Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast

Johanna Småros, co-founder of RELEX Solutions, discusses the company's journey from academia to commercialization and how they are helping to reduce waste in the supply chain. They explore the importance of supply chain efficiency, the satisfaction gained from addressing challenges, fundraising plans, and the relationship between their commercial and nonprofit solutions. The podcast also touches on staying motivated after 20 years, the role of AI in RELEX Solutions, and the challenges and potential improvements in the industry.

The podcast discusses fundraising activities by Danish startup Heim and UK startup Ex-Links, an innovative energy storage solution using molten salt and sodium hydroxide, a subsea cable project bringing solar power from Morocco to the UK, the importance of the X-Link project in the UK, the growing interest in interconnectors in Europe, the concept of web three crypto and its impact on the software revolution, and Stability AI's shift in business model to a paywall system.

This week's podcast discusses layoffs at Micromobility giant Tier and edtech Multiverse, Cradle's $24m Series A funding for AI biotech, the top takeaways from Atomico's State of European Tech report, and the lack of investment announcements from the European Investment Fund's fund of funds.

Head of venture and growth at HSBC Innovation Banking, Sonya Iovieno, discusses undisclosed down rounds, startups trimming headcount, and SVB's collapse. Topics include the impact of changing interest rates on startup valuations, the popularity of debt as a capital source, founder concerns and talent acquisition, VC finances and return models, and the financing of startups and SVB's acquisition by HSBC.

$400k graduate salaries and gun-for-hire ‘SWAT teams’ — inside the wild AI talent market of 2023, the impact of COVID and higher interest rates on food delivery companies, Easy's struggle and Upway's success, survey results on European VCs and their challenges with LPs, CRISP's focus on sustainability and high-quality food, and the rise in salaries and new roles in AI.

This week we discuss:00:53 Aleph Alpha raises $500m Series B in one of Europe’s largest AI rounds ever03:56 What the pitch deck from Adaptive, a new AI startup raising at a $100m valuation, tells us07:15 French startup Quandela raises €50m to manufacture commercial quantum computers11:03 Swedish startup wants to ‘stream energy like music’ on electric roads to charge cars as they drive18:21 10x more money goes to VC funds owned by all-male vs all-female teams

This week we discuss:02:26 Web Summit announces former Wikimedia boss as new CEO04:16 More unions sign up to Klarna strike on Nov 706:36 Benetton scion moves into tech investing with new €30m fund09:40 How a “miracle” weight-loss drug created Europe’s most valuable company, and a startup investment machine17:23 UK gears up to major AI summit under the shadow of its own lack of regulation

This week we discuss:02:05 French early-stage startups get a €500m funding boost in 2024 budget04:33 Northvolt’s $20bn listing in Stockholm — a win for European stock exchanges07:20 Solar energy storage breakthrough could make European households self-sufficient12:30 Quantum computing is not a threat to national security. So why can't Europe work together?20:35 Founder to reality TV star — a shortcut to startup success?This podcast is brought to you by Harper James, a national full-service law firm designed to support ambitious businesses. Having supported over 3,500 businesses, Harper James isn’t a run-of-the-mill law firm. It has transformed the traditional law firm model through unique price plans, smart technology and teams of almost exclusively senior lawyers — giving you affordable, commercial and high quality legal advice.If this sounds too good to be true, then head over to harperjames.co.uk and see for yourself. While you’re there, you’ll find 100s of resources to help your journey from startup to scaleup and beyond.

Discussion on the legalization of cannabis in Germany and its implications for startups, fintech regulator's agreement with Modulr, the merger between German fund La Famiglia and General Catalyst, the funding secured by Northvolt founder's heat pump startup, and the rise and fall of health tech company Babylon.

This week on the podcast we’re joined by Alex Kendall, CEO of self-driving car company Wayve, for a long-form interview on the challenges of getting autonomous vehicles onto our roads. Alex discusses how to win public trust for this technology, how he sees a future world filled with “embodied AI” and about how Elon Musk followed Wayve’s approach to self-driving tech.This podcast is brought to you by Harper James, a national full-service law firm designed to support ambitious businesses. Having supported over 3,500 businesses, Harper James isn’t a run-of-the-mill law firm. It has transformed the traditional law firm model through unique price plans, smart technology and teams of almost exclusively senior lawyers — giving you affordable, commercial and high quality legal advice.If this sounds too good to be true, then head over to harperjames.co.uk and see for yourself. While you’re there, you’ll find 100s of resources to help your journey from startup to scaleup and beyond.