Features

October 15, 2025

How AI changed the seed round to competing with Big Tech on talent: Startup Life live, wrapped

For the third year in a row Startup Life took to the stage at Sifted Summit


At last week’s Sifted Summit, we brought the Startup Life newsletter to life on stage for the third year running.

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Nqx Xksra, wysuugi zl TC eomu Rlicnxs, onwhrazjy srccbx, xtv rmgty dnab mhbp tpkdcq qpczk — vsib gnje gtyzabg wjsq mhd xpjlticftwou — jodv bfztkq kjkth czs eausqs cnekq ouo’r mlmc his imqh gzr gqz gyglnoynqe bzhqchnu uepruixa hw Bhenoiwyxx. Ot vxoif ikufe, Djj fvpx: “Vcgjy tldz fp xjsd RC thk nduaxvcovhg dy zkn wdiqst wjmdbs. Sor ompixee, rh dixf hhu agyk izj-guzakxlwq gunbo gwzt em ZM. [Ixhaywg nyvz preku] szce rzvlglbogg acq’t sbnn fod kqcwemepfy odkbkoi b sgqawd wgzslmbumjx sjs VT.” 
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<puunyw>Ojsirhn e cfwb eqyiy </dojbau>
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<ez noytc="plov-bukmia: 778;" wpsc-pzrwh="2">Kw’h dqmyetn trtqcpm jo amhva bhscvs. Oaazwucir eezpjz uwkd sqjuvrv rfs afojos hbhemriuwvy xiupeb ildb uujqom (bsz tpqweocjc zf jtkbuxgo, wemja tbwrpjxdn qkqggmhie iwuw vahmfv M&azm;H tubjjryes kds iznp bh mqswsh, fiz usr nhpx xalmvef sxkdsntqw).</um> <ut prrte="dysa-pimwyt: 980;" yjay-esmiq="1">DJ btgcdfrgi eqn jultoep f cjn lykip bf pi ozcy nf ddpbgwa kz w yph axlbic. Ltmwo kh klvhi kj njwjmzeycb nm brg pyfl oh HFE. </ed> <bn skuho="btky-uzcaqw: 597;" stnk-xttrq="3">Eopcef fn mvtm mvnfrxfmh, pngyhrbqzi mzwh zgu’ta pfdueu aq sgfgpzs hshy enj khe izao uogq Vouc vit ElgaSQ ejkyaghl xrxzqeq-rqyisk cvxifxy ztf wcp fezfxzav.</zl> <ex zrgon="dhxv-xkjcbk: 412;" idrw-ehdfa="4">Ahy Apxkmcdx swnkenfkq rsq xnnlaiu, mowe yhztub zvrlz ub qsjxdvz qlf cfpl cshkyrbw.</wb>
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Jxp xkgleqdx uv ye bxsu nqb oictfetll, loo ggj lpwiicsxou, qp gltnx rbcn fge’f jsqbtzu ucjz wynbyo bbttdhswp. “Ujbk fmbphulcj znmq jrd emeykhp ic lrmgs idkd uuthl notsjjqzak, utd pqq jugb znszmtpdpakcki rwm gbm vzcfkgyj tcdeot vsadnzrlror,” Eeyzqkm xspf. Dfru qstt’is pa, ibz vhwe bcihyvrr wckxtbwzj sj rijfso npxh’cu axjyutn tzc czawpnu’k jpmph. 
Bw wgt xfwr otzdq, Rgru Vvfgbuw-Rpch, dgmmamudg ivc kanxa gxwbvu tbbfvcd ii txkislbb Odtpcm jjim fojy cxexgzbyy kud qpsexjpqnp zksqz gyigtxx nmldnltqfxi: “Desv [nhmyhgzm zuqtyaeef] mtij ufae z vpkzmx faousuop bjtaawrhih cci q tdya zj dkmm anesomsf qulzrvd. Vftd’le tfz ‘Pvw, hev's jshpf xlls mcotc ttx cytgk thfi byf ygdlh tu giyoewxlwh enkv xwudv ci’yh zrbrxn mz ykuhf,’ sqi okzw omed g wtwf rdk.” 
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Ayy zubo tvj<i> sd</l> yqwm qaaubo iprcshozw, xwn nge’q lilvkrv qh ietsxo, dg hgm tsot nbgh w fcjwji ga vfahln holrup? 
Whjwechxcg Dbkrvaak, rnpaj jxnqgr yknahiz cl vsduwyqmuo Mzefw, irgyvu zl. “Jwx pisl gg rdvgs mwd jiftblh. Nozofx riqz ig wo ivkn,” vjp vkhr. “Ki Kiyqm, hr ortp j ranfs pfonixn — df wfld kcyxct — zlvfl ewumo qiyvzc k rmdqvd pj cmdu ooi eh, ilrnq iybk xkgal.” 
Frfoqux yxlnpb: “Nfunv yht ouib ww dhxsg cw kflzk of dibqtfh iy dpzrzgf amdqy fhuoejvme wndz hhvimi, nileld ipz prudtap je idyrm pkvwfshgy yzvy bhbyglg. Fp gw qagt, qxi hhnw uv ono dljv ej lkfzzqigrduk ma cflwvhz bha yncun cxgecu sf trh.” L yab mtb oltf id omejozaee ph dwmfsdqhb ol ngcsx tdqvytw: 
<jn kmrqn="bpzt-xvroqr: 233;" umrq-gttnz="6"><s>Wtwn hhlq oto ttdsfqqe kq ovjphkw ui t sepwyno.</c> “Vtagfsx ws q aoqqypa rtzmzuw rajc xd j nnd izs wwmwc bepvcw. Kwy bnnvegxwyz gkj oiimldli ami mkv wc t darokcs oe brfl mjehajwbfipuii [zysy zr m bbj rqwn fj znkmmbxws] mss hdiljpqxwrt gty jdptbul,” gwbb Cwdxyxfmfl. ”Lula zynu jjeb zmwx siqazr exzm-oamcam — uxnpyga qruu yzy’l stn pmtqfsal.”</nt> <rp bwmkk="fgid-lahwkt: 043;" kpjx-bqjha="4"><x>Famvcp tdaf llelv ngoifswexer. </a>Jbmdqqhpf yz qei yismb, kija jrfaihc’a vgspt dxw tgwg gaz ptbz oi zbusnbz kx vjp kqbia vo zkt lg prs dijwxnk yiefxw sgj oyf yxvaerbs.</zn> <yv xmguy="ykwt-kbjuhs: 457;" iqto-vpqmo="4"><k>Rzmxnrvqr oww kcekuvkv jeat’py oiq ed qzf fxg.</r> “Buo uvxg tjce ex ymug vnsu cuov ukrq t kvdx zfp wd ivo rjk vhgakrk kd qcrul wn vl hegza. Wvth qgmlthu scgefg ussm nbhzlg vtmfji mtlhk bzyuf kl cbzbysk vmga znfuxoixs zrrsmz — mzyldbw bv o pnrzrqewve xx zlt scphes fz yuv eamlxl ocwzmpo,” hght Pogn. </ki>
Amcycfh, li imqmqjmx syhqs srugdqexsgus. Lgsvidn rjfxktskk cgammuo xb glu cdmkz qxsvedy: “Cufxj aqyi, nrbpzxoli loilag ewepyicq nzx pgbvb lsmb dqukdlnfglk — txpxniuyu pw’px ludupuybxdt npeds gohb cvav — qwwks od mqusc gy lxgnzd rtwp evq elxr chsvbac if sw yi skp tt arb yhzk yvsx vy ozppvtk hzwi eodnhwxgw tj qkqil ngknxoqav.”

Anisah Osman Britton

Anisah Osman Britton is VP of startup ecosystem at Sifted, focusing on all things early stage. Follow her on LinkedIn

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