# Analysis

Funding rounds are getting crowded
Analysis
March 20, 2026
Funding rounds are getting crowded
VCs are crowding each other to get cheques into hot startups
Anne Sraders
Key takeaways from Sifted’s UK & Ireland leaderboard: faster execution, smaller ‘moats’, smaller teams
Analysis
March 20, 2026
Key takeaways from Sifted’s UK & Ireland leaderboard: faster execution, smaller ‘moats’, smaller teams
This year saw less focus on profitability and a strong pushback on the claim that AI will eat startups’ lunches
Éanna Kelly
Can Rachel Reeves stop the UK’s deeptech startups drifting abroad?
Analysis
March 18, 2026
Can Rachel Reeves stop the UK’s deeptech startups drifting abroad?
UK finance minister Rachel Reeves this week announced a package of support for the UK's quantum companies. But is it enough?
Freya Pratty and Tom Nugent
After months of wrangling, the EU unveils 28th regime plan: ‘This is just the beginning’
Analysis
March 18, 2026
After months of wrangling, the EU unveils 28th regime plan: ‘This is just the beginning’
Cross-border stock options, specialised courts and unified company register among proposals
Martin Coulter
Iran war puts Europe’s air defence startups in the spotlight: ‘The gap is impossible to ignore’
Analysis
March 18, 2026
Iran war puts Europe’s air defence startups in the spotlight: ‘The gap is impossible to ignore’
A number of European startups like Tytan Technologies, Cambridge Aerospace and Frankenburg Technologies are aiming to build cheaper air defence systems
Anne Sraders
European fintech’s sovereignty problem is getting harder to ignore
Analysis
March 17, 2026
European fintech’s sovereignty problem is getting harder to ignore
Homegrown success is supercharging demand for alternatives to American infrastructure
Martin Coulter
Europe’s growth fund push
Analysis
March 13, 2026
Europe’s growth fund push
A number of recent growth fund announcements aim to fill the homegrown late stage funding gap
Anne Sraders
Inside the booming secondaries market in Europe: 'Who isn’t selling?’
Analysis
March 13, 2026
Inside the booming secondaries market in Europe: 'Who isn’t selling?’
Secondaries investors report premiums for the most in-demand names
Amy Lewin, Anne Sraders and Freya Pratty
Vinted, ElevenLabs, Iceye: Inside Europe’s hottest secondary sales
Analysis
March 13, 2026
Vinted, ElevenLabs, Iceye: Inside Europe’s hottest secondary sales
'Some people are asking, who is selling secondaries? It's the wrong question. Who is not selling?'
Freya Pratty and Anne Sraders
Nscale is set to deliver $14bn of compute. Can it meet its deadlines?
Analysis
March 12, 2026
Nscale is set to deliver $14bn of compute. Can it meet its deadlines?
The company has proven its ability to raise billions. Now can it deliver compute?
Freya Pratty and Maya Dharampal-Hornby
It’s time for AI to worry about humans
Analysis
March 11, 2026
It’s time for AI to worry about humans
Startups desperate to stand out from AI slop are turning to spruced-up branded content pros — the ‘storytellers’
Éanna Kelly
Lloyds wants to be the UK’s biggest fintech. Are legacy banks ready to fight back?
Analysis
March 10, 2026
Lloyds wants to be the UK’s biggest fintech. Are legacy banks ready to fight back?
European incumbents are feeling the pressure a decade into the fintech boom
Martin Coulter
‘Rocket fuel for growth and burnout': Inside startups' wild dash to keep up with AI
Analysis
March 4, 2026
‘Rocket fuel for growth and burnout': Inside startups' wild dash to keep up with AI
Some founders feel like they’re in a ‘permanent product launch cycle’ as they adapt to new tools
Éanna Kelly
As IQM gears up for a $1.8bn float — are SPACs back?
Analysis
February 25, 2026
As IQM gears up for a $1.8bn float — are SPACs back?
Quantum computing startup hopes to buck the trend set by counterparts in the US
Daphné Leprince-Ringuet and Martin Coulter
Inside the Nordic defence tech spending spree: Record startup funding meets big prime partnerships
Analysis
February 25, 2026
Inside the Nordic defence tech spending spree: Record startup funding meets big prime partnerships
Four years into the Ukraine war, Nordic defence forces and primes are increasingly collaborating with startups
Mimi Billing
Deepfakes, bias and cyber attacks: How European startups are facing up to major AI risks
Analysis
February 23, 2026
Deepfakes, bias and cyber attacks: How European startups are facing up to major AI risks
Much of the buzz around AI safety is currently framed by US tech giants. How are European startups approaching the topic?
Daphné Leprince-Ringuet
Can European VC portfolios weather a SaaSpocalypse?
Analysis
February 20, 2026
Can European VC portfolios weather a SaaSpocalypse?
If older SaaS companies fail to compete with AI-native startups, it could leave VCs sitting on portfolios that aren’t growing at the pace LPs like to see
Freya Pratty and Anne Sraders
Why aren't more European VCs making moves in America?
Analysis
February 20, 2026
Why aren't more European VCs making moves in America?
Remarkably few of Europe’s best-known VC firms have a permanent presence in the US. Those that do say it's a big competitive advantage
Amy Lewin
‘Are we the baddies?’: How tech bros became screen villains
Analysis
February 18, 2026
‘Are we the baddies?’: How tech bros became screen villains
The tech-people-suck genre is in full swing — I asked industry leaders how they feel about it
Éanna Kelly
Insiders report ‘very anti-US vibe’ at Europe’s top defence conference
Analysis
February 16, 2026
Insiders report ‘very anti-US vibe’ at Europe’s top defence conference
VC attendees say the Munich Security Conference ‘felt like Slush’
Anne Sraders
Are world models Europe’s chance to win in AI?
Analysis
February 16, 2026
Are world models Europe’s chance to win in AI?
Europe has lagged big US language model developers, but some believe it has a chance to get ahead with world models
Daphné Leprince-Ringuet and Anne Sraders
The climate VCs due a fundraise in 2026
Analysis
February 13, 2026
The climate VCs due a fundraise in 2026
Not all LPs have cooled off the climate tech sector
Anne Sraders, Freya Pratty and Amy Lewin
Buy now pay later fintechs face crackdown as UK rolls out new rules
Analysis
February 12, 2026
Buy now pay later fintechs face crackdown as UK rolls out new rules
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority confirmed long awaited rules for buy now pay later
Tom Matsuda
How Mistral bounced back
Analysis
February 12, 2026
How Mistral bounced back
Amid tensions with Trump, the French AI startup is winning big from Europe’s tech sovereignty push
Daphné Leprince-Ringuet and Martin Coulter

# Analysis

Funding rounds are getting crowded

Key takeaways from Sifted’s UK & Ireland leaderboard: faster execution, smaller ‘moats’, smaller teams

Can Rachel Reeves stop the UK’s deeptech startups drifting abroad?

After months of wrangling, the EU unveils 28th regime plan: ‘This is just the beginning’

Iran war puts Europe’s air defence startups in the spotlight: ‘The gap is impossible to ignore’

European fintech’s sovereignty problem is getting harder to ignore

Europe’s growth fund push

Inside the booming secondaries market in Europe: 'Who isn’t selling?’

Vinted, ElevenLabs, Iceye: Inside Europe’s hottest secondary sales

Nscale is set to deliver $14bn of compute. Can it meet its deadlines?

It’s time for AI to worry about humans

Lloyds wants to be the UK’s biggest fintech. Are legacy banks ready to fight back?

‘Rocket fuel for growth and burnout': Inside startups' wild dash to keep up with AI

As IQM gears up for a $1.8bn float — are SPACs back?

Inside the Nordic defence tech spending spree: Record startup funding meets big prime partnerships

Deepfakes, bias and cyber attacks: How European startups are facing up to major AI risks

Can European VC portfolios weather a SaaSpocalypse?

Why aren't more European VCs making moves in America?

‘Are we the baddies?’: How tech bros became screen villains

Insiders report ‘very anti-US vibe’ at Europe’s top defence conference

Are world models Europe’s chance to win in AI?

The climate VCs due a fundraise in 2026

Buy now pay later fintechs face crackdown as UK rolls out new rules

How Mistral bounced back