# British Business Bank

Europe’s newest defence unicorn raises $175m Series B
News
July 9, 2026
Europe’s newest defence unicorn raises $175m Series B
Kraken Technology Group designs and manufactures maritime technologies and vehicles for coastal security
Tom Nugent
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: British Business Bank to back UK scaleups with £400m per year
Pro
Exclusive
June 29, 2026
Exclusive: British Business Bank to back UK scaleups with £400m per year
The state bank will write first-time cheques of £10m-40m
Maya Dharampal-Hornby
Exclusive: British Business Bank backs 10 VC funds with £90m pot
Exclusive
June 25, 2026
Exclusive: British Business Bank backs 10 VC funds with £90m pot
It’s the first time the UK’s state economic development bank has committed capital specifically for underrepresented groups
Maya Dharampal-Hornby
Exclusive: British Business Bank eyes stake in EU’s €5bn Scaleup Fund
Pro
Exclusive
June 25, 2026
Exclusive: British Business Bank eyes stake in EU’s €5bn Scaleup Fund
The UK’s involvement in the superfund now rests on the incoming British prime minister and the European Union
Maya Dharampal-Hornby and Freya Pratty
All female-GP firm Thena Capital raises £45m for debut healthcare fund
Pro
Exclusive
June 8, 2026
All female-GP firm Thena Capital raises £45m for debut healthcare fund
The firm aims to back 25 healthcare and medtech startups and believes “AI is going to completely transform healthcare”
Anne Sraders
Europe’s most active LPs since 2020
Pro
Most active investors
January 9, 2026
Europe’s most active LPs since 2020
Sifted found out which LPs have been the most active cheque writers amid the highs and lows of 2020 through 2025
Anne Sraders
UK’s biggest backer of VC funds eyes more defence deals
Pro
Interview
November 14, 2025
UK’s biggest backer of VC funds eyes more defence deals
The British Business Bank, which invests closely against the UK government’s industrial strategy, tells Sifted more defence fund pitches are landing on its desk
Tom Nugent

# British Business Bank

Europe’s newest defence unicorn raises $175m Series B

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

Exclusive: British Business Bank to back UK scaleups with £400m per year

Exclusive: British Business Bank backs 10 VC funds with £90m pot

Exclusive: British Business Bank eyes stake in EU’s €5bn Scaleup Fund

All female-GP firm Thena Capital raises £45m for debut healthcare fund

Europe’s most active LPs since 2020

UK’s biggest backer of VC funds eyes more defence deals