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Outraged entrepreneurs as Tech Nation shuts down — Startup Europe, The Sifted Podcast

UK founders aren't happy

By Steph Bailey

On Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast, we chat about the biggest things coming out of Europe’s tech and startup sector.

This week, we have a controversy to get into, but first, we talk about some cool deeptech raises from France. Quantum-processing startup PASQAL announced a €100m raise last week, one of Europe’s biggest ever investment rounds in the sector. Hot on its heels, Renaissance Fusion raised a €15m seed round to develop nuclear fusion technology. 

Then we move to Monzo — the digital bank founded in 2015 — as it says its revenues have surged more than twofold, putting it on the path to profitability for 2023. 

After that, we discuss the controversial news that Tech Nation — the UK startup organisation that helped bring thousands of talented tech workers to the UK — will cease operations in March after the UK government pulled key funding. 

Then for our first interview we move across the channel and chat to Chris O’Brien, our reporter based in France, who had a story out this week on France’s plans to use the downturn to come out on top in Europe.

Lastly,  we’re joined by Alberto Rizzoli, CEO and cofounder of V7, an AI data platform, who shares his insights on how he and his team raised a $33m Series A last year, in the middle of an economic downturn.

Listen to Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast on Apple, Spotify and all major platforms.