Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast

Amy is joined this week by our producer, Tim! First up, we’re chatting about big raises in crypto and the EU’s Ukrainian relief fund. Berlin correspondent Miriam Partington joins us to tell all about speedy grocery company Gorillas’ very rough week. Next, we discuss the founders trying to improve treatments for women’s health issues, from sustainable menstrual cups to 3D-printed breast implants for breast cancer survivors. The articles we discuss:https://sifted.eu/articles/crypto-payments-startup-fung-regulation/https://sifted.eu/articles/web2-web3-fintech/https://sifted.eu/articles/felix-capital-600m-fund/https://sifted.eu/articles/eu-fund-ukrainian-startups/https://sifted.eu/articles/gorillas-hr-executives-layoffs/https://sifted.eu/articles/femtechs-france-healthcare/

This week on the show we’re talking to Freya Pratty about her joint investigation with Éanna Kelly into Pollen, an elite events company with heavy investor backing. We’ll hear about its angry customers who claim they’re owed thousands, and what Pollen has to say about it. We’re also finding out what European startup employees really think of their “ill equipped” bosses, and hearing about some of the continent’s top companies raking in investment this week.The stories we discuss:Florence: https://sifted.eu/articles/florence-care-startup-raise/Hoxhunt: https://sifted.eu/articles/cybersecurity-hoxhunt-raises-series-b/Foodack: https://sifted.eu/articles/foodhack-raises-1m-angellist/Britishvolt: https://sifted.eu/articles/britishvolt-scale-up-gigafactory-batteries/Pollen: https://sifted.eu/articles/pollen-refunds-events/Startup managers: https://sifted.eu/articles/startup-managers-good-bad/

Some of Europe's best known tech companies have cut thousands of staff this week, as the economic slowdown arrives on the continent.On the pod we discuss who's been hit hardest so far, how startups can best survive the storm, and what's in store for buy now, pay later startups, with credit becoming more expensive as interest rates rise.The stories we discuss:Tech company layoffs in Europe 2022: listed https://bit.ly/3sYnsSqThe European startups still hiring despite the tech downturn https://bit.ly/3MVpWJAGrocery delivery startup Zapp in talks to lay off 10% of its staff https://bit.ly/3yXAG5WBurn rate & layoffs: Is grocery delivery startup Gorillas struggling? https://bit.ly/3lK6NyfKlarna lays off 10% of its team amid valuation crunch https://bit.ly/3wRxwOnCan Klarna and its rivals survive an economic downturn? https://bit.ly/38PiXmoHow to prepare for a downturn https://bit.ly/3PGBClfStartup Life newsletter https://bit.ly/3a0Zcsx

It’s our first real, live billionaire guest… Christian Angermayer, founder of ATAI Life Sciences, a startup that seeks to treat mental health disorders with psychedelics. But first, hear all about the four Polish grandpas who founded a quantum science startup because "retirement is boring”. We also called Miriam Partington, our Berlin correspondent, on a new movement coming out of Germany, called steward ownership, that promises startups an alternative to giving over equity and control of their company.

Public markets are down and tech company stocks are no exception. How will the slump affect VC behaviour, and how should startups prepare for what's coming? We also ask whether NFT sports card platform Sorare is really worth $4.3bn and Amy, recording from the basement of Switzerland's FoodHack conference, gets her hands on some man made honey and fungal bratwurst.

We're live from Estonia! The Sifted Podcast recorded an extra special episode in front of an audience at our Sifted Sessions \Tallinn. This week we're talking about how a tiny country in the Baltics created global companies like Skype and Wise. Joining Amy on stage were Sifted reporter Anisah Osman Britton, Kaidi Ruusalepp, president of the Estonian Founders Society, and Triin Hertmann, founder of sustainable investment platform Grünfin.

This week, Amy calls in from Riga, and tells us about the Latvian startups she’s met at TechChill — turns out wind-turbine-fixing robots are big business! We discuss the latest in startup news, including the ‘world’s largest’ facility opening for cow-free milk and on-demand tailoring app Sojo raising £. After that, we talk to fintech reporter Amy O’Brien about the latest wave of fintechs targeting underserved communities, including migrants, international workers and… seafarers! Finally, Amy (Lewin — not O'Brien) interviews Nord Security cofounder and co-CEO Tom Okman about their recent mammoth $100m raise.

Amy’s away this week, so Eleanor is joined by guest host and Sifted writer, Éanna Kelly! We’re discussing the juicy investment news of the week, including new funds for university spinouts and Spanish deeptech. Next, we’re talking to our boss, John Thornhill, about what it’s like to be an older entrepreneur. Not that he’s old, of course… and finally, we chat with journalist Kai Nicol-Schwarz about VC horror stories and secondhand fashion marketplaces.

“I’d say probably 70% of NFT people are out to scam”… but how do the heists work? This week, we’re talking to writer Eanna Kelly on the wacky world of NFT scams. We’re also speaking to Germany correspondent Miriam Partington about diversifying the investment landscape, and the hot new German tech startups everyone wants to work for.

This week, we’re back and talking to reporter Freya Pratty about all things Co2, from carbon capture to accounting. We ask: is it really possible to clean up our air with machines? We’re also talking to Maija Palmer about a dark horse metaverse application that’s got VCs flinging open their wallets. Finally, we’re discussing the most important meal of the day: lab-grown breakfasts of the future.