Amy O'Brien

Amy O'Brien is a freelance reporter covering Italian tech. She was previously Sifted's fintech reporter

Inside Ithaca, the Berlusconi heir’s secretive startup investing firm
Analysis
April 15, 2025
Inside Ithaca, the Berlusconi heir’s secretive startup investing firm
Ithaca Investments doesn't have a website — but it sits on the cap tables of all the most talked-about Italian-founded startups
Amy O'Brien
Baillie Gifford writes up investment in Bending Spoons by 89%, as company raises further funding for acquisitions
News
March 27, 2025
Baillie Gifford writes up investment in Bending Spoons by 89%, as company raises further funding for acquisitions
The markup implies the Italian app developer and acquirer's valuation is now around $4.9bn
Amy O'Brien
Dubai yacht trips, Didier Drogba and $200m that never arrived: the bizarre story of crypto startup 5ire
Analysis
August 8, 2024
Dubai yacht trips, Didier Drogba and $200m that never arrived: the bizarre story of crypto startup 5ire
“Millions have been lost,” says a former 5ire advisor
Freya Pratty, Tom Matsuda and Amy O'Brien
Hundreds of millions in revenue and three acquisitions in 2024 — what’s behind Bending Spoons’ success?
Analysis
April 12, 2024
Hundreds of millions in revenue and three acquisitions in 2024 — what’s behind Bending Spoons’ success?
It’s the Italian unicorn’s third acquisition so far this year and CEO Luca Ferrari tells Sifted what’s behind its unusual strategy
Amy O'Brien
Italian grocery ‘soonicorn’ Everli being sold for €1, according to leaked document
News
February 16, 2024
Italian grocery ‘soonicorn’ Everli being sold for €1, according to leaked document
Everli — once valued at €450m — had raised €140m from investors including Verlinvest, DN Capital and Italy’s biggest local VCs
Amy O'Brien
Checkout.com faces second round of exec departures this year and makes further staff cuts
News
December 12, 2023
Checkout.com faces second round of exec departures this year and makes further staff cuts
The European rival to Stripe has lost 10 executives in the past 18 months and made two office closures and layoffs in the last month
Amy O'Brien
German fintech unicorn Trade Republic is granted a full EU banking licence
News
December 6, 2023
German fintech unicorn Trade Republic is granted a full EU banking licence
The licence will allow the fintech to hold customer deposits, making it less reliant on revenue from payment for order flow
Amy O'Brien
Revolut overtakes N26 and Klarna in spawning alumni founders
Analysis
December 6, 2023
Revolut overtakes N26 and Klarna in spawning alumni founders
A growing number of employees that cut their teeth at Europe’s first generation of fintech unicorns are seizing the downturn as a time to spin out on their own
Amy O'Brien
‘2023 was a tough year’: DeepL’s CEO on keeping up with AI’s pace of change
News
December 4, 2023
‘2023 was a tough year’: DeepL’s CEO on keeping up with AI’s pace of change
The CEO of the recently-minted AI translation unicorn says it’s had its work cut out keeping up with the current pace of change in the sector
Amy O'Brien
Robinhood makes second foray into Europe with UK launch
News
November 30, 2023
Robinhood makes second foray into Europe with UK launch
The stock trading app aborted its first attempt to launch in the UK back in 2020
Amy O'Brien
A new wave of founders are turning from fintech to climate tech
Analysis
November 28, 2023
A new wave of founders are turning from fintech to climate tech
Safi joins a growing group of climate techs that have experienced fintech operators at the helm
Amy O'Brien
Luko placed in receivership as investors grow wary of insurtech
News
November 24, 2023
Luko placed in receivership as investors grow wary of insurtech
Incumbent insurer Admiral pulled out of a €14m deal to acquire Luko after fresh audits of its business
Amy O'Brien
Inside Generali’s move into tech investing
News
November 22, 2023
Inside Generali’s move into tech investing
Italian insurer Generali has invested in Speedinvest, Dawn Capital and Mundi Ventures, and has its eye on more direct investing in future
Amy O'Brien
Luko nears new rescue deal after Admiral drops acquisition
News
November 15, 2023
Luko nears new rescue deal after Admiral drops acquisition
The Accel-backed insurtech is on the cusp of finding a new buyer after Admiral pulled out of its planned acquisition a fortnight ago
Amy O'Brien
Serial entrepreneurs are returning home to Italy to found their next companies. That’s a good thing for local tech
Analysis
November 9, 2023
Serial entrepreneurs are returning home to Italy to found their next companies. That’s a good thing for local tech
Serial founders are bringing their brains — and deep pockets — back to their home country
Amy O'Brien
Revolut’s interim CFO revealed, as search for Group CFO continues
News
November 7, 2023
Revolut’s interim CFO revealed, as search for Group CFO continues
Victor Stinga is signing off the group’s next set of accounts, which are due to be filed by the end of the year
Amy O'Brien
Regulators are cracking down on banking software startups. That's bad news for Europe's fintechs
Analysis
November 7, 2023
Regulators are cracking down on banking software startups. That's bad news for Europe's fintechs
It’s not lack of funding that’s keeping fintech CEOs awake at night, it’s their software providers
Amy O'Brien
Klarna reports first quarterly profit in four years
News
November 6, 2023
Klarna reports first quarterly profit in four years
It comes as the fintech sets up a UK holding company in preparation for an IPO
Amy O'Brien
Why the world’s largest asset manager wants to work with European fintechs like Monzo
Interview
November 6, 2023
Why the world’s largest asset manager wants to work with European fintechs like Monzo
The world’s largest asset manager wants to tap into the continent’s fast-growing market of first-time investors
Amy O'Brien
Revolut hires ex-Molo CEO Francesca Carlesi as new UK banking chief
News
November 2, 2023
Revolut hires ex-Molo CEO Francesca Carlesi as new UK banking chief
Carlesi will take the helm this December at the entity that’s still awaiting a banking licence
Amy O'Brien
Benetton scion moves into tech investing with new €30m fund
News
October 31, 2023
Benetton scion moves into tech investing with new €30m fund
Alessandro Benetton is the pre-eminent LP behind a new early-stage VC firm, 2100 Ventures
Amy O'Brien
Is this the only European fintech that’s cracked the US?
Analysis
October 26, 2023
Is this the only European fintech that’s cracked the US?
European consumer fintechs’ attempts to conquer the US have ended badly. Is Cleo AI the first UK fintech to buck this trend?
Amy O'Brien
VCTs are proving resilient in the downturn, data shows
Analysis
October 24, 2023
VCTs are proving resilient in the downturn, data shows
VCT fundraising is down 4% in 2023, in contrast to venture’s 50% dip
Amy O'Brien
Payments fintech Modulr agrees with regulator to stop onboarding new customers
News
October 16, 2023
Payments fintech Modulr agrees with regulator to stop onboarding new customers
The PayPal Ventures-backed embedded payments provider says it’s working with the UK financial regulator on its “systems and processes”
Amy O'Brien

Amy O'Brien

Inside Ithaca, the Berlusconi heir’s secretive startup investing firm

Baillie Gifford writes up investment in Bending Spoons by 89%, as company raises further funding for acquisitions

Dubai yacht trips, Didier Drogba and $200m that never arrived: the bizarre story of crypto startup 5ire

Hundreds of millions in revenue and three acquisitions in 2024 — what’s behind Bending Spoons’ success?

Italian grocery ‘soonicorn’ Everli being sold for €1, according to leaked document

Checkout.com faces second round of exec departures this year and makes further staff cuts

German fintech unicorn Trade Republic is granted a full EU banking licence

Revolut overtakes N26 and Klarna in spawning alumni founders

‘2023 was a tough year’: DeepL’s CEO on keeping up with AI’s pace of change

Robinhood makes second foray into Europe with UK launch

A new wave of founders are turning from fintech to climate tech

Luko placed in receivership as investors grow wary of insurtech

Inside Generali’s move into tech investing

Luko nears new rescue deal after Admiral drops acquisition

Serial entrepreneurs are returning home to Italy to found their next companies. That’s a good thing for local tech

Revolut’s interim CFO revealed, as search for Group CFO continues

Regulators are cracking down on banking software startups. That's bad news for Europe's fintechs

Klarna reports first quarterly profit in four years

Why the world’s largest asset manager wants to work with European fintechs like Monzo

Revolut hires ex-Molo CEO Francesca Carlesi as new UK banking chief

Benetton scion moves into tech investing with new €30m fund

Is this the only European fintech that’s cracked the US?

VCTs are proving resilient in the downturn, data shows

Payments fintech Modulr agrees with regulator to stop onboarding new customers