Hello Sifted reader,

The speedy grocery deal we all suspected was coming has finally been sealed — Turkey's Getir has acquired its Berlin-based competitor Gorilla s. Plus, a new report reveals that SaaS startups are feeling optimistic, with 33% of the sector's CEOs planning to seek more cash next year.

P.S. As we draw 2022 to a close we want to know what our readers think 2023 has in store for startup Europe. Share your thoughts on fundraising, hiring, diversity and inclusion — and a whole lot more — in our latest (anonymous) community survey.

Elsewhere from the Sifted newsroom:

🛒 The Getir-Gorillas deal is done. It's been on the cards for months, but Turkish speedy grocery company Getir has finally announced its acquisition of German rival Gorillas. After months of back and forth, the two companies are now reportedly worth a combined $10bn, which is a bit of a downgrade from previous valuations.

The deal will reportedly see Gorillas investors receive $40m in cash alongside equity, though the drop in both company's valuations may leave some VCs empty handed.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR FASTSPRING

Looking to grow your startup internationally?

Selling your software globally can be tricky with different currencies, payment models and tax jurisdictions. FastSpring covers it all for you — on one platform.

Try it now for free

💸 SaaS has big dreams for 2023. A new report by GP Bullhound has found that a third of SaaS founders are planning to raise a round next year, despite the frosty outlook for fundraising. Is it wishful thinking, or is the sector in for a happy new year?

🟰 Will the tech slowdown harm diversity? Atomico’s latest State of European Tech report highlighted that female founders raised just 1% of funding in 2022 — unchanged from last year — and there are worries that the downturn could be used as an excuse for (even more) slacking on diversity in the year ahead.

🥾 Bootstrapped Balkan soonicorns to watch. In tough times, a lot of companies have tried to fill their coffers by bootstrapping — and there's a flurry of Balkan startups striking gold by doing so, with some of the region's bootstrapped startups well on their way to $1bn+ valuations. Here are seven you need to keep an eye on.

➡️ What you need to go public in the US. GitLab was the first company ever to livestream its Nasdaq listing when it went public in 2021 — a year on, its CEO Sid Sijbrandij reflects on the IPO journey and offers his tips for other founders with exits in their sights. First up, the most important document to have under your belt.

Look out for the rest of Sijbrandij's series on Wednesday and Friday this week, featuring how to make listing day inclusive for all team members, and what you need to know about pricing & allocating IPO shares.

Sifted Talks \ Online

December 14 2022 — The biggest lessons from fundraising in a downturn.

Amid a slowdown of mature ecosystems and constraints of liquidity, how hard has VC fundraising in a downturn really been? How are LPs’ investment patterns going to change next year? Join us on December 14 to hear from General Catalyst, Vauban and two investors who will explore how some VCs have continued to raise significant cash.

RSVP here.

January 18 2022 — How to keep your business protected.

Fraudsters are smart and they’re getting more efficient. With the number of fraud victims steadily increasing, how can startups protect themselves? Join us on January 18 to get into the minds of online criminals and prepare for what they might be up to next.

Register for free today.

Sifted Sessions \ In person

March 8, 2023 — Stockholm:

Sifted Sessions are back for 2023, and our first stop is Stockholm — we’re setting up shop on March 8 at Münchenbryggeriet. Get your ticket to hear from the gamechangers paving the way for innovation and to connect with founders, operators and investors driving the next wave of disruption in the Nordics.

Find out more & register here.

✂️ European tech giants see valuations slashed. A new study by Caplight Technologies revealed that some of Europe's biggest names in tech (think your Klarnas and Krys) could have seen valuations fall by as much as half over the past 18 months. Some may have even lost their cherished unicorn status — find out which other giants could be affected.

🪨 Is enterprise SaaS in for a rocky 2023? Though the sector was one of few to raise more this tumultuous year than it did in the boom days of 2021 ($17.8bn so far in 2022, compared to $16.9bn last year), just 42% of members at the last Sifted Pro Roundtable thought it was looking as strong as it did at the start of the year. So could 2023 spell trouble?

🤝 How to manage investor relations. Investors are — obviously — a key part of the startup experience. So, maintaining a positive relationship with your supporters and delivering on the right level of contact is crucial. Anh-Tho Chuong Degroote, founder and CEO of billing platform Lago, gives her advice on how to strike the right balance.

🎙 Autonomous vans, a 2023 forecast and accelerator opinions. Robert Falck, CEO of driverless electric truck company Einride, is riding the high of announcing a hefty investment round of €500m — in the latest episode of the Sifted Podcast, he chats all things autonomous vehicles (cough Tesla). Plus, what the state of European tech could be next year, news on grocery-related startups and how founders feel about accelerators.