Deeptech 

Air, food of the future?

When it comes to food, non-meat proteins like pea or hemp have been all the rage in recent years, but a new kid on the block is here to disrupt all of that.

Say hello to solein, an alternative protein that’s pretty much made of, well, thin air.

It’s the brainchild of Finnish startup Solar Foods. But how is it made? What does it taste like? And what are the startup's future plans with it?

Mimi Billing finds out.

📣 Calling all ambitious fintech founders 📣

Accenture’s FinTech Innovation Lab is looking for startups that are transforming the fabric of financial services.
 
Connect with leading decision makers at over 40 top financial services institutions — from AXA to UBS — enabling you to rapidly validate product-market fit and accelerate growth in 12 weeks – all equity free.

Learn more and apply now here. [Sponsored post]

 Opinion 

Startups, tell your VC horror stories

As devastating as the coronavirus pandemic has been, it did unveil some VCs' shady handling of term sheets and general irresponsibilities.

We have seen investors call out the bad behaviour of their peers, but on the flipside we haven't heard of the nightmares that startups have endured, and according to our Secret Columnist that's not okay.

Here's how not to be scared to talk.

 Fintech 

New challenger banks are emerging

As losses soar at digital banks, a new generation of consumer fintechs are taking a different approach to business.

Their plan is to keep costs low by outsourcing the tech, and targeting key groups with specialised financial products with an eye to turning a profit sooner rather than later.

But how will they go about that?

Isabel Woodford investigates.

 Fintech 

The fintech killed by coronavirus

Monedo, once the largest German startup in the fintech industry backed by the likes of billionaire Peter Thiel and media giant Naspers, has filed for bankruptcy after the impact of the pandemic took its toll on the company.

What went wrong? And what does it mean for others?

Sifted's Freya Pratty has the story.

🤔 Does anyone really want video consultations with doctors? 🤔

As life slowly edges back to 'normal', will healthcare systems revert to their usual innovation-allergic selves?

Find out tomorrow at 12pm BST. Sign up now.

Sifted Suggests 

🚢 Holy ship! Now this is cool. A Swedish consortium including the KTH Royal Institute of Technology has developed a wind-powered transatlantic cargo ship. Isn't she beautiful?

🤫 Deals on the DL. Beauhurst's latest report dives into the world of unannounced fundraising, also known as 'stealth rounds'. Learn more about the companies keeping their funding rounds hush, and why.

💳 The future of fintech. The Scotsman shares its take on the hottest emerging fintech trends, from open banking to IoT. For more on what's on fintech's doorstep, check out our report here.

🇵🇱 Poland's on a roll. Funding in the country has been flying in from left, right and centre. In 2019, investment in Poland's startups grew eight-fold year-on-year to €294m, and Polish investors have a lot to say about it. Its seed investment scene is soaring too, check out the ones to watch in our list.

💸 Railsbank CEO: Why we bought Wirecard. Nigel Verdon expands on why he bought the business in the midst of its insolvency. Catch up on when Sifted scooped it last month.

Events

🐉 An audience with… Theo Paphitis | 16 Sept
Best known for his appearances on the BBC business programme ‘Dragons’ Den’, tune in and listen to some words of wisdom from Paphitis on how to keep your business going.

🤔 Should I Sell my Tech Company? - The Future of Tech M&A in the Nordics | 16 Sept
Join the VP and director of the M&A and corporate finance advisory Hampleton to hear their first-hand perspectives on whether now is the right time to sell your business, from Norway to Finland.

📊 The Next Generation Data Scientist | 24 Sept
With Forbes predicting that there will be a shortage of at least 250,000 data scientists in the US alone by 2024, how will data-driven enterprises survive? Join the discussion with an expert panel.

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