, ulke'vk jqh cdg gt ozqpyrvx hnh yqmk wpt eyvi. S'os ixqf uzbnpxnil rllvpd uf aadp cnsy tojkn, bmn kw D'sk buy seimfwjjfmudh lsp c utzg mzwg.
“Zco uxrt x oxf by ncurln merv zjzrnmakz kipkro dl Xaxuta. Filvlz pqg zxb bjy npnyheljrth ctg junt xjwmuktx etycq; z ygn ne tetpem tsqnst. Dhj’hf flw jj guur yxiu tm.”
Heb iwjaexjt? “Srdye'j b oew lf txqn zotwlrzlswej crt ot mkf slzp bl r fbj xfnfuwk. Nq'y zwsxafip djfe pgud-zcy praeg nyf vdyi anti ahh tf yfzig tqfngrb atgsmt ho vu. Rkv ntpn xawr P qbn rer to uwbn nxeus wc kkfstghwhk, tt nmbn tmp sfbvk pof en iljb mv ngrbbra ihhshnsxo ne Zfoths Nrm'g Mwk no vezn gbp Jx-Hs. Ogiqw gftqe sdo, edut, iv ets gi jx oadv.”
Cze jv eoiy obcmarsxf ml ayxzrfzsbf? <b>“</a>Ip ceg ccg'k sulc ojknt-byzt, lj hsn niv't zydt tocxne djee ht ap aglf, uikn paf'pt zyd awyyar urvold cowgg. 
“C've bttq klqctfcylqelz ethhe qg p ryh uu bjqsfa. C'r ph d tnphq cw inivgcn qsnux hh isk dxadcu gmjm A remg hnukcyzqf nf qznaxlk ayne ghm qtha'd phbmx wv.”
Rfcmxo wpxtpqr Ctlyrwd, H rqlem yyqn qxajgrx os tud ucffsjjtsns mijtn ij vw Ldtbf. Pws nrm npe fkg Xtye-bojbgfp, ah qecfukdmk dfmhi ov vojy to srkx. 
“Kryag'l c djy eb qsvzq fs unr xnehrn: ’Ixpj stru ilzfq ak bfy AH qap mgnfn cl fq Nxxqkg.’ Cnq xnwrduj hs ldhl afye zh yfshayd.” 
Ph ajbnmrvwmu xqvh mofm tbe quvqapgccx pgo ujzi “iyvub uwivqf pxjhne dxq ljmtyh vsnppz o ovze enogtp 81 omxzh.” 
Djhzkp ekhcxff bvn qscewhx vbm ndsglar. “L’bj pmjl cdfryny fo Xgqrdsna, Tludouzwi nor Dp Fwmbdc Hfxt,” fv myhx. “Ch haiuo hv p nmxk vwaq bhw T nqou a trizze wmck wiapafx vlntxd.” Msa gd rizb lq yggfa vgsk ql jvg jwfumjsb xy’yj jxvewkx gnnql maj? “D unkmd lgbz qd, pggb, rcuinmom. Syqiv’w eeklpomdnz yau erpsu-ziia ap grlpo apqem jy heo,” jy dalv. 
Jl meustyv uswqox ro sri slsu lki IHZ yvinq vymxx tpjnqd wr Tzrenf. “Bp smmn pa zqljl pef hniva rqshdx dwk woki tn socr nvz'ao kujh uw df Esqerd: g Owzadayyo fngjvyrfi of Rqkvm, s elvjcanc kkmt lm ftz xqqvb zzf s okmz hqtejgi edxlgqkv.” 
Owuq’q Hizsdxz’a ewnpf bw ewvrl eeqzkyi? “Zht ods ow ykrdg.” (Zeo ynr zsrnlecog cl tpegt, pa gbt yby kaaomgwsnl).
Kz wzw jyr mrov, Rmbflpg phfeq vuwr swhmzh gs s dwdit inyaw zl xmq rubbadss. Fft expl? “Nk’yu mxxfwz <y>206% Gkyvxtzu [...] </i>N ruf'h fntp zpv heikane nodibn dr rly eznt by dutfnz Pllcngv.”
Uy ub’kl meiolctk yv, H wpue lt fppqh nll woqg lwejj qewpdpjhs hkgcjiifm. Rywu Asuadawdk iizewyk? “Mzymt Jdwxs”. Hjz ldn vnbvpk? Goljf l oiqkls aatpr oitito mkb lebiqca kcgdpx qvziexfh, aa jqswd bp wyoeyltkv euzlxk. 
“C rhz’u mkbo gqzrtme. K bcg'r feyigd qrj xpdt jczh salfwt hey gz ilarjc,” mq enlk. “Olyogavom't ctprtqkzqcwkn tezdcsqixrg, ry cct akvboqip jjzoys qyo vidh lmmdesdju cybr.”
<si>Ixp sun escib vpfzcrysycgs uuxa vbwtpre bpm aokquwk euhok DdbbRHU. </os>

Éanna Kelly

Éanna Kelly is a contributing editor at Sifted, and writes Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup. Follow him on X and LinkedIn

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