When we launched Sifted in 2019, we believed there was a demand for more high-quality, independent news, analysis and business intelligence about Europe’s thriving, but largely overlooked, startup ecosystem. If it was to remain relevant in the world, Europe desperately needed to fire up its innovation engine, boost economic productivity and reassert technological sovereignty. Sifted was here to help.
A lot has happened since then: the Covid pandemic; a sharp downturn in VC funding; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the re-election of Donald Trump; and the explosion of generative AI. But, if anything, Europe’s information demand is even more acute and urgent today. We hope that Sifted is helping meet that challenge. Our readers certainly tell us that we have already gone a long way to fulfilling our ambition to become the voice of the startup community and the platform for the investment industry. We know we still have further to go.
While other tech media organisations are scaling back their presence in Europe, Sifted is committed to the region. We’re here to stay. By shining a light on some of the most dynamic companies in Europe, our reporters across the region are showing how we can compete and mobilise investment for the most promising opportunities. With 13% of our readers in the US and many other interested readers in Asia and the rest of the world, Sifted is also helping to showcase the best of European tech to a global audience.
As Mario Draghi noted in his landmark report on European competitiveness, closing the innovation gap with the US and China has become an existential challenge for Europe. It’s vital for Europe’s continued dynamism, prosperity and global standing that we collectively learn how best to innovate at speed and scale. Spotify’s cofounder Daniel Ek told a top tech event recently, “Europe has what it takes” to compete in terms of talent, capital and opportunity. We just need the imagination, focus and grit to do so.
We at Sifted remain grateful to all our readers, sponsors, subscribers and shareholders who enable us to cover Europe’s startup world in such depth. Please tell us how we can improve and better meet your needs.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter for free and — if you’re a founder or a startup operator — sign up to Sifted for Startups (also free) to access more content. Investors can find the most accurate data out there in our Pro offering. We’re also bringing the ecosystem together at the Sifted Summit in London on October 8-9, where we’re hosting more than 200 impressive speakers and 3,000 attendees.
Every day we are inspired by purposeful European founders building meaningful companies. It’s important for all of us that they continue to do what they do — and we continue to tell their stories.
