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Hi Sifted Reader,

VC firms keep making big commitments to improve diversity. But we've analysed the makeup of the senior teams at top firms and found that, as you get higher up the ranks, the number of female VCs drops sharply.

Read on for the data and our thoughts on if improvement is in sight. Also today...

• Why you shouldn't make investors sign an NDA

• The alternative protein startups you should be watching  

The higher ranks of VC are still overwhelmingly male. Analysis by Sifted shows there are only 23 female partners at the top 22 firms in Europe, and only one woman was made partner in 2021 (compared with nine men).

And it’s likely to continue like that if European VCs don’t start to look for candidates outside the industry.

Amy O'Brien digs through the data.

From your own home to the metaverse, property technology — or proptech — is changing how we design, build and experience spaces. Meet innovators in the space at the Sifted Proptech Report launch event, in partnership with Pi Labs and Shoosmiths, in London (or online) on March 10.

To feed the world population by 2050, food production has to increase by 160%. Startups working on alternative proteins — from meat to dairy, seafood to eggs — are addressing this challenge head-on.

Investors are taking note and putting more and more cash into the sector — but who will emerge as the big winners?

We asked four foodtech VCs to pick the startups they’re keeping an eye on.

VC Elena Mazhuha has learnt to spot the founders likely to make her sign an NDA before she can see numbers about their company. Their decks lack numbers and traction, and try to make up for it with unambitious market forecasts, and making everything VERY TOP SECRET. 

News flash, founders: your “secrets” aren’t really secrets. No one is going to ever steal your idea — especially not VCs.

So drop the NDAs; no one cares.

You might still be getting used to open banking but coming in just as hot is open finance, where financial data is shared, and open data, where any type of data can be shared from any type of business.

One of the major benefits of this evolution is that by accessing more of a person’s data, businesses are able to provide more personalised services.

And it could boost GDP by 5%.

💰 Specialist VC (which used to be known as United Angels) has reached first close on a new €50m fund. Its focus is on pre-seed and seed-stage startups across the Baltics. 

📞 Munich's Yoummday has raised €30m for its platform that helps customer service reps who work from home. The round was led by Armira Growth and Project A Ventures.

📹 Another German company, Hamburg-based Confester, has raised €8m, in a round led by Signals Venture Capital. The startup runs video communication tools for corporate companies.

We've got heaps of exciting roles up for grabs at Sifted:

🤝 B2B subscriptions manager. We're looking for someone to drive Sifted's B2B membership offering, working on corporate access deals and prospecting organisations to join the Sifted community. Apply here.

📊 Data analyst. We're on the hunt for someone to take a lead on Sifted’s financial reporting, using data to help the business understand risks and opportunities clearly.

🎪 Head of events. Sifted is looking for a head of events to lead (and grow!) the future of Sifted events. We have an exciting plan for 2022 events, and you would help shape the future of in-person experiences. Apply here.

🎉 Senior events producer. We're looking for some to run our events, build our events agenda, recruit exciting speakers and keep an eye on new event forms we can try. Is that you? Apply now.

🇫🇷 French tech reporter. Sifted is looking for a part-time or freelance reporter to join our fast-growing team of journalists. This role will specifically focus on the French startup scene and be based in France.  

🤖 Deeptech reporter. This is a cool one — we're looking for someone to cover deeptech and emerging technologies for us (quantum, AI, NFTs, Web3, the metaverse and more.) Send us your application here.

🏆 Client success manager. We’re looking for a new client success manager to make our advertising and sponsorship clients the happiest folk in town.  Apply here!

Should I stay or should I go? | Online | February 16
Retaining finance talent isn’t easy as competitors continue to fight for the pick of the crop. On February 16, join Typeform, Partech and Spendesk as we explore how to nurture young professionals and create fulfilling finance roles.

Is your startup the new kid in the category? | Online | February 23
Challenger brands frequently shake up established markets — but what’s their disruptive secret? Hear from the experts in our Sifted Talks on February 23 on how startups can level the playing field.

Living in Portugal and interested in diversity? | In person | February 23

Join this community hangout run by Startup Portugal where there'll be a talk on how to improve diversity (plus drinks and jazz after).

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