When we launched Sifted three years ago, we wanted to tell the untold stories of European tech. Our aim was to become the voice of the new generation of entrepreneurs shaking up the region.

Fed up with the old ways of doing things, these innovators have been rewriting the economy’s rules, from Dublin to Bucharest and from Stockholm to Lisbon. Some 98 cities across the continent have produced at least one tech unicorn — Europe has created a decentralised Silicon Valley.

Over the past few years, Sifted has told some remarkable stories: about world-beating SaaS companies, muesli-making robots, quantum cryptography startups and vertical farms.

We’ve made a point of focusing on the human dimension of entrepreneurialism: how the tough reality of running a startup so often diverges from the mythology; how successful startups have shaped inclusive company cultures; and how some founders have spurned the VC route and bootstrapped their way to success.

And, because we believe nothing beats the human dimension, we’re holding our first flagship Sifted Summit on October 5-6: two days of discussion and debate, live podcast recordings, a startup expo, ample in-person networking opportunities and so much more. At a time of increased market volatility, we’re looking to help founders navigate these uncertain times with a programme of practical workshops, expert interviews and intimate roundtables. 

The mood in the tech markets may have soured over the past few months, but many of the world’s greatest businesses were born in economic downturns.

Join us at the Sifted Summit this October to learn from some of Europe’s most impressive entrepreneurs and swap smart ideas with your fellow founders. Pre-register now to be the first to know when early bird tickets are available.

John Thornhill is Sifted’s editorial director and cofounder