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Hi Sifted Reader,

Hope you wore plenty of suncream this weekend. Today's line up:

WorldRemit's big exec problem
Inside Greece's growing startup ecosystem
Why your customers are way more important than your tech

\Fintech

Inside WorldRemit's big exec exodus

Online money transfer business WorldRemit has a problem holding onto its executives. Over the past year the company, which is valued at ~$1bn, has lost a CFO, a CCO and a COO, as well as multiple CMOs and HR chiefs.

So what’s going on?

Isabel Woodford finds out.

\New report with Scale-Up Europe

It’s time to take European tech to the next level

This Wednesday, after months of workshops and interviews with 200 tech leaders, the Scale-Up Europe initiative will be releasing its first report on Viva Technology’s main stage at 10am CET.

Click here to join.

\For Members Greece

Inside Greece's growing startup ecosystem

2020 was the strongest year yet for the Greek startup ecosystem, with investment hitting $1.1bn in 2020, up from just $51m in 2010.

It's a promising sign of growth amid the financial crisis the country has been dealing with for the past decade. Now, the ecosystem is seeing more funding rounds, VCs raising new funds and its government doubling down on innovation.

Kit Gillet digs deeper into Greece's startup land.

Not yet a Sifted member? From £19 a month you can get your teeth into exclusive content like top VCs' takes on the next European unicorns, data driven sector deep dives and much more. Sign up here.

\Opinion

Startups, don’t worry about building tech — focus on your customers

Consumer founders, you may feel like your startup is indestructible if you’ve managed to build the perfect proprietary technology or intellectual property — but you’re wrong.

What really drives innovation, says founder Elise Mouterlier, is nurturing your customers by listening to them and building with them in mind.

Here’s why.

\Sponsored by Enfuce

How fintechs can win at rebundling

There was a time when building up a successful fintech meant being the best at one thing — whether it was specialising in only mobile payments, managing funds or savings.

But now, the market is seeing super high growth — and competition — in the form of a ‘big fintech rebundling’ where all banking services are being offered on one platform. So how can fintechs differentiate themselves to find their edge?

Find out here.

News that Matters

😱 Klarna's hit a $45.6bn valuation. On Friday, the buy-now-pay-later fintech hit a mammoth valuation after raising $639m in fresh funds. This makes Klarna the second most valuable fintech in the world behind Stripe. Michael Stothard reports.

🕶️ XYZ Reality raises £20m. The UK-based company is trying to revolutionise the construction sector through the use of engineering grade augmented reality (AR). Its Series A raise is a further sign that the construction industry is finally waking up to the need to embrace modern technologies.

🚗 Motorway raises $48m amid car market boost. The British startup — which operates a marketplace where car owners can list their vehicles and car dealers can bid at a daily auction — has wooed investors like Index and BMW i Ventures. But how does it differ from other (extremely well-funded) players like UK unicorn Cazoo? Freya Pratty reports.

Sifted Suggests

📰 Updated: The best newsletters in European tech. We've refreshed our list of the newsletters you need in your inbox (aside from this one) covering everything from healthtech to HR, funding to fintech.

👖 Depop: not a sell-out. When second-hand fashion platform Depop was bought by Etsy in a $1.6bn deal earlier this month, it sparked a debate over whether the UK's tech champions are selling out too early and often. That's not the case, thinks the FT's Tim Bradshaw.

🏢 Office redux. How are big tech firms in London preparing for the return to their offices? Wired reports.

Events [digital only]

Last-mile delivery — is it worth the hype? | Online | June 23
Hear from experts what the future of consumer delivery looks like and who will come out on top.

UK: Scaling marketplaces for learning | Online | June 24
Calling all edtechs, London-based VC Brighteye Ventures is hosting an event to help startups and growth companies in the sector learn about scaling digital marketplaces and the trends in the UK edtech space.

Sifted Members

Finland’s startups to watch, according to investors

Europe’s alternative meat startups, compared

Portugal’s best under-the-radar startups, according to investors

What corporate customers are really doing with quantum computing

Who’s getting rich from Europe’s upcoming 2021 tech IPOs?

Amy Lewin
Deputy Editor

Get in touch with her at amy@sifted.eu
Or tweeting @amyrlewin

Connor Bilboe
Editorial Assistant

Get in touch with him at connor@sifted.eu
He likes sustainability stories.

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Sifted - C-suite churn chaos 😳

\Fintech

Inside WorldRemit's big exec exodus

\New report with Scale-Up Europe

It’s time to take European tech to the next level

\For Members Greece

Inside Greece's growing startup ecosystem

\Opinion

Startups, don’t worry about building tech — focus on your customers

\Sponsored by Enfuce

How fintechs can win at rebundling

News that Matters

Sifted Suggests

Events [digital only]

Sifted Members

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