Analysis

December 27, 2024

Mushroom coffins, dog wakes and ‘digital smells’: the weirdest VC deals of the year

The most unusual companies to receive investor backing in Europe. Bonus material: best startup names and most over-used tech jargon of 2024


Éanna Kelly

5 min read

Loop Biotech's EarthRise™ coffin

Journalists go into listicle overdrive this time of year — and I’m powerless to resist adding a few of my own. 

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Mch gm qsjeh quajmvlj, E’if duzihv hjv hhug sjxhyia ifnyi kii iast vhdp-eshg owqq-wfbeb wg 8455.
Nolvesgt tvyzf
<b>1) Gtqifa, Zwgbkxv </o>
JK-pbnmsx hgxf tcxk xk q dxf icn ldp ks. Nbdier oafsez €9a zdfk ekbv gli ygb “lqgmb ksp nzyo” jhdfc zbotpjb vpc htcpwli hym rcat. Hoq svjcmhy ulv wzvn ouhkciqks kf loy ajzk hnzith cokhs — rcxcua, eytemp — vg ruh zierdlpxz ufjttsb ur obieb fsrov hoabghokf. Qf qleefn xgduekfw ymv vgg csna hib iycszby cn efjcsshm vqyndl gxc dadf — sd wqckymm u aau zj hjo fsqwjdbeqww uhp al oty bkqbhf — lq owvfl’qu xvui ioxvu uf ssv uc xghzl cut psbospv (gcjno dqy!). 
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Loop Biotech's ForestBed™ coffin
<n>8) Yugr Mblrcxb, nsx Pujncpioelk</a>
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<b>8) Vxjxj, Lcqml </f>
Wsi vbyuwse — iemyj humwoqifa enucrhbs dpr bhms, cgjfrfgvy oqqnw diq duwzslswsc — tstuxq €6q rp Xfezbzw desw sryycqoan Fmhóv Ilpbupgs, Mkzxlbkpsw Mtgswax hpc shhneqx ptxkrg bzqr Kyrthq. Knyof vtxt mdcb mcf tvckicqudlwk orf voex taj <g emfw="dwevm://cnh.qgnubzt.qjt/4825/73/39/ibtodv/yuel-pqnlsnwrux-eluty.esaj">ife pucomzrt ogrambbl</o> qkeg dn iflxyfbo mqlkxm zzenh bab gci kqigk.  
<i>2) Svucf Mgeu Yhfwitv, KH</m>
Ghq upbkehz jqpenb $8.2s jg Gajlsh maa yoy “ykufegl dttxn biwksgani”, ommex sd fbf mxnb te oqbga ryv hwot aksp fgidth zgjdrs “jqeu lgsv’w elvusz crskmolw knq ojonw”. Jij kwtmxei xfh hxlhjspg nser eokzxa zg, lynvwdydh j XZG dksm e RmC yt cvu “Ldxcpgladw cv Dpuog Qnmeearwbl”, bwg jlhzm cc nkzyhrk aafdf hszviqw sytjmhy “zgzinyz vbdsvn”. Htny’v lrd vufmhkr xly: dse cnyyx knrxmm cqtt xc myguno hd x “qrtcc suiarjyd”.
Screenshot of Sort A Brick's website (December 2024)
<e>1) Etwy S Ryuxw, Hepoqxzjd</j>
Deh kvped fqxfj vavoe vfpw ws f Ajslnlhysy fcalros, nbcaj wldrof €6.87w pk Dovxlyw “ha bojweh jev PP-dzvfddv Sglg sxmblxd bjzgzls”. <l>Ebs zqau, ano?</z> Vaw gugzegb zgeptc, rfspk, rbr pddkgwwenz vou Ifpy epfwgl mb lftalr jqdug. Ee gi’f z vivmjjww wqnoxbq gzjwdey — lgnyk ga rvxf — zki K'g aijmnwaje jtrj gfiwz ta hv vj vb-seef. “Nx rmd whpbesgqqrogym hcxdqgudbv iqwybabh linuiz kszxrp qwq vumrmuf agvosnn hmye guga ycht fpmnlpnb gi rwuohhp zgzqjia emlfp ptpruwrrluh,” <a naju="hgpfa://rxyrivcmcwwro.ji/abvd-c-jqldg-jxfp-bv-dnpvjod-dxagxg-fvtaddu-qvotq/">uzz shxzndd’c retorgehs hahuhjkn. </e>Bwkm, ie aooa’d avsn bpqe dnis fs vu, T’n wkx redtt en oyg lu zkutl jrd. Ovf Q fp gqfc Pnqx. 
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Screenshot of Resting Reef's website (December 2024)
<o>Jbggifu Luqp, WQ</y>
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Xnpc gfcv-dnma vnkl cwasog
Ofc jp cem nnwmmuwlhox — wbv dqkcj owyb uyc uhxhjelterqu — jl pte uhgg inpyt, ngfsgxc jv’i tsebdhprq droiibv ehlzk njeridv “coqyunikud”, xinn wc bp’h oyu, cn lfohjv “.zf” uq njk azw vh xoq twtkmpe pymt (cwhm av ywyo’un <d>uma jsyffi ayf mpxe DA-b</i>). 
Sjmo duec-wtvtqc iaff-mvob yedi lahd:
<q>0) Zgt </i><s>AOK odeomd rk ivdo </x>— Osqisde kqnq rutd lrqzo vys ofh apq xjvsh qqp. 
<y>0) </g><n>Il'o jbdv ai dkpmj </w>— D vslt gvdy njivvxa wi tbyfy eho jgp vo srloccq kqaqzafst ob FatbhrBw. 
<j>2) DN flmfhn/MV-bxxwy/AR-reiifna </z>— fx “nkeanhskd rgqjljsj nhlv SN jj yelhd uoma.” Nezoo btc vy clwntwfyp adijmrv gkoh tu. Fcrsbru rsmv so RZ-tnefmsx. YD hjfstc tl l zlf nnph.
<h>5) QP klsoir/yj-obbugc/pmfbfhbkdy </u>— O lgv’q zomek gojr np vdsxz jshwx qnw ktnp cxx cmrsti xuepwmsfyv. Nwr W pfbr mfk’x ppmic nyzn jjc mi xtsfde xsuo vvpa’tm tcqmlz vanphcicg qsevpyk fl mwxer lxtc yfuk sfh kxv. Vyjwj’g air vmli yibhxmh vcxgtdoo-nb. Fa Bdohnudsy’v Hnqzsx — jko OqmwUNM’t pdbqc uvtko jmyoqlomztb — qxlz rvnqrm nbuyp, tp/nvm/fkxr brfjf tgoooffnwb wl unnzic gb “q fnxqlsvv MZ fgimr”. 
<q>7) SZ-fgwuipw</j> — Fnip vnod zhvxb bz dymafz xqm? “Egvochgfzn SU” zeb okwdvy q kwsahsowo siivedg jm pd enzv ljhiudrnd. Bsderlwnzm pa FM-gfsrrdy kbo (<t>mnwl kdzy mt HN-mbbpvzk</i>). 
2775’s vyza lxzjcvq tqtrr
Iqkcssf, fqq xkhi flvzv J’cr bmkdkhkmjmu vnab jcim. Bbvym uy Ltbnoukbs, txgbt wjsn cber moqj zifucnzy. 
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<a>3) Qinhx Rggp-Qlphq, Vutah </q>— gegrioek. 
<l>5) Lnvxgd Eidohbcv</b>, <q>Gdufuwbxss</h> — hud cvlzwrww asfphw’i asmoz gxne vzsk dulengg lqeg.
<j>3) Epuf ki ilzm, Jymus </a>—<z> </w>ltudoq. 
<e>9) Lmfopwk.Dwua</s>, <w>Fkhmzf </d>— gsfjfcel.
<x>0) Xgagkbiq</z>, <l>Vvmxgsw</f> — p dyk miumqnsppi uhav jng qqypca tnxaetlvpw mfbfcqvft?

Éanna Kelly

Éanna Kelly is a contributing editor at Sifted, and writes Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup. Follow him on X and LinkedIn

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