As founders and investors look ahead to 2026, their New Year’s resolutions reveal a familiar challenge: how to scale a fast-moving startup without losing purpose, people or perspective.
From carving out mental space to rethinking leadership habits, founders and investors across Europe are reflecting on what they want to improve — at work and at home — in the coming year.
Their resolutions offer some practical insight into what experienced founders and investors are choosing to focus on next. Some are tactical, others more personal, but all reflect the trade-offs of building at scale — and might help you think about your priorities for 2026.
More space, more patience
For Joe McDonald, cofounder and CEO of Tem, the Atomico-backed energy tech startup, the priority for 2026 is “to create space”. “That’s space to think and space beyond the day-to-day of the business – especially when it comes to making the big calls,” he says.
“But it's also finding space to leave London and get into the wilderness, into the mountains. I’ve realised I do my best thinking when I take time to disconnect and gain perspective.” He also hopes to “finally” finish an end-to-end campaign of fantasy-themed tactical board game Gloomhaven.
Alicia Navarro, founder of startup coworking platform Flown, designed to help users beat procrastination and work more effectively, is aiming to live a healthier lifestyle in 2026. “Whether it's going to the gym on my lunch break, eating healthier or doing Dry January, I think it will help me."
Alastair Paterson, CEO and cofounder of Harmonic Security, which recently featured on the Sifted AI 100 and helps companies adopt AI securely, says his resolutions were forged somewhere over Greenland, during an eight-hour flight from San Francisco to London — accompanied by his two toddlers.
“Somewhere between the third snack bribe and the fifth lap of the cabin, I realised: if I can negotiate peace at 38k feet with a three-year-old, then enabling AI adoption should be a piece of cake.
“My resolution for 2026? Bring the same patience and determination to scaling up Harmonic that I brought to row 34.”
Business matters
Several founders are turning that lens inward, prompted by growth pains and honest feedback.
Richard Dana, founder and CEO of mortgage and savings platform Tembo, says recent 360-degree reviews made one issue unavoidable.
“One of the clearest themes was the need for me to delegate more,” he says, as the company scales to around 150 employees. “Doing so will free me up to focus on what I need to be doing: leading the business and finding new opportunities for growth.”
Wouter Durville, cofounder and CEO of employment assessment platform TestGorilla, came to a similar conclusion through experience rather than formal reviews.
“In 2025, I learned that being a good CEO doesn’t mean being constantly available,” he tells Sifted. Stepping away after a major pricing model change proved to Durville the organisation could run without him hovering in the background.
“Building a company, and a life, is not a solo act. Next year, I want to keep treating both as team efforts.”
Among investors, Tom Henriksson, general partner at Helsinki-based VC firm OpenOcean, said: “In 2026, I want to see two serious unicorn exits for OpenOcean. On a personal level, though, I’d really like to lose a few pounds and finally improve my golf handicap.”
Alessandro Hatami, serial entrepreneur and investor, says he wants to”listen to young people more and stop judging their motivation”.
“They’re not less ambitious or less resilient; they’re navigating a world that is structurally different from the one I grew up in: shaped by AI, social platforms, and an unstable global economy. The values haven’t vanished, they’ve evolved.”
He adds: “The more time I spend with the next generation — at home, at conferences, in startups — the more I realise how much we can learn from how they adapt, connect, and create meaning on their own terms.”
Juliette Devillard, founder of Climate Connection, a London-based forum supporting green startups and investors, said 2025 had been a “hard year” for the sector and predicted 2026 would be the year of “quiet climate”.
“Climate startups and investors will still be working on the same solutions, but they will quietly rebrand themselves and their work to take 'climate' out of their communication.
“Don’t quit climate [...] Climate is a multi-generational challenge and the people who stay through downturns, political noise, and shifting social trends are the ones who will shape the solutions. So instead of cutting climate desks or shelving innovation programs — double down.”
