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Hi Sifted Reader,

Today is a very special day: it's Sifted's third birthday! Back when our website launched in 2019 we had just five journalists, about 1,000 newsletter subscribers — and plenty of big ideas. Now we're a team of 46 with 13 journalists, over 100,000 newsletter readers, 17 published reports, thousands of articles written and even bigger ideas.

We'd like to say the biggest thank you to all of you who continue to support Sifted — we wouldn't be here today without you!

On that high note, here's what we've got for you in this issue: 

• Our journalists look back on their favourite stories
• How to profit from your best employee quitting
• 14 drug discovery startups to watch, according to VCs

Happy birthday to us! We launched Sifted's first website three years ago today, and boy, what a journey it's been.

To mark this special day, our editors and reporters have picked out their favourite stories, from psychedelic company retreats to crunchy investigations.

Celebrate with us here! 🥳

Do you have up to 50 employees and outside funding? You qualify for the Zendesk for Startups Program, which means six months free customer support software, expert advice and access to a community of founders. 

Apply here.

VCs were all over drug discovery startups in 2021 — with companies in the sector raising $1.6bn, almost three times the figure from 2020.

Pharmaceutical giants also want a piece of the pie — we saw Exscientia bag a whopping $5.2bn deal with Sanofi.

So who's worth watching next? We asked LocalGlobe, Karista, Eight Roads, Sofinnova Partners and Albion VC to tell us.

Here are the startups they picked. 

Picture this: you're a founder and your worst nightmare has come true — one of your earliest employees, a key team member, quits.

It's easy to think of this as a loss, but it need not be, says Monica Lagercrantz, CEO and founder of BoardClic.

This is what you need to do.

Tech for good is no longer a niche area of the market. In the UK alone, there are 490 tech for good firms which have hoovered up over £1bn in VC funding, according to Tech Nation.

Most tech for good firms are in fintech, edtech and AI — but there's still plenty of room for innovation across the board. We spoke to disruptors in the space doing things from making wealth more accessible to improving mental health through HR tech.

Meet them here.

👀 Who Taavet Hinrikus backed next. Estonian battery startup Skeleton Technologies wooed the Wise cofounder, who took part in its €37.6m Series D round. It's developing ultracapacitors and a “SuperBattery” that it says will charge electric vehicles in seconds.

🏎️ Lewis Hamilton eyes speedy grocery delivery. The Formula One legend also likes his groceries delivered in minutes, participating in the $200m Series B round for London-based Zapp. 

💊 More money for Mayd. Just three months after raising its seed round, German medicine delivery company Mayd bagged a €30m Series A round. The Berlin-based startup has grown to over 100 employees and 350 permanently employed riders since its founding in April 2021. 

What’s a birthday without presents? To help you take advantage of all that Sifted has to offer, we’re giving you a 20% discount on Sifted Membership. Unlock access to exclusive member articles and events for more of the insights, data and analysis you need on startup Europe.

Join today to claim your discount.

Look no further if you want the best in-depth investigations into the hottest trends shaping startup Europe. Behold our Sifted Reports!

💰 The wild world of wealthtech. Explore the seismic shift in the way young people are managing their money, and what they invest in.

👾 Europe's play in the gaming industry. This is how startups are levelling up to build new social, education and immersive worlds.

🎭 The new face of banking. Finance and tech's shiny new opportunity, embedded finance, is getting all the attention. Learn about the possibilities it opens for startups.

🌍 Tech leaders changing the world. Meet the startups tackling serious social and environmental challenges — and gathering strong momentum.

💥 Europe's ecommerce boom. Online shopping was on fire during the pandemic, then as the world started opening up, the craze continues on. Here are the startups powering European ecommerce.

These are just a few of the awesome reports we have — browse for more here.

Why we’re in a golden age for SaaS | Online | February 9

SaaS startups are seeing hefty valuations and sky-rocketing growth, but what’s driving the boom? Hear from the experts, including Paddle's founder and CEO Christian Owens, in our upcoming Sifted Talks.

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