# Government

As France reels from days of violence, founders brace for more uncertainty
Pro
October 19, 2026
As France reels from days of violence, founders brace for more uncertainty
Fintech unicorn Qonto’s headquarters were trashed over the weekend as French political and economic crisis deepens
Daphné Leprince-Ringuet
Governments need startups. So why is it so hard to sell to them?
Pro
Analysis
October 19, 2026
Governments need startups. So why is it so hard to sell to them?
Execs from Synthesia, General Catalyst and the UK's Sovereign AI Fund debated how startups can break into government — and whether European sovereignty should come before the best technology
Martin Coulter
‘I’m 30. I’ve got one more shot’: Reson8’s founder wants to build a European AI giant
Pro
Interview
October 16, 2026
‘I’m 30. I’ve got one more shot’: Reson8’s founder wants to build a European AI giant
After selling his healthcare company to Tandem Health, Thomas Kluiters is betting on voice AI — and says Europe’s founders need to think bigger
Éanna Kelly
UK looks to ban non-competes to stop ‘drag on innovation’
News
October 9, 2026
UK looks to ban non-competes to stop ‘drag on innovation’
The move follows lobbying by some of the UK’s most valuable AI companies
Tom Nugent
The VCs that could run the UK’s £1bn Scale-Up Fund
Pro
Analysis
September 30, 2026
The VCs that could run the UK’s £1bn Scale-Up Fund
From Octopus Ventures to Molten Ventures, here are the investors that could land the mandate to manage the pot
Anne Sraders, Tom Nugent and Freya Pratty
Ineffable, Recursive, Fractile call on UK to limit non-competes
News
September 29, 2026
Ineffable, Recursive, Fractile call on UK to limit non-competes
London neolab Inherent has coordinated an open letter — and removed non-competes in its own contracts
Maya Dharampal-Hornby
UK Sovereign AI Fund in talks to back raise for drug discovery startup
News
September 18, 2026
UK Sovereign AI Fund in talks to back raise for drug discovery startup
Head of ventures Josephine Kant is reportedly set to join Potential Sciences’ board
Martin Coulter
UK government seeks fund manager for £150m northern scaleup fund
News
September 7, 2026
UK government seeks fund manager for £150m northern scaleup fund
The fund, which will come from money already allocated to the British Business Bank, will provide investments of £5m-15m to companies in the north of England
Tom Nugent
Matt Clifford's move to Anthropic draws criticism: 'Not cool'
Analysis
September 3, 2026
Matt Clifford's move to Anthropic draws criticism: 'Not cool'
Some believe it's a shame that one of the UK’s top tech leaders is joining a US company
Freya Pratty and Anne Sraders
UK government under pressure to change non-compete rules
News
August 18, 2026
UK government under pressure to change non-compete rules
Pressure is mounting on the UK government to make garden leave optional for employees
Maya Dharampal-Hornby and Freya Pratty
UK expands talent visa to more than 100 companies
News
August 6, 2026
UK expands talent visa to more than 100 companies
Notably absent from the list are the country’s latest cohort of AI labs
Freya Pratty
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
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
Can Kanishka Narayan make up for the loss of DSIT?
Pro
News
July 21, 2026
Can Kanishka Narayan make up for the loss of DSIT?
Narayan has been promoted to a cabinet-level position covering AI
Ellie Apostolidi, Maya Dharampal-Hornby and Freya Pratty
Reynolds appointed business secretary as DSIT scrapped
News
July 20, 2026
Reynolds appointed business secretary as DSIT scrapped
Kanishka Narayan promoted to become first AI minister to attend cabinet meetings
Freya Pratty
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
The people set to influence tech policy in Burnham’s Britain
Pro
Analysis
July 13, 2026
The people set to influence tech policy in Burnham’s Britain
Here are the other movers and shakers you should be watching
Freya Pratty
Liz Kendall: ‘I’d love to stay as UK tech secretary’
Podcast
July 7, 2026
Liz Kendall: ‘I’d love to stay as UK tech secretary’
Liz Kendall sits down with John Thornhill on the latest episode of the Sifted podcast
John Thornhill and Maya Dharampal-Hornby
Exclusive: ETCI-backed VC firms split over plan to limit non-European investments
Pro
Exclusive
July 3, 2026
Exclusive: ETCI-backed VC firms split over plan to limit non-European investments
Some VCs believe being required to invest more into Europe could limit their appeal to private LPs
Daphné Leprince-Ringuet and Anne Sraders
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
French bid to block UK from €5bn EU fund sparks backlash
Pro
Analysis
July 1, 2026
French bid to block UK from €5bn EU fund sparks backlash
Founders and investors divided over British involvement in Scaleup fund
Martin Coulter and Anne Sraders
Exclusive: DeepMind and Gensyn angels back Xylo in £2.8m raise
Pro
Exclusive
July 1, 2026
Exclusive: DeepMind and Gensyn angels back Xylo in £2.8m raise
Govtech is trendy now, say the team behind Xylo, which provides AI agents for planning officers
Freya Pratty
Startups and VCs divided over UK’s long-awaited defence investment plan
Pro
Analysis
July 1, 2026
Startups and VCs divided over UK’s long-awaited defence investment plan
Some of Europe's top drone startups are eagerly awaiting more UK defence spending
Anne Sraders and Tom Nugent
One simple and radical idea to transform Britain’s tech sector
Pro
Sifted View
June 29, 2026
One simple and radical idea to transform Britain’s tech sector
A popular, effective policy that would help boost Britain’s innovation economy and cost the Treasury nothing
John Thornhill

# Government

As France reels from days of violence, founders brace for more uncertainty

Governments need startups. So why is it so hard to sell to them?

‘I’m 30. I’ve got one more shot’: Reson8’s founder wants to build a European AI giant

UK looks to ban non-competes to stop ‘drag on innovation’

The VCs that could run the UK’s £1bn Scale-Up Fund

Ineffable, Recursive, Fractile call on UK to limit non-competes

UK Sovereign AI Fund in talks to back raise for drug discovery startup

UK government seeks fund manager for £150m northern scaleup fund

Matt Clifford's move to Anthropic draws criticism: 'Not cool'

UK government under pressure to change non-compete rules

UK expands talent visa to more than 100 companies

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

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

Can Kanishka Narayan make up for the loss of DSIT?

Reynolds appointed business secretary as DSIT scrapped

Burnham sparks backlash over reported plans to ditch DSIT

The people set to influence tech policy in Burnham’s Britain

Liz Kendall: ‘I’d love to stay as UK tech secretary’

Exclusive: ETCI-backed VC firms split over plan to limit non-European investments

Andy Burnham's plan to overhaul AI strategy sparks backlash

French bid to block UK from €5bn EU fund sparks backlash

Exclusive: DeepMind and Gensyn angels back Xylo in £2.8m raise

Startups and VCs divided over UK’s long-awaited defence investment plan

One simple and radical idea to transform Britain’s tech sector