Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast

Jordi Romero, CEO and co-founder of Factorial, takes us through the company's remarkable evolution into a business management platform. He shares insights on scaling their team from 1,000 to 1,300 in tough market conditions, emphasizing the importance of cultural fit over flashy resumes. The conversation dives into innovative investment strategies that allow for growth without equity dilution and the role of AI in enhancing operations. Jordi offers refreshing takes on hiring passion over pedigree and the transformative nature of leadership in a fast-growing company.

Tom Matsuda, a fintech reporter at Sifted, dives into the remarkable journey of Revolut, Europe's leading private tech company. He reveals the driving force behind its rapid expansion—small, agile teams known as the 'new bets team' that launch innovative products at lightning speed. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced in obtaining a UK banking license, and the speculation surrounding an upcoming IPO, sparking interest in the evolving fintech landscape and how Revolut plans to position itself as a financial super app.

Ilkka Paananen, CEO and cofounder of Supercell, the Finnish powerhouse behind hits like Clash of Clans, dives deep into the secrets of successful game development. He reveals how empowering independent teams, or 'cells', fosters creativity and innovation. Paananen emphasizes the importance of learning from failures and urges a balanced approach to merging tradition with new features. He also highlights the transformative role of AI in gaming and shares insights on nurturing European entrepreneurship through investment and community collaboration.

Daphné Leprince-Ringuet, a senior reporter and French tech correspondent at Sifted, dives into the intriguing journey of Mistral, a Paris-based AI startup that raised a whopping €105 million in 2023. She explores Mistral's strategic partnerships, its shift towards data centers, and how it competes against giants like OpenAI. Daphné discusses the pressures of leadership in a rapidly growing environment, evolving communication strategies, and the broader context of challenges within the French tech landscape. Is Mistral's $6bn valuation justified? Listen to find out!

Emma Burrows, cofounder and CTO of Portia AI, was previously the UK CTO at Stripe. She discusses the rise of AI agents and their potential to reshape the workforce, warning about risks to junior engineering roles. Burrows reflects on her transition from corporate life to founding a startup and the significance of female representation in tech. She also critiques hustle culture and its negative impacts on well-being, while sharing insights on angel investing and the importance of regulation in fostering innovation in AI.

Anne Schraders, a VC and defence tech reporter based in Berlin, dives into the mysterious world of Helsing, a defence tech unicorn valued at €12bn. She discusses its substantial €600m funding and the secretive nature of its operations, particularly around autonomous drones and maritime tech. Schraders addresses scrutiny over the company's drone performance and the challenges it faces in a competitive landscape. She also shares insights on Helsing's potential growth paths, including an IPO, amid shifting attitudes towards defence investments in Europe.

Alexandre Prot, Co-founder and CEO of Qonto, a profitable French fintech unicorn, shares insights on how his company serves 500,000 small businesses across Europe. He discusses Qonto's plans to apply for a banking license and how they leverage AI to combat financial fraud. Prot reveals their strategic acquisition plans and the operational challenges involved. He also touches on the intricacies of fundraising in fintech and emphasizes the importance of celebrating team milestones. Tune in for a peek into the future of financial services!

Thomas Plantenga, CEO of Vinted, the thriving secondhand marketplace, discusses the company's exciting growth and its commitment to making secondhand the first choice for consumers. He shares insights about Vinted's expansion into logistics, payment solutions, and its new investment arm, Vinted Ventures. Thomas emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement to stay ahead of competitors and explores the evolving secondhand market, along with his vision for fostering collaboration within the industry.

Rob Lacher, founding partner at Visionaries Club, discusses the urgent need for Europe to boost its defense capabilities. He highlights how VCs can support this sector beyond merely providing capital. Lacher shares insights on innovative investment strategies in defense and the significance of building strong networks among venture funds. He also reflects on the remarkable growth of the AI startup Lovable and introduces new partner Judith Dada, emphasizing their fresh approach to venture capital and the importance of collaboration.

If you work in tech, you’ve probably heard about Lovable — the AI agent startup that's helping users make websites without writing a line of code.The company hit $50m in annual recurring revenue earlier this year — just 12 months after launching — and recently poached a team member from 20VC. Not bad for a startup most people hadn’t heard of this time last year.But how’s Lovable actually growing so fast? What’s its CEO Anton Osika really like? And is the hype justified?On this experimental 13-minute episode of the Sifted podcast, editor Amy Lewin grills Europe editor Mimi Billing on what she’s found out.