# European Tech

15 hardware startups to watch in 2026, according to VCs

From orbital transfer vehicles to chemical recycling, these are the hardware startups VCs are eyeing this year

‘Europe is a digital colony’: Startups wrestle with tech sovereignty demands

German AI translation startup DeepL recently partnered with Amazon for its cloud infrastructure, sparking concerns

AI bubble: Have VCs already forgotten 2021?

Future price hikes of AI models could throw startups’ unit economics out of whack

Europe has a deeptech advantage. Can it execute?

Hacksummit brings together founders and investors betting on Europe’s deeptech industrial revival

‘If you don't fill your roles, you're simply missing out’: The data behind Europe’s talent gap

As demand for AI, machine learning and data talent surges, a third of Europe’s founders say hiring is their biggest barrier to growth

French-Italian VC 360 Capital raises €85m for deeptech fund backed by European defence prime

The new fund will back up to 25 startups and spinouts in areas like semiconductors, cybersecurity, robotics and the energy transition

15 defence startups to watch in 2026, according to VCs

From hypersonic missiles to micro ocean robots, a host of defence startups are catching VCs’ eyes

Iran war puts Europe’s air defence startups in the spotlight: ‘The gap is impossible to ignore’

A number of European startups like Tytan Technologies, Cambridge Aerospace and Frankenburg Technologies are aiming to build cheaper air defence systems

Inside the booming secondaries market in Europe: 'Who isn’t selling?’

Secondaries investors report premiums for the most in-demand names

9 Bulgarian startups to watch in 2026, according to VCs

VCs from Bek Ventures, Eleven Ventures and BrightCap share the startups they’re eyeing

Middle East investors will remain ‘important’ source of capital, says top European LP

Scaling AI in Europe: turning challenges into strengths

European AI leaders joined Sifted for a special podcast on how the continent can win in the AI race

Insiders report ‘very anti-US vibe’ at Europe’s top defence conference

VC attendees say the Munich Security Conference ‘felt like Slush’

Are world models Europe’s chance to win in AI?

Europe has lagged big US language model developers, but some believe it has a chance to get ahead with world models

UK defence prime BAE Systems launches incubator, ‘actively looking’ into VC fund investing

The company says it welcomes competition with Europe’s new defence startups and is eyeing VC fund investing

Salaries soar ‘astronomically’ as defence techs fight for talent

Defence startups are under pressure to woo talent amid a supply-constrained market

The European defence techs working with governments in 2026

Defence startups have been winning contracts and wooing governments as billions flow into the sector

'We’re unlocking Europe’s next wave of innovation together': UK Trade Commissioner for Europe Ceri Morgan on cross-border growth opportunities

How new partnerships in Europe are making the UK ‘the best place in the world to build and scale a business’.

European defence founders and VCs weigh in on Trump’s Greenland threats: ‘A serious distraction’

Some VCs believe the US's aggression could benefit pure-play defence startups

Peec AI brought the SF mindset to Berlin. Can it fend off its rivals?

The German startup touts its ARR, speedy hiring and fast growth. Can its AI search platform ward off the competition?

How Europe’s quantum champions can scale faster with strategic public investment

EU based quantum startups make up 32% of all global quantum startups. How can they compete with global competition?

From experiment to infrastructure: what’s next for AI?

AI has changed the game for workplaces — what’s next for 2026?

2025 equity funding surpasses 2024

AI and late-stage momentum revive Europe’s funding market, despite a drop in deal count

How BIOVALIANCE is building French biotech sovereignty

The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region is fast becoming one of France’s leading regions for biotherapies