Latest from Sifted

Von der Leyen backs EU Inc in landmark Davos speech
News
January 20, 2026
Von der Leyen backs EU Inc in landmark Davos speech
Commission president backs ‘28th regime’ at World Economic Forum
# Policy and regulation
Meet the startups bringing AI and robots to the lab
Analysis
January 20, 2026
Meet the startups bringing AI and robots to the lab
Autonomous science is transforming not just how research begins, but how it ends
# Venture capital
Operator-led VC firm Plural targeting up to €1bn for new fund
Exclusive
January 20, 2026
Operator-led VC firm Plural targeting up to €1bn for new fund
Four years after launch, Plural would be managing one of Europe’s largest funds
# Venture capital
'The industry is ready to adopt': How OpenAI works with Europe’s fintechs
Interview
January 20, 2026
'The industry is ready to adopt': How OpenAI works with Europe’s fintechs
Matt Weaver, an exec at OpenAI, says companies are only just beginning to realise the potential of the technology
# Fintech
Fintech unicorn Pennylane raises €175m round at €3.6bn valuation
News
January 20, 2026
Fintech unicorn Pennylane raises €175m round at €3.6bn valuation
The Series E round comes less than a year after the startup raised a €75m Series D
# B2B fintech
17 Swiss AI startups to watch, according to investors
Investor survey
January 20, 2026
17 Swiss AI startups to watch, according to investors
Investment in the country’s AI-native startups tripled last year, according to Sifted data
# Artificial intelligence
British Business Bank takes £25m stake in Octopus Energy-spinoff Kraken
News
January 20, 2026
British Business Bank takes £25m stake in Octopus Energy-spinoff Kraken
The bank has also pledged £50m apiece to two UK deep tech funds
# Energy
Trump’s tariff threats boost EU tech sovereignty push
Analysis
January 19, 2026
Trump’s tariff threats boost EU tech sovereignty push
Looming trade war renews calls to move away from American tech
# European tech sovereignty
European defence founders and VCs weigh in on Trump’s Greenland threats: ‘A serious distraction’
Analysis
January 19, 2026
European defence founders and VCs weigh in on Trump’s Greenland threats: ‘A serious distraction’
Some VCs believe the US's aggression could benefit pure-play defence startups
# Defence tech
Solo GP Andreas Klinger raises €15m for European robotics, automation and AI
Interview
January 19, 2026
Solo GP Andreas Klinger raises €15m for European robotics, automation and AI
The fund will write first cheques of $200k-500k into 30-40 companies, with around one-third reserved for follow-on investments
# Venture capital
15 open-source startups to watch in Europe, according to VCs
Investor survey
January 19, 2026
15 open-source startups to watch in Europe, according to VCs
Sifted asked investors to share promising startups building open-source technologies right now
# Deeptech
European AI has a power problem
Sifted View
January 19, 2026
European AI has a power problem
High energy prices will make it difficult for the region to compete long-term
# Deeptech
Exclusive: Ananda Impact Ventures closes €73m for new deeptech fund
Exclusive
January 19, 2026
Exclusive: Ananda Impact Ventures closes €73m for new deeptech fund
The firm targets a final close at €108m, which it expects to reach this year
# Deeptech
The 102 European startups that doubled their headcount (and then some) in 2025
Analysis
January 19, 2026
The 102 European startups that doubled their headcount (and then some) in 2025
The 102 startups that grew by more than 100% in 2025
# Artificial intelligence
Why investors poured $258m into dental startup Impress
Interview
January 16, 2026
Why investors poured $258m into dental startup Impress
Inside the Spanish startup's plan to transform dentistry
# Digital health
German growth investor DTCP raises €300m for new defence fund — which it hopes will be Europe’s largest
News
January 16, 2026
German growth investor DTCP raises €300m for new defence fund — which it hopes will be Europe’s largest
The firm is targeting a final close of €500m
# Venture capital
The VCs due to fundraise in 2026
List
January 16, 2026
The VCs due to fundraise in 2026
From Project A and Partech to Plural and Hoxton Ventures, Sifted lists the VCs that may be fundraising in 2026
# Venture capital
Shift in global dynamics a ‘gift’ for the UK, says Cambridge Enterprise CEO
Interview
January 16, 2026
Shift in global dynamics a ‘gift’ for the UK, says Cambridge Enterprise CEO
One year into his job as head of Cambridge university’s tech transfer office, Jim Glasheen is backing the UK to capitalise on geopolitical headwinds
# University spinouts
Peec AI brought the SF mindset to Berlin. Can it fend off its rivals?
Profile
January 16, 2026
Peec AI brought the SF mindset to Berlin. Can it fend off its rivals?
The German startup touts its ARR, speedy hiring and fast growth. Can its AI search platform ward off the competition?
# Artificial intelligence
AI chip startup Fractile secures $22.5m from Nato Innovation Fund, Kindred, Oxford Science Enterprises
Exclusive
January 15, 2026
AI chip startup Fractile secures $22.5m from Nato Innovation Fund, Kindred, Oxford Science Enterprises
The startup builds chips which it says work more efficiently, quickly and cheaply than US giant Nvidia’s GPUs
# AI chips
Parloa hits $3bn valuation with $350m Series D led by General Catalyst
News
January 15, 2026
Parloa hits $3bn valuation with $350m Series D led by General Catalyst
The AI agent startup has tripled its valuation in eight months
# AI agents
Exclusive: Cloudflare acquires AI data startup Human Native
News
January 15, 2026
Exclusive: Cloudflare acquires AI data startup Human Native
Tech giant plans to roll out London-based company’s data marketplace globally
# Artificial intelligence
Is Europe’s AI infrastructure build-out heading for a gigafactory-style bust?
Podcast
January 15, 2026
Is Europe’s AI infrastructure build-out heading for a gigafactory-style bust?
And how does Europe square its dreams for "sovereign AI" with a reliance on Nvidia?
# Data centres
The Family cofounder Oussama Ammar faces tax fraud probe, reports say
News
January 15, 2026
The Family cofounder Oussama Ammar faces tax fraud probe, reports say
France’s National Financial Prosecutor reportedly opened a preliminary investigation into Ammar in 2023
# Accelerators and incubators

Latest from Sifted

Von der Leyen backs EU Inc in landmark Davos speech

Meet the startups bringing AI and robots to the lab

Operator-led VC firm Plural targeting up to €1bn for new fund

'The industry is ready to adopt': How OpenAI works with Europe’s fintechs

Fintech unicorn Pennylane raises €175m round at €3.6bn valuation

17 Swiss AI startups to watch, according to investors

British Business Bank takes £25m stake in Octopus Energy-spinoff Kraken

Trump’s tariff threats boost EU tech sovereignty push

European defence founders and VCs weigh in on Trump’s Greenland threats: ‘A serious distraction’

Solo GP Andreas Klinger raises €15m for European robotics, automation and AI

15 open-source startups to watch in Europe, according to VCs

European AI has a power problem

Exclusive: Ananda Impact Ventures closes €73m for new deeptech fund

The 102 European startups that doubled their headcount (and then some) in 2025

Why investors poured $258m into dental startup Impress

German growth investor DTCP raises €300m for new defence fund — which it hopes will be Europe’s largest

The VCs due to fundraise in 2026

Shift in global dynamics a ‘gift’ for the UK, says Cambridge Enterprise CEO

Peec AI brought the SF mindset to Berlin. Can it fend off its rivals?

AI chip startup Fractile secures $22.5m from Nato Innovation Fund, Kindred, Oxford Science Enterprises

Parloa hits $3bn valuation with $350m Series D led by General Catalyst

Exclusive: Cloudflare acquires AI data startup Human Native

Is Europe’s AI infrastructure build-out heading for a gigafactory-style bust?

The Family cofounder Oussama Ammar faces tax fraud probe, reports say