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Hi Sifted reader,

Last year we compiled a list of Europe's 200+ female VC partners for what we think was the first time. This year that list has crept up slightly and now sits at more than 300. So who are the new entrants? We profile them below.

Also today, what's it like delivering food in the middle of a heatwave? Sifted reporter Tim Smith slapped on the factor 50 and stepped out into 35°C heat and 60% humidity to find out. And it got... er... sweaty. 

Plus:

• How to prepare for a successful exit
• The female partners promoted or hired this year
• July’s hottest seed rounds

— Sophie, editorial assistant & Eleanor, deputy editor

Earlier this year we reported that 85% of VC general partners in Europe are men. There's still a long way to go before we reach gender parity, but things are moving in the right direction.

Last year we published a database of Europe’s 200+ female VC partners, and this year we’re back with more than 300.

So who are the new entrants you need to know about?

Account takeover fraud is just one of the scams currently rife across the globe — but could open banking be the answer? Find out in our latest video mythbusting cybercrime scams, in partnership with TrueLayer.

Watch now to wise up.

To celebrate our database of female VC partners in Europe making it past the 300 mark, we’re profiling 12 female partners who have been promoted internally or moved firms to get a much-coveted partner position in the last year. 

Even more exciting, some of them have come together to launch their own gig, with new firms like AUXXO and WinEquity looking to support startups with female founders. 

Here are the female partners making it big.

Several years ago, Timothy Armoo launched Fanbytes while he was still a uni student at the age of just 21. After years of building the company he finally bid it farewell in May this year when it was acquired by Brainlabs.

And for Europe's founders he thinks growing a business that sells for tens of millions of dollars is a very realistic prospect — with the right approach. 

So what are the five lessons you can learn from his exit? 

Can the digital nomad dream become a reality?

Working from a beach sounds great, but what does it mean for your employer? Join us on August 17 to find out how founders can ensure flexibility on location doesn’t damage productivity.

Sign up to hear from the experts here.

The numbers are in. In July, Europe’s seed-stage companies saw a drop in funding — bringing in a total of €433m, significantly less than the €595m raised in June. Unsurprisingly, the number of rounds also fell, from 254 in June to 219 in July.

Once again, fintech startups took the lion’s share of funding, but there was also a surge in investment in SaaS and proptech companies. 

Dig into Sifted's seed-stage roundup here.

💼 Cornerstone VC raises £20m to back diverse UK founders. The VC was born out of a Black angel syndicate and aims to back the “1% of the 1%” of diverse UK founders. The London-based fund will invest £250k-1m in pre-seed and seed-stage tech startups, with a commitment that 30% of its dealflow should be from outside of London. It also has the backing of Series A+ VC Atomico, and hopes to help founders earn more money further down the line.

🚕 Cazoo reports £243m loss despite record revenue figures. The London-based online car retailer announced a 145% rise in year-on-year revenue in Q2 of 2022, with a 124% increase in vehicles sold. Despite this, the company’s losses more than doubled in the first half of 2022 year on year. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to lay off 750 employees. 

🏍️ Have you ever wondered what it’s like being a food delivery courier in the middle of a heatwave? Sifted reporter Tim Smith ventured out into the baking streets of Barcelona to find out. And judging by the pics, things were less than comfortable.

🏖️ Dreaming of owning luxury real estate but can't afford to get on the property ladder? There's a fintech for that.

🖥️ A few months back we reported on Europe's deeptech scaling problem —now a new report by BCG has revisited the issue. And the authors think corporates have a big role to play. Here's why. 

Sophie Zhang

Editorial Assistant

Get in touch with them at sophiezhang@sifted.eu

Eleanor Warnock

Deputy Editor 

Get in touch with her at eleanor@sifted.eu
Or tweeting at @misssaxbys

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