Orlando Crowcroft

Orlando was commissioning editor at Sifted. Follow him on X and LinkedIn

Exit values plunge as founders, investors dig in for another tough year
Analysis
February 21, 2024
Exit values plunge as founders, investors dig in for another tough year
Exit options for European startups are largely constrained to M&A as public listing activity reaches a ten year low, new Pitchbook report says
Orlando Crowcroft
Would you sell your fintech startup to a bank?
Analysis
February 13, 2024
Would you sell your fintech startup to a bank?
With valuations falling and VC capital scarce, acquisition by a mainstream lender might be a lifeline for European fintechs
Orlando Crowcroft
16 UK soonicorns to watch
Analysis
February 8, 2024
16 UK soonicorns to watch
The UK has led the way when it comes to producing Europe's unicorns — so which startups could be next to pass the threshold?
Orlando Crowcroft
What’s in store for European fintech in 2024? The experts give their predictions
Analysis
January 9, 2024
What’s in store for European fintech in 2024? The experts give their predictions
2023 ended up being not only a slow year for fintech, but an undeniably tough one. So what does 2024 hold?
Orlando Crowcroft
A US tech talent exodus, AI getting boring and a return to some sort of normalcy: Sifted journalists’ predictions for 2024
Analysis
January 2, 2024
A US tech talent exodus, AI getting boring and a return to some sort of normalcy: Sifted journalists’ predictions for 2024
German startups will push for more, US election delays, a good year for biotech and more 2024 predictions from Sifted journalists
Orlando Crowcroft
Sifted’s most-read stories of 2023
Analysis
December 28, 2023
Sifted’s most-read stories of 2023
It’s been a challenging and eventful year in European tech. Here are the 10 of the best-read stories by Sifted readers
Orlando Crowcroft
UK councils have paid Beam at least £1.1m to find jobs and housing for the homeless. Is it working?
Analysis
November 17, 2023
UK councils have paid Beam at least £1.1m to find jobs and housing for the homeless. Is it working?
An investigation by Sifted suggests that Beam is struggling to meet its targets with council contracts up and down Britain
Freya Pratty, Sadia Nowshin and Orlando Crowcroft
This Australian founder wants to build the UK’s first superapp
Interview
October 19, 2023
This Australian founder wants to build the UK’s first superapp
“Everyone has been waiting for the fintech superapp. Well, it has come from an employment platform,” Employment Hero cofounder Ben Thompson tells Sifted
Orlando Crowcroft
Canva’s cofounder Cliff Obrecht on why he loves acquiring European startups
Interview
October 4, 2023
Canva’s cofounder Cliff Obrecht on why he loves acquiring European startups
Canva’s valuation may have dropped from $40bn to $26bn in just two years, but Obrecht says the design software giant is still kicking goals
Orlando Crowcroft
50% of VCs think startup M&A - and fundraising - is on the up
Analysis
September 22, 2023
50% of VCs think startup M&A - and fundraising - is on the up
A majority of the VCs who responded to our survey expect the next six months to look very like the last six months. That may not be a good thing
Orlando Crowcroft
On the path to profitability with Lydia, France's Venmo
Interview
September 10, 2019
On the path to profitability with Lydia, France's Venmo
Fintech Lydia, the Venmo of France, will be profitable in two years, says cofounder Cyril Chiche. It has 2.3m users and just 70 staff.
Orlando Crowcroft
Europe's fintech startups target Generation Z
Analysis
August 8, 2019
Europe's fintech startups target Generation Z
Generation Z, defined as those born after 1996, represents both a lucrative, and under-served, market for fintech startups.
Orlando Crowcroft

Orlando Crowcroft

Exit values plunge as founders, investors dig in for another tough year

Would you sell your fintech startup to a bank?

16 UK soonicorns to watch

What’s in store for European fintech in 2024? The experts give their predictions

A US tech talent exodus, AI getting boring and a return to some sort of normalcy: Sifted journalists’ predictions for 2024

Sifted’s most-read stories of 2023

UK councils have paid Beam at least £1.1m to find jobs and housing for the homeless. Is it working?

This Australian founder wants to build the UK’s first superapp

Canva’s cofounder Cliff Obrecht on why he loves acquiring European startups

50% of VCs think startup M&A - and fundraising - is on the up

On the path to profitability with Lydia, France's Venmo

Europe's fintech startups target Generation Z