20 most promising early-stage startups
Sifted score
7.81-Salv
Specialises in financial crime prevention technology.
- Strong investor(s)
- Hiring
Year founded
2018
HQ
Tallinn, Estonia
Latest round
Seed
€4m / Jan 2023Total funding
€7.5m
Sifted score
7.77-Bleckwen
Fraud detection for institutions.
- Strong investor(s)
- Serial founder(s)
Year founded
2019
HQ
Paris, France
Latest round
Seed
€9m / Jun 2019Total funding
€9m
Sifted score
7.7-TaxDown
Tax prep for individuals.
- Strong investor(s)
- Hiring
Year founded
2019
HQ
Madrid, Spain
Latest round
Seed
€5.8m / Mar 2023Total funding
€14.6m
Sifted score
7.67-Claimer
R&D tax credit claims.
- Strong investor(s)
- Serial founder(s)
Year founded
2018
HQ
London, United Kingdom
Latest round
Seed
€3.8m / Sep 2022Total funding
€4.1m
Sifted score
7.5-Fido
Fraud prevention platform for online marketplaces.
- Serial founder(s)
- Hiring
Year founded
2020
HQ
Milan, Italy
Latest round
Seed
€5m / Jul 2022Total funding
€6.2m
Related articles
How Spain has emerged as one of Europe’s most dynamic tech ecosystems
Sponsored by
June 29, 2026
How Spain has emerged as one of Europe’s most dynamic tech ecosystems
Sponsored by ICEX – Invest in Spain
Exclusive: British Business Bank to back UK scaleups with £400m per year
Venture capitalExclusive
June 29, 2026
Exclusive: British Business Bank to back UK scaleups with £400m per year
By Maya Dharampal-Hornby
Pro
One simple and radical idea to transform Britain’s tech sector
GovernmentSifted View
June 29, 2026
One simple and radical idea to transform Britain’s tech sector
By John Thornhill
Pro
European deeptech investment hits annual record in just six months
DeeptechSifted data
June 29, 2026
European deeptech investment hits annual record in just six months
By Jonathan Sinclair and Federico Scolari
Pro
Berlin’s Peec AI targeting $200m valuation in new fundraise, sources say
Artificial intelligenceExclusive
June 26, 2026
Berlin’s Peec AI targeting $200m valuation in new fundraise, sources say
By Anne Sraders, Freya Pratty and Maya Dharampal-Hornby
Pro
Revolut dials back remote work for graduates
FintechNews
June 26, 2026
Revolut dials back remote work for graduates
The fintech giant has long held a ‘remote-first’ approach for all employees
By Damisola Sulaiman
The voice-controlled drones startup backed by Lakestar and Seedcamp
Defence techInterview
June 26, 2026
The voice-controlled drones startup backed by Lakestar and Seedcamp
By Anne Sraders
Pro
The French & Benelux startups making €100m+ in revenue
Startup lifeLeaderboard
June 26, 2026
The French & Benelux startups making €100m+ in revenue
By Ruggero Di Spigna
Pro
Brent Hoberman on UK tech post-Starmer: 'Are we going to tax everyone to high hell?'
Venture capitalPodcast
June 25, 2026
Brent Hoberman on UK tech post-Starmer: 'Are we going to tax everyone to high hell?'
By Maya Dharampal-Hornby
What it actually takes to scale AI in Europe: ‘The best founders aren’t building for the next funding round’
Artificial intelligenceSponsored by
June 25, 2026
What it actually takes to scale AI in Europe: ‘The best founders aren’t building for the next funding round’
Sponsored by Tencent
Health unicorn Alan raises €480m Series G round led by Prosus
HealthtechNews
June 25, 2026
Health unicorn Alan raises €480m Series G round led by Prosus
By Martin Coulter
N26 hits profitability following leadership shakeup
FintechNews
June 25, 2026
N26 hits profitability following leadership shakeup
The German neobank had a rocky 2025 with management and regulatory issues
By Damisola Sulaiman
Visionaries general partner Judith Dada joins AI startup Langdock as co-CEO
Venture capitalNews
June 25, 2026
Visionaries general partner Judith Dada joins AI startup Langdock as co-CEO
By Anne Sraders
Exclusive: British Business Bank backs 10 VC funds with £90m pot
Diversity and inclusionExclusive
June 25, 2026
Exclusive: British Business Bank backs 10 VC funds with £90m pot
By Maya Dharampal-Hornby
Exclusive: British Business Bank eyes stake in EU’s €5bn Scaleup Fund
Exclusive
June 25, 2026
Exclusive: British Business Bank eyes stake in EU’s €5bn Scaleup Fund
By Maya Dharampal-Hornby and Freya Pratty
Pro
Europe’s investors eye nuclear startups amid ‘massive scramble’ for sovereign energy
Nuclear energyAnalysis
June 25, 2026
Europe’s investors eye nuclear startups amid ‘massive scramble’ for sovereign energy
By Anne Sraders
Pro
Forget FAANG. Europe needs to bet on BRIOCHE!
European tech sovereigntyOpinion
June 25, 2026
Forget FAANG. Europe needs to bet on BRIOCHE!
By Martin Coulter
17 techies share their advice for thriving in the hybrid AI-human office
Startup lifeOpinion
June 24, 2026
17 techies share their advice for thriving in the hybrid AI-human office
By Éanna Kelly
Car subscription company Finn becomes Germany’s newest unicorn
EVsNews
June 24, 2026
Car subscription company Finn becomes Germany’s newest unicorn
By Éanna Kelly
Records broken as eight European startups raised $1bn+ rounds in 2026
Venture capitalSifted data
June 24, 2026
Records broken as eight European startups raised $1bn+ rounds in 2026
By Federico Scolari
Pro
Startups are relocating the wrong person
Opinion
June 24, 2026
Startups are relocating the wrong person
By Maryanne Caughey
'Europe needs this revolution': How Revolut People is selling Silicon Valley's performance culture
FintechInterview
June 24, 2026
'Europe needs this revolution': How Revolut People is selling Silicon Valley's performance culture
By Damisola Sulaiman
Pro
DeepMind handpicked this startup for its robotics accelerator. Now it’s raised an $11.7m seed round
RoboticsExclusive
June 24, 2026
DeepMind handpicked this startup for its robotics accelerator. Now it’s raised an $11.7m seed round
By Tom Nugent
Pro