Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast

Our competition to win a ticket for the Sifted Summit has now closed, thanks for entering if you took part! We're still keen to learn more about who listens to the podcast,  please take this five-question survey if you have a minute to spare: https://ftx.typeform.com/to/L2ai27FuThis week we discuss: See the pitch memo that raised €105m for four-week-old startup MistralA Human Genome Project for the nervous system? BIOS Health raises fresh fundingNato launches tech accelerator to bring Silicon Valley ethos to Europe’s armiesWhere to find Europe’s best AI engineersTony Blair thinks AI will save Britain, he’s just not quite sure how it should work

This week we sat down with Chloe Smith, the UK's acting secretary of state for Science, Innovation & Technology — the government minister tasked with supporting the growth of the country’s tech and startup sector.She told us about what the UK is doing to attract talent to its shores, and about how the country plans to unlock pension funds to invest in high-growth tech companies.

This week we discuss:Infarm quits Europe as vertical farming withers on the vineCheckout.com cuts internal valuation by another 15%EIF to set up a €200m fund for European defence techCan e-fuel make flying green? Startups are tryingAn unknown Swedish startup’s €3bn bid to build a green rival to AWS

This week we discuss:01:06 Monzo narrows losses slightly as lending book triples04:06 Inside GetYourGuide: Germany’s $2bn travel experiences platform07:41 US giant NEA backs Stockholm AI company Sana Labs09:45 Did US hustle mentality ruin Typeform?14:36 SaaS won’t save the planet, but a hardware-software duo just might20:16 An OpenAI alum is building a robot butler for your home

This week it’s another longer form interview. We’re joined by Ophelia Brown, managing partner of Blossom Capital, a VC fund that’s backed the likes of payments company Checkout.com, crypto exchange Moonpay and HR platform Localize. She sat down with Sifted’s Amy Lewin to make her case for a crypto comeback, as well as giving some harsh words on the political mismanagement of the UK tech sector.

This week we discuss:02:55 Mobility giant Bolt likely to acquire rival Tier in weeks05:00 Northvolt to build German and US factories10:13 ETH spinout ANYbotics raises $50m for AI-led robo workforce 13:54 Startup valuations continue to plummet in 202317:52 It’s not just the CFO who’s quit: Meet the people left with power at Revolut23:26 A taster of the foods of the futureListen to Sifted's new podcast series sponsored by EQT Ventures: "Downturn Survival Guide."

This week we discuss:01:30 German startup Blinkist acquired by Australian content company Go105:39 Proposed EU net neutrality 'paywall' for internet access spooks founders09:55 Micro-ticket investment platform Odin raises $3m following public launch13:45 Outperforming doctors and dealing with hallucinations — how GenAI will transform healthtech18:37 What the 'Father of Alexa' did nextListen to Sifted's new podcast series sponsored by EQT Ventures: "Downturn Survival Guide"

This week we discuss:01:20 Investors say new UK listing rules might not be enough to entice tech companies05:24 German startup Prematch raises €2.4m to build 'Fifa for amateur football' 09:22 Mental health therapeutics startup HelloBetter raises €7m for further US expansion14:17 Can France save the metaverse?

This week we discuss:01:27 Northvolt to confirm US expansion plans within weeks, cofounder says04:07 Leaked deck raises questions over Stability AI's Series A pitch to investors08:16 The call for a CERN-like AI supercomputer11:16 This startup has raised $31m to turn wood into glass14:10 IV infusions and blood purification: Inside one of Europe’s first longevity clinics20:30  Meet the startup sending scientists around the world to build a database of all lifeListen to Sifted's new podcast series sponsored by EQT Ventures: "Downturn Survival Guide"

This week we discuss:Shareholder upheaval and a $630m debt burden: end of the road for Cazoo?How a corruption scandal has left dozens of Polish startups facing bankruptcyThe Family Files: Inside France’s ugliest startup fightToxic bosses and unhealthy cultures: Why Europe’s VCs are tired and burnt out