# Government

EU’s €20m Ukrainian grant scheme delayed amid conflict of interest complaint
News
September 20, 2023
EU’s €20m Ukrainian grant scheme delayed amid conflict of interest complaint
Despite claims that the funding would be fast-tracked, the EU has not even selected the startups that will receive the cash, Sifted has learned
Zosia Wanat
Estonia won’t intervene to help failing startups during economic downturn, minister says
News
September 11, 2023
Estonia won’t intervene to help failing startups during economic downturn, minister says
Estonian minister Tiit Riisalo says the Baltic nation is “a true market economy” and will not “throw money around”
Zosia Wanat
Britain rejoining Horizon Europe is disaster averted, nothing more
Opinion
September 8, 2023
Britain rejoining Horizon Europe is disaster averted, nothing more
Leaving the EU-funded research and innovation programme was a travesty and the reverberations will be felt for decades to come
Zoe Peden
UK PM greenlights Britain’s re-entry into Horizon Europe
News
September 6, 2023
UK PM greenlights Britain’s re-entry into Horizon Europe
The deal would see UK universities and startups able to access the EU's €95bn research funding pot
Cristina Gallardo
UK government unveils plan to direct £75bn from pension funds to startups
News
July 10, 2023
UK government unveils plan to direct £75bn from pension funds to startups
Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, has convinced nine major pension funds to invest at least 5% of their assets into British startups and VC firms
Kabir Agarwal
UK tech minister Chloe Smith on unlocking pension funds and nurturing talent
Podcast
June 16, 2023
UK tech minister Chloe Smith on unlocking pension funds and nurturing talent
This week on the podcast, we sat down with the government minister tasked with supporting the growth of the country’s tech and startup sector
Steph Bailey
Meet the man tasked with opening Silicon Valley to European tech
Interview
March 31, 2023
Meet the man tasked with opening Silicon Valley to European tech
As the EU's regulation of big tech grows but its startups get hungrier for funding, Gerard de Graaf has a balancing act to pull off
Zosia Wanat
SVB UK: the latest on the startup bank’s collapse — and sale to HSBC
Analysis
March 14, 2023
SVB UK: the latest on the startup bank’s collapse — and sale to HSBC
The UK government is currently working on a solution for startups with money locked up in the bank.
Sifted reporters
Czech Republic to invest in AI university spinouts via a new €55m fund of funds
News
March 1, 2023
Czech Republic to invest in AI university spinouts via a new €55m fund of funds
€15m of the fund will go to the AI technology transfer fund and is part of a wider push from the Czech government to create a better environment for the country’s AI scientists to commercialise their research
Zosia Wanat
Berlin-based SaaS Polyteia raises €5m to speed up government decision-making
News
March 1, 2023
Berlin-based SaaS Polyteia raises €5m to speed up government decision-making
The govtech will use the money to expand in Europe in 2024
Miriam Partington
Barclays says it will commit £24m of its own cash alongside government tech grant
Interview
February 24, 2023
Barclays says it will commit £24m of its own cash alongside government tech grant
Barclays Eagle Labs has committed £24m of its own money alongside the grant, and says the government plans to reduce public sector intervention in UK tech
Amy O'Brien
'Good news for startups' — UK government launches new Science, Innovation and Technology department
News
February 7, 2023
'Good news for startups' — UK government launches new Science, Innovation and Technology department
Startups hope the new department puts tech centre stage as the UK strives for economic growth
Tim Smith
EU deeptech fund speeds up investments but many startups still left waiting for funding
News
November 17, 2022
EU deeptech fund speeds up investments but many startups still left waiting for funding
The European Investment Council (EIC) Fund has finalised equity agreements with two new startups and taken a positive decision about 33 others — but many companies are still waiting for their money
Zosia Wanat
Is Rishi Sunak the UK’s most startup-friendly PM ever?
Analysis
October 25, 2022
Is Rishi Sunak the UK’s most startup-friendly PM ever?
The former chancellor is about as pro tech as it gets
Eleanor Warnock and Amy Lewin
UK startups pushed to the brink by 'lottery' of R&D tax credit delays
Analysis
August 26, 2022
UK startups pushed to the brink by 'lottery' of R&D tax credit delays
Delays in R&D tax credit payments have already led to at least one startup laying off staff as their runway runs out
Zosia Wanat
The next UK prime minister: which candidate will be best for startups?
Analysis
July 19, 2022
The next UK prime minister: which candidate will be best for startups?
From Silicon Valley wannabes to zero experience, we look at how the hopefuls for the top job stack up
Sifted reporters
Inside GCHQ's startup programme
Analysis
May 20, 2022
Inside GCHQ's startup programme
The UK's cybersecurity and intelligence agency GCHQ is on a mission — and has appeared to be since the Snowden leaks in 2013 — to shift its public image away from secretive agency
Freya Pratty
The government algorithms making life and death decisions — and getting them wrong
Analysis
March 16, 2022
The government algorithms making life and death decisions — and getting them wrong
Algorithms are being used by governments to make key decisions on benefit payments and immigration, often unfairly
Tim Smith
An early Facebook backer is betting on this startup sharing climate solutions
News
March 9, 2022
An early Facebook backer is betting on this startup sharing climate solutions
Apolitical has just raised a £5m Series A round to help civil servants share their best climate solutions
Freya Pratty
How can smaller European tech hubs attract global talent?
Opinion
September 20, 2021
How can smaller European tech hubs attract global talent?
Finland gives some clues as to how smaller tech hubs in Europe can poach the world's best.
Raghunath Koduvayur
Friends or foes? How the European and American tech industries can work better together
Interview
August 30, 2021
Friends or foes? How the European and American tech industries can work better together
"US businesses believe the European market is theirs to grab," says Scaleway CEO Yann Lechelle. Can they learn how to get along?
Sponsored by: Scaleway
Western armies turn to startups for a technical edge
Analysis
August 3, 2021
Western armies turn to startups for a technical edge
Technology used to flow from the military to the private sector. Now armies are turning to startups to help them keep up.
Maija Palmer
France expands tech talent visa scheme and targets expats
News
July 7, 2021
France expands tech talent visa scheme and targets expats
Two thirds of French startups say their primary concern is how to hire the right talent.
Freya Pratty
Tax credits and 20 other ideas to spawn tech giants in Europe
News
June 15, 2021
Tax credits and 20 other ideas to spawn tech giants in Europe
As part of Scale-Up Europe, 170+ entrepreneurs, investors and innovators in Europe have drafted a 21-step plan, with the goal of spawning 10 tech giants each worth €100bn+ within the decade.
Marie Mawad in Paris

# Government

EU’s €20m Ukrainian grant scheme delayed amid conflict of interest complaint

Estonia won’t intervene to help failing startups during economic downturn, minister says

Britain rejoining Horizon Europe is disaster averted, nothing more

UK PM greenlights Britain’s re-entry into Horizon Europe

UK government unveils plan to direct £75bn from pension funds to startups

UK tech minister Chloe Smith on unlocking pension funds and nurturing talent

Meet the man tasked with opening Silicon Valley to European tech

SVB UK: the latest on the startup bank’s collapse — and sale to HSBC

Czech Republic to invest in AI university spinouts via a new €55m fund of funds

Berlin-based SaaS Polyteia raises €5m to speed up government decision-making

Barclays says it will commit £24m of its own cash alongside government tech grant

'Good news for startups' — UK government launches new Science, Innovation and Technology department

EU deeptech fund speeds up investments but many startups still left waiting for funding

Is Rishi Sunak the UK’s most startup-friendly PM ever?

UK startups pushed to the brink by 'lottery' of R&D tax credit delays

The next UK prime minister: which candidate will be best for startups?

Inside GCHQ's startup programme

The government algorithms making life and death decisions — and getting them wrong

An early Facebook backer is betting on this startup sharing climate solutions

How can smaller European tech hubs attract global talent?

Friends or foes? How the European and American tech industries can work better together

Western armies turn to startups for a technical edge

France expands tech talent visa scheme and targets expats

Tax credits and 20 other ideas to spawn tech giants in Europe