Freya Pratty

Freya Pratty is a senior reporter at Sifted. She covers climate tech, writes our weekly Climate Tech newsletter and works on investigations. Follow her on X , LinkedIn and Bluesky

Founder dresses as burglar to troll corporate rival: ‘I’m ready to embarrass myself’
News
January 24, 2025
Founder dresses as burglar to troll corporate rival: ‘I’m ready to embarrass myself’
Inspired by viral YouTuber MrBeast, founder Giuseppe Baidoo took to the streets to stand up for his snack startup
Freya Pratty
Gold rush: Why VCs suddenly love mining
Analysis
January 23, 2025
Gold rush: Why VCs suddenly love mining
Earlier this month, California-based mining startup Kobold Metals raised $537m, signalling investors’ growing interest in the category
Freya Pratty
Leonardo DiCaprio-backed VC takes over management of Sky’s climate fund
News
January 22, 2025
Leonardo DiCaprio-backed VC takes over management of Sky’s climate fund
Both funds have a focus on consumer startups with a climate edge
Freya Pratty
Europe’s PE-style rollup startups
Analysis
January 22, 2025
Europe’s PE-style rollup startups
We’ve listed the startups below that are buying and rolling up smaller companies
Freya Pratty and Miriam Partington
Startups are acting like PE buyout firms – here’s why
Analysis
January 22, 2025
Startups are acting like PE buyout firms – here’s why
Startups are buying up care homes, vet practices and dentists, then using their software to run them
Freya Pratty and Miriam Partington
European tech’s most active East Asian investors
Analysis
January 16, 2025
European tech’s most active East Asian investors
Spoiler: SoftBank's no longer number one
Freya Pratty
UK VCs want to mop up Chinese capital leaving the US. Should they?
Analysis
January 16, 2025
UK VCs want to mop up Chinese capital leaving the US. Should they?
'It's an open game for us, if the money's not going to the US,' says one VC.
Freya Pratty
'We're fully financed' says Northvolt's sister company Stegra
Analysis
January 9, 2025
'We're fully financed' says Northvolt's sister company Stegra
Stegra, previously known as H2 Green Steel, plans to expand into three new countries
Freya Pratty
Gulf investment into European tech halved in 2024
Analysis
January 9, 2025
Gulf investment into European tech halved in 2024
Here are the Gulf investors that backed the most European tech companies last year — featuring a whole lot of crypto
Freya Pratty
Singapore’s GIC invested more than any other sovereign wealth fund into European startups in 2024
Analysis
January 7, 2025
Singapore’s GIC invested more than any other sovereign wealth fund into European startups in 2024
GIC put $1.9bn into European startups in 2024
Freya Pratty
Checkout.com saw losses balloon 73% to $306m in 2023
News
January 2, 2025
Checkout.com saw losses balloon 73% to $306m in 2023
Checkout's revenue from processing payments also dropped, after severing ties with “a large merchant”
Freya Pratty
Climate tech in 2025: more bankruptcies and less green premium
Analysis
January 2, 2025
Climate tech in 2025: more bankruptcies and less green premium
Investors predict what’s in store for 2025
Freya Pratty
Insolvent flying taxi startup Lilium has found a buyer
News
December 24, 2024
Insolvent flying taxi startup Lilium has found a buyer
The agreement is expected to close in January, allowing the business to resume
Freya Pratty
1Komma5 raises €150m to pave way for IPO
News
December 20, 2024
1Komma5 raises €150m to pave way for IPO
The Hamburg startup had previously said it was targeting a 2025 listing; it's now aiming for 2026
Freya Pratty
RIP 'climate tech'?
Analysis
December 19, 2024
RIP 'climate tech'?
The second wave of sustainability startups is over, some say
Freya Pratty
Inside Gloucester Circus: the family office which managed to catfish London’s VC ecosystem
Analysis
December 16, 2024
Inside Gloucester Circus: the family office which managed to catfish London’s VC ecosystem
“Everyone knew of him, but no one really knew him"
Freya Pratty and Miriam Partington
Oxford Nanopore files lawsuit against Chinese biotech giant
News
December 9, 2024
Oxford Nanopore files lawsuit against Chinese biotech giant
Oxford Nanopore told its investors in September that it planned to bring a legal claim against BGI — now it has done so
Freya Pratty
Planet A Foods raises $30m Series B, defying a wider cooling in foodtech funding
News
December 6, 2024
Planet A Foods raises $30m Series B, defying a wider cooling in foodtech funding
Expansion to France and the UK is planned for 2025
Freya Pratty
Europe’s 10 fastest-growing climate techs by revenue
Analysis
December 5, 2024
Europe’s 10 fastest-growing climate techs by revenue
The top 10 include heat pump providers, carbon management systems and electric cargo bike makers
Freya Pratty
Northvolt, Lilium, Graphcore: Europe’s deeptech credentials take a battering as darlings flounder
Analysis
November 29, 2024
Northvolt, Lilium, Graphcore: Europe’s deeptech credentials take a battering as darlings flounder
2024 has been a rocky year for many of Europe's deeptech poster children
Kai Nicol-Schwarz, Freya Pratty and Miriam Partington
Galp scraps joint venture with Northvolt to build Europe’s largest lithium refinery
News
November 27, 2024
Galp scraps joint venture with Northvolt to build Europe’s largest lithium refinery
It’s the latest blow to the battery manufacturer, which filed for bankruptcy last week
Freya Pratty
VW, Goldman and pension funds: Who has most on the line in Northvolt bankruptcy?
Analysis
November 22, 2024
VW, Goldman and pension funds: Who has most on the line in Northvolt bankruptcy?
Aside from our warming planet and hopes of European resilience, the biggest losers include Volkswagen and pension funds
Freya Pratty
What’s next for Northvolt after Chapter 11 bankruptcy?
Analysis
November 22, 2024
What’s next for Northvolt after Chapter 11 bankruptcy?
Chapter 11 means the company can seek new financing and restructure its debts
Freya Pratty
'I take responsibility,' says Peter Carlsson, resigning as Northvolt CEO
News
November 22, 2024
'I take responsibility,' says Peter Carlsson, resigning as Northvolt CEO
Peter Carlsson is stepping down from bankrupt Swedish battery maker Northvolt after the company filed for bankruptcy in the US
Mimi Billing and Freya Pratty

Freya Pratty

Founder dresses as burglar to troll corporate rival: ‘I’m ready to embarrass myself’

Gold rush: Why VCs suddenly love mining

Leonardo DiCaprio-backed VC takes over management of Sky’s climate fund

Europe’s PE-style rollup startups

Startups are acting like PE buyout firms – here’s why

European tech’s most active East Asian investors

UK VCs want to mop up Chinese capital leaving the US. Should they?

'We're fully financed' says Northvolt's sister company Stegra

Gulf investment into European tech halved in 2024

Singapore’s GIC invested more than any other sovereign wealth fund into European startups in 2024

Checkout.com saw losses balloon 73% to $306m in 2023

Climate tech in 2025: more bankruptcies and less green premium

Insolvent flying taxi startup Lilium has found a buyer

1Komma5 raises €150m to pave way for IPO

RIP 'climate tech'?

Inside Gloucester Circus: the family office which managed to catfish London’s VC ecosystem

Oxford Nanopore files lawsuit against Chinese biotech giant

Planet A Foods raises $30m Series B, defying a wider cooling in foodtech funding

Europe’s 10 fastest-growing climate techs by revenue

Northvolt, Lilium, Graphcore: Europe’s deeptech credentials take a battering as darlings flounder

Galp scraps joint venture with Northvolt to build Europe’s largest lithium refinery

VW, Goldman and pension funds: Who has most on the line in Northvolt bankruptcy?

What’s next for Northvolt after Chapter 11 bankruptcy?

'I take responsibility,' says Peter Carlsson, resigning as Northvolt CEO