Martin Coulter

Martin Coulter is Sifted's news editor, based in London. You can follow him on LinkedIn and X

Sweaty, insane, cracked: Decoding the language of founder praise
Analysis
August 5, 2026
Sweaty, insane, cracked: Decoding the language of founder praise
A field guide to the increasingly absurd language founders and investors use to praise one another
Éanna Kelly and Martin Coulter
Bending Spoons strikes $2.25bn Airtable deal in first acquisition since IPO
News
August 4, 2026
Bending Spoons strikes $2.25bn Airtable deal in first acquisition since IPO
Italian rollup giant expanding beyond consumer apps with another major enterprise software acquisition
Martin Coulter
Exclusive: Plural backs $43m round for next-generation battery startup Ore Energy
Pro
News
August 4, 2026
Exclusive: Plural backs $43m round for next-generation battery startup Ore Energy
Dutch startup says its long-duration tech can help meet AI data centres’ power needs
Martin Coulter
Index Ventures doubles down on AI with fresh $2bn fundraise
News
August 3, 2026
Index Ventures doubles down on AI with fresh $2bn fundraise
Fresh capital takes VC's assets to $3.5bn as it expands bets across seed and growth-stage startups
Martin Coulter
Europe starts enforcing AI Act rules
News
August 3, 2026
Europe starts enforcing AI Act rules
Companies found in breach could face fines of up to 3% of their annual global turnover
Martin Coulter
EU opens applications for €10bn AI gigafactory scheme
News
July 30, 2026
EU opens applications for €10bn AI gigafactory scheme
Companies and investors can now bid to build AI data centres backed by hundreds of millions of euros in public funding
Martin Coulter
AI rollup startup Dwelly raises $170m backed by EQT and General Catalyst
News
July 28, 2026
AI rollup startup Dwelly raises $170m backed by EQT and General Catalyst
Leading AI founders from ElevenLabs, Legora and Synthesia also participated
Martin Coulter
ETN steps up bid to become Europe’s TBPN with $1.6m raise: ‘We’re taking this incredibly seriously’
Interview
July 27, 2026
ETN steps up bid to become Europe’s TBPN with $1.6m raise: ‘We’re taking this incredibly seriously’
Cofounders win backing of Powerhouse Capital and Axel Springer ahead of relaunch
Martin Coulter
UK pension providers in talks for £1bn Scale-Up Fund
News
July 27, 2026
UK pension providers in talks for £1bn Scale-Up Fund
Talks come weeks after France sought to block British participation in EU’s own scheme
Martin Coulter
The next AI race will be fought over trust
Pro
Sifted View
July 27, 2026
The next AI race will be fought over trust
OpenAI's accidental hacking of Hugging Face raises questions over whether Europe's AI leaders are taking safety seriously enough
Martin Coulter
Nothing to cut around 100 jobs in cost-cutting push, reports say
News
July 27, 2026
Nothing to cut around 100 jobs in cost-cutting push, reports say
London-based smartphone maker said to have begun consulting with staff across multiple regions
Martin Coulter
Where did DSIT go? Inside the UK’s tech reshuffle
Explainer
July 24, 2026
Where did DSIT go? Inside the UK’s tech reshuffle
AI, science and tech policy responsibilities have been scattered across Westminster
Martin Coulter
Sifted acquires Onstage to expand founder events business
News
July 23, 2026
Sifted acquires Onstage to expand founder events business
Company aims to better support founders from first pitch to scaleup with first ever acquisition
Martin Coulter
UK defence tech has ‘high hopes’ for new finance minister John Healey
Pro
Analysis
July 22, 2026
UK defence tech has ‘high hopes’ for new finance minister John Healey
Founders and investors say appointment 'signals seriousness' to NATO allies
Anne Sraders and Martin Coulter
CuspAI lands $450m round to accelerate AI materials discovery
News
July 20, 2026
CuspAI lands $450m round to accelerate AI materials discovery
Cambridge-based AI startup hits $2.6bn valuation with latest fundraise
Martin Coulter
Burnham sparks backlash over reported plans to ditch DSIT
News
July 20, 2026
Burnham sparks backlash over reported plans to ditch DSIT
UK tech leaders warn overhaul would be a ‘big mistake’
Martin Coulter
Anthropic recruits Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield for AI compute team
News
July 13, 2026
Anthropic recruits Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield for AI compute team
Challenger bank founder to take leave of absence from Y Combinator to join AI giant
Martin Coulter
Helsing raises $1.8bn backed by Goldman and Lightspeed
News
July 13, 2026
Helsing raises $1.8bn backed by Goldman and Lightspeed
Munich-based defence startup valuation ticks up to $18bn with latest round
Martin Coulter
ElevenLabs targets $22bn valuation with fresh share sale, reports say
News
July 3, 2026
ElevenLabs targets $22bn valuation with fresh share sale, reports say
AI voice startup said to be in early talks with investors for tender offer more than doubling its price tag
Martin Coulter
Bending Spoons CEO on $18bn IPO: ‘We’re building a legendary institution’
Pro
Interview
July 3, 2026
Bending Spoons CEO on $18bn IPO: ‘We’re building a legendary institution’
Sifted sat down with founder Luca Ferrari and investor Baillie Gifford as the Italian scaleup debuted on the public markets
Martin Coulter and Freya Pratty
Andy Burnham's plan to overhaul AI strategy sparks backlash
News
July 2, 2026
Andy Burnham's plan to overhaul AI strategy sparks backlash
Reports suggest the soon-to-be prime minister is sceptical of recent approaches to data centres and driverless vehicles
Martin Coulter
Anthropic release puts science startups on the defensive
Pro
Analysis
July 2, 2026
Anthropic release puts science startups on the defensive
The US AI giant has unveiled a new set of tools designed to automate scientific research
Freya Pratty, Éanna Kelly, Martin Coulter and Tom Nugent
EU offers quota deal to end UK-France standoff over €5bn Scaleup fund
Pro
Exclusive
July 2, 2026
EU offers quota deal to end UK-France standoff over €5bn Scaleup fund
The talks follow France’s attempt to block UK participation in the fund
Freya Pratty and Martin Coulter
Common Ventures launches scheme to get working-class grads into startups
Interview
July 2, 2026
Common Ventures launches scheme to get working-class grads into startups
Social mobility programme backed by Atomico, Phoenix Court and the Sutton Trust
Martin Coulter

Martin Coulter

Sweaty, insane, cracked: Decoding the language of founder praise

Bending Spoons strikes $2.25bn Airtable deal in first acquisition since IPO

Exclusive: Plural backs $43m round for next-generation battery startup Ore Energy

Index Ventures doubles down on AI with fresh $2bn fundraise

Europe starts enforcing AI Act rules

EU opens applications for €10bn AI gigafactory scheme

AI rollup startup Dwelly raises $170m backed by EQT and General Catalyst

ETN steps up bid to become Europe’s TBPN with $1.6m raise: ‘We’re taking this incredibly seriously’

UK pension providers in talks for £1bn Scale-Up Fund

The next AI race will be fought over trust

Nothing to cut around 100 jobs in cost-cutting push, reports say

Where did DSIT go? Inside the UK’s tech reshuffle

Sifted acquires Onstage to expand founder events business

UK defence tech has ‘high hopes’ for new finance minister John Healey

CuspAI lands $450m round to accelerate AI materials discovery

Burnham sparks backlash over reported plans to ditch DSIT

Anthropic recruits Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield for AI compute team

Helsing raises $1.8bn backed by Goldman and Lightspeed

ElevenLabs targets $22bn valuation with fresh share sale, reports say

Bending Spoons CEO on $18bn IPO: ‘We’re building a legendary institution’

Andy Burnham's plan to overhaul AI strategy sparks backlash

Anthropic release puts science startups on the defensive

EU offers quota deal to end UK-France standoff over €5bn Scaleup fund

Common Ventures launches scheme to get working-class grads into startups