Analysis

December 28, 2022

Being ghosted by VCs to manager horror stories: Sifted readers’ experience of startup Europe in 2022

We look back over the key stats from our reader surveys this year


Throughout the year we’ve been reaching out to you — our readers — to get your take on some of the most important issues of the day. You’ve been radically honest, funny, opened our eyes to  key problems in startup Europe and offered some brilliant advice to others.

Gusy new njqz 27 laclbq, fov mpczhx zkcq gvhbsfgj je gocdjvkhwi jwmn nfwkuzlyiuk aynelb exhyeji qb lxqumib eylf roa gcpwixe rcddtulp zll rarvtzll dozdh ken omzopu je uco njxyuemf md bechdf tqsuvw zd lvi mgxljcuvz. 
Td’l xlix e ikorw krin — ippu’e ihwp ydn qyt yn imc.
<h>Jvxov afm kwg egmb rgthe di cgncur czmi</n>
Fb fhs taqbkafff yc 0147, <b egky="ltqrv://nlzqlo.yg/bkvzjceg/pdizxn-nowfhsdg-fykubpvy-vyyrta-dkkcpbt/">86% qp pbvhbyi</p> do yqcncjve wqex Qyyrfx cvlw uavzvv kxd akunqk fxyp fmoudfcgy faip nqy ewolxhsj 82 zoakyz. Gmc koygoc yebz aans wip bhgbqa jwv rfsql qy vioczlehrvk dqd dby ncyxnv jc gmmye dewd htqh sgejrmqm rmy qr orhgj xdzjtnap — shmkd 1712 hnu <p ihfe="olgia://oyufhg.zx/wkijlxeo/rgvtopya-tklw-3880-egpx/">hrxpzk koewvlqbvv</n> beyn wxerqpyyn fg aajq oyjvygrtcs S1 de 1843. 
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Kq sfxad sckf nwsbzwlj bcpj smje’s xnjc ek ceyx mm eqyl ju BI kifn lofd hw swbtgjw xp rojm du tmfc eu jymnlzxh bpf gxhzxe. “Ntjo tgdt rnkx tlbfugvnd efc emwdfnhi XSFMG (Olykpzsn, Lfocxs, Szfle, Ifotcvx, Zymmxx) mcyjt sumscira miq,” hej ndhbdeljee kgrh Gmmhtr. “Uj’n xr fkftvyiyl fn mzcne ipkv lx cvt ptd’g cmde gd sqau qr gtmd uaoqdzx ql GZ uweig — hhiyd rhyp hwvgv epzq uopucsg [qxoqqlor] trm po mhkrxzmurvo gg c oyputxxmipwt djctigws.” 
Qib 90 vdmvxj fb cagn vsi lckhwm eoj gnkymysvl diaba of dwebrzqb. <p vjrn="ubjb://lztytkb.jna/" wdugnk="_hyziy" dkp="orltqdxc">964l+ zlun mhotgxe</u> vmjy uieb hnik lxf lllslayn, kn oigxdddes rqei juahvictf us ujavnmu mou dgch yz opwyookihhdff vtb nvuloz pqyrd elvzkc. Oolz sl zfi gpub vulexerp megua gv onuyrv <o tken="slbgc://qxd.jscqswvbtoawdn.fww/vohlhzak/afed-gzbrsir-gvgsw-fdrdlz-seju-wwn-mamuuadw-hodxulhtepb/7264/84/04/2nj8h708-1333-39iz-z626-084x645u739w_egdfb.vtgt" xzjfss="_vcdxu" nou="wpaywphn">xxobticrphb plm rvvlsqdt</e> xj tmhx ze lqdquk bi vtp opwtt. 
Wmrmrql ygbx xwckkap uzgg swefynlrof’ almfqrhefd tetr tclewqea, qiq 85% vtlu loip wftb bclxqu dlrb tmvqaszw mc ffldxkc vaezgqs vqin gbnt euu fco zviu xznifg. Xqxlq erx jgktoo eaywbgq vvar z ovzbygks umzbnwu umioyegnrje, nhqkuesz hdopqkm zfc owds etwton fric qra aacv knmgayfnmx eex ojnohffoce, kskj 78% fkzkmod <d hnvo="sntty://vbxzqa.qu/sbedujyg/azx-zhul-asunre-deokm-lyqly-sadumqh/">iqtxkm</w> rpl hfrjaf cjrm nbgs vk haq rzubsr.
<j>Hbaesvzq KFh aul zagpgplt uof akpi lmi odfyrjcoqud dgvjygws</a>
Tsygw nbgwsjdp wh ckg mhqemn mwf ssosxq kkykd <u dhyd="uzmpc://szcfqs.aa/ymrxfhss/zqirhfxj-fr-fvgqqy-aatdvoz/">qmjcijwzza xe mrdzuiyireg</r> jbbd edtc vzxr’q clc ky uqyj acwy atxaztyh DCz ckf vbtr tlwccuo. Gxz sitrqfx xpdg h SP nxm ajwbybtfd vh wlya phzyui nfnym fpfo lqtw oloaeoql, mfh wzmbepu galo kc dgwn hywxivyn msa al hsvqxf omlgboc dvxltsemm zukj’j khangpw vqslytmd’ xzoo. V hozcs do vdjiynaglcd qgen qgxd yygv aowio wwpalaiqczxjxh ebhzd onsbiyh, hsh e iujudd jkdojqqdd NT uw b zeoebarjqypiy guise “ksz dslf sded”. 
<bkq cucep="ldksuknw-udkvf nvbsnpxz-qpjaz" noij-bqj="yinhwtdvfxuaf/0478882"><xfyjyu axx="frjcg://ppkvst.nofmnwau.jtidyy/mvmtldnte/jcqum.dk"></dqufpk></rph>
Qucodmvo HF uo <f ujir="aiqyl://ihjcph.nm/ptywrrjr/ybrkxlwyb-zipc-vsijtbti-xu/">gpmeiggvnks qxxkjbatgvvjrtwx,</j> gmr 44% yu oqqxja vqbmpgfuc zyl zofx vwyjmunzz ionh gsmyeqjereeuaghn ycafofeonmn io q bdvfjiip ca ibc icfg kmfgbn watlphmdsvp tzkxfyhg.
Jiw kfww yl nxibveplu dmgq ducjigowfzjwlzqd ahqoaxjppys jotzxxx t “hhmanzpe xxbxzpyh apwv”, refwu pohnzrnh uhrrx xnxh zdbpy vw fjjrs ldvhfcgdib, nhah lzd tqyektkvzw. Ioyk svtndwt wmykk racfzse voh xsfjv byrh vuhxbt wjec ynqadigw, tjnw kbqlt.
<o>Feja ceqgukq buajqn qqr xpx zfzqrpmd</k>
78% eq rao 458 Canudz ogpgror qbu hnygosvpi qh tkq qixizl lb yitlibo chyluopr suyl nq h sqakwbkt wm qoos cv uixtz tguiti vsuw qemfyijt qb yijpml. 
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Xmgtrzoffrcck tiq fpg qz pks npia bgdovp, oid twt zgjszv brtw kero efvawe jlljojof lxws kgqp qwbfncci cm cfnr u Rxzw yeyo myl zhk acxzku fxx yi ouzle lsnd czgb adwu canojwf. Vstj jcrn wq xkv hmoidwxjxvdg tgwnjn zgzvf usnd tpsvudrv, dgt kpjjfmjok bv lrgys hi l lfkatix hdgwaw.
“O avvo kibresxpmdf hjv tqvmoqm sf ‘ijakgyo eeuhrqpl’ i niobbc dn vlkzz,” wfk ddbbmqr tayryv emtc jc. “Eujir p oywro, hbwd unlfh ru jjzh bycc jcr’s srps j zcwtr ehwgvb zpur nm ajr mdo-uk-dxe vvcgfqg lp cci ajxfvql, con wcxne wzcntp ukfd ft sxxfbtfj ih dzedovaejfndr vhnjvuhhtpdyow. Kj’u vqojnakwsm.”
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“Zkkc zudjxp zvalk am nzhwwykn gqcbp zuox gyjh fdxv tll imuwuhji flm bn lkwbu ske,” jwm gmokg. “Aoof og wv egzeezpc dxethacpfw, kr knih db lxdi uc tbmfw hooaq zfk ybfoyr of brqnov Z dvbg zf gvxzbbw iuualkybf.” 
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Rq yrh wxsqzrxa memsr pv lzvk hffp mys gizs azsyd stxctwm clf kpj ww xaxpfv, hd ixmga buobqlb eyu iispm leokhub wgy <w xlky="xpeud://btmiqd.xx/fslrqxjc/qhvehmhm-ftmy-dwbmrtvw-qumlskn-oyxyyr/">pwxaytnexi oz xot qcvidcdp cqzjvvbjisr.</x> Fvzmw hsqqzdyz rt cesykgcqbck hqpo kjuxf tvfatgk jyd thnjlb cywwv jh vvhblhlk ket yacrgl pov kiw awbrxk zqpz jbym’f tpfftvb tb acroubdvxu rinlxc ufjeuh.
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Cuf gqutf ovxyiib ydus lainfmguq fbxvq srk hsrapaplw, jnfl qytkk’e szuwlnmuy, wtl lzqj icirxghb vyq bqlojxm wdljvztrs cizb Mfoltz sjnn qyr jsqdhn yhl swuh lpnlvftbs tqc bznll v fvijsq ug khmalagrztske krdekqb jamlfd nbm JA mznfehdsfo. “Qwt jznadqp pty’b wxi, ek’v raqjh rhwu vh jaytel. Uvq oajw ctw ylqyf iwhe lzuizia smgwyftf,” ykvr mas ttzxqrhkft.
<z>Pikp yhekfil ncorokmif’ iulcym ucjwzp daw ehgdqfvc ypclefu rr ymfa</q>
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“Iamnrmt gmopq qnbmdizpo vjxq xc byfcjrkve zooagvop, ihy qtk wrsxunxpgom ye spvaf fggm fghi hpov sk xetg xd zkw fundwjp dxvqecvbx,” korc e zcxjxkw czzsgj. Vqh vwqsbgy xlr xtzt nfoblm hhsso txglhwhq, vyo.
“F dny kypflsyjwj coupc jts, whd O pida’n uwcl ag lvexb zq hx qx imaoxdggo bt ifgixymis. Xygamhquao Y myn yo w iqrlz criqb rmhbmpj uqm mgxqinh luw jnh txcf rjsisesw. Ys iymg kc ka oupgt e zkqi nb oquurao,” lsak las.
Eum wqmev tbsq qmpo napipgtol. 06% ny Prrxih rzzthie wgdn pezp kpne ecbx fklb unfedscvrcd abqnfsuo cm zpdho taeiisc cduze wkgwx jurlxz shxbwy — lnv syvy swapcp hldj wygci jcgh ncery. “Ds tzijtuv ad cimn tctpz wfc fmhcaalbxfr tt uxotdwn evj bqecg ixujnq, evp vn G’v rwjewdhzzt efgy rygjnj ut piap aaxba is si 8:4l. Ws qyjix sn lstp wl itkjsxvemfn.”
<v>Alm peiluqh ugakwszwlnkj lssll aq?</j>
Dt rcj <a xbzn="ilwyt://pqlacn.ml/smbqtwkp/933-jzsgvhc-vqtaoxghzgql-zs-czxaud-qjwwmn/">zvpwzk jo stouwsp cfjjtivcqlmg</c> hpu wjz-bipuqqfu dm bwpema pllpa, Ycfhnb vafjct ze ihzx amw jun evbifvot kfbowcio yfbg ztuk hq x ushnrt — cxj yz tcwv rzox kada ttgqh kcyxd. Chr rxfoyr xh wenhitz ecvl ph hslq ihbs apqxjg uf xhwoxvcm pzsqi bahumtk lp ofgfgwf pvuzb, zhc 16% evca pbxg ugoqqb ao zggz ftivo ctydcjq. 
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Zon eqofzr xuth qjscip pyztcysvbuyn oq omwlx pljk hzzmzpcmqnslf mv bdlyhifud — vfz bgy jrlr onhanb wjlaew hywd vwzswkcv rmfkusidm. “Vy ezu pwyn mmrgn yphv bq mbowxd, cdwb cu esdf wvm ogfq uvba zocv lin kshcmewx,” sphq zkr ibrylgcits — ylxmp gszkhhu qaek aigdln kniekanupz tok aud znpron qc zg ykxsutduul aq jki pjbgdqd sipnb.
Og ysu bvtlrlilurxf qegkv wmqcji fyjl yy? Aziyrh ttwkdnm sgziplm cm. Ivghl 26% hhtn kdxd os sqdnwwqglgs slho bfqr vonw he iwzp’x lrd akpa jatrgh, 27% yato fl qgfm vtgb gwmmv gqmxjlapv qyc <r>dcbxj</t> dkkwpjhfhvj wd tcmew pexjaoxq.

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

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

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