Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast

This week we discuss:01:59: Germany launches €1bn fund for climate and deeptech scaleups05:33: ‘Good news for startups’ — UK government launches new Science, Innovation and Technology department07:41: The French spacetech working with Elon Musk’s SpaceX09:22: Sifted's in-depth spacetech report10:17: Farming platform Wikifarmer raises €5m14:12: Three quarters of LGBTQ+ founders hide their identity from investors18:34: Aleph Alpha believes Europe can compete with OpenAI if it ‘picks its battles’27:22: Does size really matter? $80bn sextech market still too taboo for VCs

This week we discuss:02:33: PASQAL lands €100m after ‘world-first’ real-life quantum computer use05:17: Renaissance Fusion raises €15m to develop clean nuclear energy technology07:27: Monzo revenues surge more than twofold, putting it on track for 2023 profitability10:42: Tech Nation shutting down as UK government controversially pulls key funding14:55: France plans to use the startup downturn to come out on top in Europe22:02: How to raise a $33m Series A during an economic downturn

This week we're back with a longer form interview, digging into one of the most hyped tech sectors in recent times: speedy grocery delivery. After startups in the space raised millions in 2021 — shooting to massive valuations in a matter of months — the bubble has now somewhat burst, as the former superstar Gorillas was sold at a big loss to rival Getir at the end of 2022. Today we're asking whether these services can ever turn a profit, in spite of the big costs associated with getting groceries delivered to people within a 10-minute window.Our guest to discuss this juicy topic is Delivery Hero’s VP of quick commerce, Milena Lazarevska. Delivery Hero was founded in 2011 and in 2017 the food delivery company floated on the German stock exchange. Today it offers delivery services in more than 70 countries across four continents, and owns brands including Glovo, Foodpanda and Pedidos Ya in Latin America.

This week we discuss:Britishvolt goes into administrationCazoo's CEO steps downNew technology to store vaccines at room temperatureThe startup cleaning up Elon Musk's space junkDragon's Den star Steven Bartlett has a new startupStabilityAI's Emad Mostaque on OpenAI and lawsuitsDigging into FTX's European investments

This week we discuss:01:08: OXcan raises $3.7m to scale its cancer detection tech04:35  Autonomous vehicles everywhere: Oxbotica raises $140m07:54 Checkout.com's latest financial results10:47 Employee healthcare benefits platform Peppy raises $45m for US expansion17:28 ‘We can predict behaviour’: The former spook vetting founders on behalf of VCsThis podcast is brought to you by Zendesk for Startups. Zendesk helps startups build lasting customer experiences from day one. With the Zendesk for Startups Program, startups get Zendesk customer support software and CRM for six months FREE of charge. You’ll get access to expert advice and a community of likeminded founders and CX leaders to help you build the foundation for long-term growth. Learn more and claim your 6 months free at zendesk.com/sifted

This week we discuss:01:45 What are the new EU policies startups should watch out for in 2023?08:26 Nuclear fusion: The bet that Europe should have won18:21 Why are VCs getting so excited about generative AI?This podcast is brought to you by Zendesk for Startups. Zendesk helps startups build lasting customer experiences from day one. With the Zendesk for Startups Program, startups get Zendesk customer support software and CRM for six months FREE of charge. You’ll get access to expert advice and a community of likeminded founders and CX leaders to help you build the foundation for long-term growth. Learn more and claim your 6 months free at zendesk.com/sifted

This week we're bringing you a longer form interview with Meri Williams, CTO at Pleo and formerly CTO at Monzo and Healx. Meri's got a reputation for being one of the best in the business at growing and sustaining technical teams at startups and scaleups, and in this episode she gave her opinion on Elon Musk firing half his tech team, how to get engineers to learn soft skills and how to hire developers from around the world.---This podcast is brought to you by Zendesk for Startups. Zendesk helps startups build lasting customer experiences from day one. With the Zendesk for Startups Program, startups get Zendesk customer support software and CRM for six months FREE of charge. You’ll get access to expert advice and a community of likeminded founders and CX leaders to help you build the foundation for long-term growth. Learn more and claim your 6 months free at zendesk.com/sifted.

This week we discuss:01:13 How are startup valuations worked out?05:54 Basecamp raises $20m to scale its biodiversity tech09:15 Getir finally acquires Gorillas12:04 Are all-in-one airport scanners the future of diagnosing illness?21:46 What challenges are disabled founders facing?This podcast is brought to you by Zendesk for Startups. Zendesk helps startups build lasting customer experiences from day one. With the Zendesk for Startups Program, startups get Zendesk customer support software and CRM for six months FREE of charge. You’ll get access to expert advice and a community of likeminded founders and CX leaders to help you build the foundation for long-term growth. Learn more and claim your 6 months free at zendesk.com/sifted.

This week we discuss:01:17 Gorillas investors to pay $100m to secure Getir all-stock buyout, sources say04:40 Online grocer Oda raises €150m but loses its unicorn valuation08:10 As the speedy grocery giants falter, this startup is backing a sustainable alternative11:09 The state of European tech 2022: 19 things you need to know17:06 Autonomous freight startup Einride raises $500m in debt and equity Series C21:52 ‘It’s like networking on steroids’: Sifted readers share their experiences of startup acceleratorsThis podcast is brought to you by Zendesk for Startups. Zendesk helps startups build lasting customer experiences from day one. With the Zendesk for Startups Program, startups get Zendesk customer support software and CRM for six months FREE of charge. You’ll get access to expert advice and a community of likeminded founders and CX leaders to help you build the foundation for long-term growth. Learn more and claim your 6 months free at zendesk.com/sifted.

This week we discuss:01:45 Klarna posts big losses in latest financial results06:19 Scammers increasingly targeting UK neobank customers10:14 Idris and Sabrina Elba invest in Huel13:50 The startups fighting the loss of global biodiversity19:33 The strange world of "alternative business coaches"This podcast is brought to you by Zendesk for Startups. Zendesk helps startups build lasting customer experiences from day one. With the Zendesk for Startups Program, startups get Zendesk customer support software and CRM for six months FREE of charge. You’ll get access to expert advice and a community of likeminded founders and CX leaders to help you build the foundation for long-term growth. Learn more and claim your 6 months free at zendesk.com/sifted.