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Hi Sifted Reader,

Here's what we're covering today:

🚴‍♀️ Deliveroo's early investors set for 600x return
🌊 Is 'community-washing' the new greenwashing?
🚗 Is Cabify's gig economy model really sustainable?
🇱🇻 50+ startups to watch in Latvia

\For Members Venture Capital

Deliveroo's early investors are in for a treat

The food delivery company's early investors are set to make a whopping 600x return on investment when it IPOs in the coming months.

The startup has come a long way since 2013, when its cofounder Will Shu raised the company's first £115k in a 'family and friends' round at a £1.5m valuation. Now, its numbers are insane.

Find out what they are here.

\A message from our sponsor Soldo

Hey finance leaders, we have the podcast for you

Being a good CFO isn’t just about managing money anymore. Meet The CFO Playbook Podcast, which digs deep into how world-class leaders set goals, manage teams and plan for the future.

Listen here.

\Opinion

Is 'community-washing' the new greenwashing?

Caring about your startup's 'community' is all the rage — but in practice, plenty of businesses aren't quite as 'community-first' as they'd like to make out (*ahem* Spotify).

So how do you avoid 'community-washing'? First of all, hire a community chief officer.

What else?

\Opinion

Are you our next Secret Columnist?

Have you got a burning desire to talk about the wrongdoings of the startup ecosystem?

We're looking for founders, VCs and startup employees to have their say on topics that are often overlooked — and who want to be 100% anonymous.

Get in touch with Amy (confidentially) here.

\Mobility

Is Cabify a "sustainable" gig economy startup?

Ride hailing apps and other gig economy platforms have had a bumpy start to the year, with increasing challenging to their assertions that couriers and drivers are self-employed workers.

Cabify, the Madrid-based ride hailing giant, likes to think it does things differently, saying that it's "not the kind of company that thinks the end justifies the means.”

How?

\Latvia

Latvian startups to watch 2021

While Latvia hasn't yet hit the European investment highs of tech hubs like London and Berlin, it was voted the most "startup-friendly" country in the world by the Index Ventures-backed stock option initiative Not Optional back in January.

So who are the promising startups that could make Latvia the next Berlin?

Meet over 50 here.

\Sponsored by Mitek

Startups, here's how to avoid a scam

From credit card fraud to phishing, identity fraud has risen by 33% since the start of Covid-19. Find out why it’s getting worse, what this means for startups and how businesses can protect themselves from security experts at Mitek, Grover and ANNA Money.

Read here.

Sifted Suggests

😾 Germany’s dev gender pay gap. New data from developer-focused job platform Honeypot has found that salary offerings for women in software development be 5-15% lower than men. More data here.

🤔 What employees really think of Revolut. An inside take from its employees. [Member]

🇳🇱 Elite entrepreneurs are investing in Dutch startups. Billionaires behind some of the biggest Dutch startups like Elastic, Takeaway and Adyen are starting to plug their own funding into emerging Dutch startups. Here’s who they’re backing.

🎙️ Doing an IPO in Europe. What are the the pros and cons of doing a public listing? Which key resources can help you navigate the process? This STATION F podcast guides you through all the IPO essentials, featuring Camille Leca, COO listing at Euronext and Odd Sverre Østille, CEO at video conferencing platform Pexip.

💸 Where should early-stage startups focus spend? According to Haatch Ventures, on four things; reporting and governance, people, growth marketing and product. There’s more details on navigating each here.

Events [digital only]

Sifted Talks: Protect your startup from fraud | Online | March 18
You need to know your customers are who they say they are. On Thursday, we'll gather a panel of experts to discuss how facial verification works, and how startups can protect themselves against fraud.

What makes a blockchain startup so successful? | Online | March 16
The European Blockchain Convention invites you to hear its panel of founders and VCs address the current opportunities and challenges blockchain and crypto startups face and discuss solutions.

Wannabe a CTO? | Online | March 17-19
Calling female software engineers, don’t miss out on this three day workshop with top advice from heaps of female CTOs. Catch Anisah Osman Britton, CTO Vinokilo and founder 23 Code Street there (she’s also the coauthor of our Startup Life newsletter).

Your ultimate guide to 2021 | Online | March 18-20
The FTWeekend Festival is back, with a new Spring digital edition. Join to explore the big ideas and the cultural, economic and political questions of the moment alongside an eclectic array of tastings and demonstrations.

Battery Summit | Online | March 22-23
How necessary are batteries for green transport, clean energy and achieving climate neutrality by 2050? Find out over three days of talks from energy pros.