Deeptech 

Better than Tesla

Sifted brings you the first of a three-part series on the European tech companies challenging Elon Musk's empire.

At $290bn, Tesla is worth more than all of Germany's carmakers combined. Meanwhile, European automotive companies haven't proved as adaptable to the new business models of electric cars.

But many European companies out there are doing parts of what Tesla does better — from electric roadsters to giant battery factories.

Here are the European companies making faster cars and better batteries than Tesla. 

🚀 Scale your hospitality solution 🚀  

Whether you’re supporting restaurant social distancing or cracking financial solutions, multinational wholesaler METRO wants you on its Xcel scaleup programme.

It’s designed for top startups solving tech challenges in hospitality and retail (there are heaps of perks involved too).

Are you the one? Apply here. [Sponsored post]

 Fintech 

The top US investors in European fintech

US investors are going on a bargain hunt in the land of European fintech.

New research by Sifted and Dealroom has revealed that the top 12 most active US investors in European fintech contributed to over 200 rounds between 2017-2019, with Accel leading in terms of deal flow.

But is the growing presence of US investors a good thing for the ecosystem?

Isabel Woodford finds out.

👩‍⚕️ Virtual panel: How much headway have digital doctor apps really made? 👩‍⚕️ 

Online doctor consultations have been all the rage in recent months. 

But as lockdowns ease throughout Europe, what happens next? Will medics and patients just want to go 'back to normal'?

Join us and the British Embassy in Sweden on September 15, 12pm BST to discuss with a top panel.

In the hot seat: 
- Livia Holm, director of policy at Kry
- Dr Harpreet Sood, NHS doctor and digital health advisor
- Martin Lindman, CEO of Doktor.se
- Jacob Haddad, cofounder of accuRx 

Sign up here. [Sponsored post]

 Opinion 

Let your employees cash out

Startup exits don't come quickly. These days, founders and employees could wait over a decade for access to liquidity.

But should businesses expect workers to wait that long when companies perform well?

Olav Ostin thinks not, and says that people can access liquidity quicker through secondary share selling, benefitting startups and investors alike.

Here’s how.

🧐 What B2B investors are looking for 🧐 

European B2B investors love SaaS startups, they plugged €5bn into them in 2019. However, founders still need to know how to win over investors.

 So, what are B2B investors looking for? What areas are they focusing on? And how can founders get on their radar?

Three top investors from Axeleo, M12 and Salesforce Ventures reveal all. [Sponsored post]

Sifted Suggests 

⚡ It can be charged in just 15 seconds, and can go through hundreds of thousands of charge-recharge cycles without degrading. Meet the “SuperBattery” developed by Estonian startup Skeleton Technologies, which could solve some of the biggest problems still holding back the transition away from fossil fuels. Today's it has announced a brand new partnership.

🚗 Investing in the UK automotive sector. In this Beauhurst report, meet the UK’s high-growth companies developing and commercialising technology with applications in the automotive sectors, from lithium battery makers to self-driving software developers.

🦠 Will Europe’s biotech boom continue? In 2019, investors plugged a record-breaking $3.3bn into the biotech sector, almost 35% more than the previous year. But can this be sustained in the long-term as the economy reboots?

💸 Do you really need funding? Or can you bootstrap? Three questions to ask yourself about whether you really need VC funding, or whether you can go it alone (like MailChimp did).

🙏 "Our commitment to building a more diverse and inclusive European technology ecosystem." A note from Atomico.

🥇 Has your company been shaking up the European tech scene recently? The FT is gearing up for the fifth edition of its ‘FT 1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies’ publication. It’s looking for firms with the strongest revenue growth between 2016-2019. Register here.

Events

🌍 Tech Nation - Unlocking Global Tech | 8 Sept
Last chance to grab your free (virtual) around the world ticket of tech ecosystems. From Australia to the US, gain valuable insights from 70+ inspiring tech leaders such as TransferWise, BlaBlaCar and more. [Sponsored post]

⚔️ Founders vs CEOs - Game of Thrones | 8 Sept
This one ought to spark a debate. The Royal Academy of Engineering discusses the good, the bad and the ugly of backing a founder visionary versus a CEO. Who will come out triumphant?

😄 D&I in healthtech: Ways to be a good ally | 8 Sept
If you want to learn how to do more to support underrepresented groups in healthcare, sign up to this online event. It's spearheaded by TechUK and Tech4CV19 as part of London Tech Week.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Diversity VC Standard Launch | 9 Sept
Talking of diversity, how can it be improved in the venture capital industry? Another London Tech Week event not to miss, with a great panel.

🌿 The Rise of CBD in Healthcare and Wellbeing | 23 Sept
As CBD startups in Europe raised $128.5m in 2019, it's no wonder that there's interest in where the sector is heading next. Join Women of Wearables and its expert panel of founders, entrepreneurs and thought leaders to find out.

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