Communities 

Inside the elite poker evenings for Sweden's founders

On a Friday evening in August 2007, the Grundarpoker poker game in Stockholm was founded by a few friends who wanted just to chit-chat and play cards. 

Now it has become the pre-eminent networking event for Swedish tech founders, attended by the likes of Klarna’s Sebastian Siemitkowski and Spotify’s Daniel Ek.

This is the story of how a little event reshaped one of the world's top tech ecosystems, from Mimi Billing.

👷 Are your solutions helping workers hit by Covid? 👷

Nesta's Rapid Recovery Challenge is on the lookout for UK startups with solutions that improve access to jobs and money for those impacted by Covid-19. There's up to £475,000 up for grabs for entrants.

Apply here. [Sponsored content.]

 Startup Life 

An illicit office liaison?

On the face of it, the chairman of the UK dating app Thursday mistakenly sent a confidential email to a public mailing list apologising for one of the company’s cofounders being caught having “sexual activity” in the office.

But is that the whole story?

Isabel Woodford investigates.

🚗 Could insurance be better? 🚗

Insurance is unavoidable in modern life, but it's also pretty frustrating. Is there a better way?

In the new episode of Samsung’s interview series "The Next Wave" Samsung’s president and chief strategy officer Young Sohn, speaks to Julian Teicke, founder of wefox to find out.

Read it here. [Sponsored content.]

 Fintech 

Klarna conundrum: is it worth $11bn?

The Swedish fintech has a shiny new price tag in the private market after a new funding round. But will it be able to get this much in the public markets when it lists in the coming years? 

There are two big areas that will make a difference. Can the fierce growth rate continue? And can it do what most European tech companies have so far failed to do — crack the US?

Isabel Woodford has more.

🤸‍♀️ Share the fun 🤸‍♀️

If you like our newsletter, please forward it on to somebody else who might like it too. It really helps us grow our audience. Thanks!

 Venture Capital 

Kindred raises £81m second seed fund

Kindred, the London-based seed VC firm, has raised a new fund of £81m. 

So far, so standard. 

But here's how Kindred is a bit different: it's also on track to return £5m to founders in its portfolio from its first fund. 

Amy Lewin finds out more about how this 'equitable venture' model works in practice.

💐 Are you our new marketing director? 💐

We’re looking for an experienced marketeer to lead the next stage of our growth at Sifted.

Please apply, we're a very nice bunch!

Sifted Suggests 

😲 VCs have to train themselves to ‘ask the stupid questions’, says Hoxton Ventures’ Hussein Kanji in an interview with TechCrunch's Steve O'Hear.

🕹️ Investment in games and esports zooms but will the party last? Er, yes, says Monty Munford

🚀 The seven most important findings from the annual report of Rocket Internet, according to Gruenderszene. 

💰 What does Klarna’s mega valuation mean for the Nordic fintech industry, asks FintechGlobal. 

💡 Why founders should hire a product manager after raising a seed round, from Point Nine.

In case you missed it 

🤷‍♀️ “Unicorns, who cares?”, French founders tell Macron.

🍔 Future foods are not made of plants — they are made of air.

🤝 Meet Adeyemi Ajao — the man who took on Zuckerberg.

Events
 

🌐 Entrepreneurship for Beginners | Online | 20 Sep 
A workshop to help you find what you want to do.

🎶 Fireside chat with Daniel Ek, founder and CEO of Spotify | Online | 24 Sep
Talking point: How can Europe produce more supercompanies?

🌐 Startup Fundraising For Founders | Online | 25 Sep
James Spurway, 'fundraising angel', shares some tips if you want them.