Martin Coulter

Climeworks eyes expansion despite planned layoffs Climeworks is plotting an international expansion despite a recent round of layoffs and uncertainty over funding from the US government.

Carbon removal company Climeworks is plotting an international expansion despite a recent round of layoffs and uncertainty over funding from the US government.

The company tells me that Canada, Saudi Arabia, Norway and the UK fit its criteria.

More here 👇

sifted.eu/articles/cli...

Elon Musk’s xAI no longer working with German startup Black Forest Labs Buzzy German AI startup Black Forest Labs is no longer working with Elon Musk’s xAI to power its Grok chatbot, Sifted has learned.

Scoop: Buzzy German AI startup Black Forest Labs is no longer working with Elon Musk’s xAI, Sifted has learned.

w/ @mpartington.bsky.social 👇

sifted.eu/articles/xai...

Exclusive: Microsoft scoops up talent from AI video startup Haiper Founded by two DeepMind alums in 2021, Haiper AI emerged from stealth last year with a $14m funding round.

Excl: Microsoft has hired a team of researchers from AI video startup Haiper — including both cofounders.

Haiper came out of stealth with almost $20m in funding last year, but has since shut down its consumer business.
sifted.eu/articles/mic...

Autocracy, Inc. by Anne Applebaum: 9780385549936 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the Pulitzer-prize winning author, an alarming account of how autocracies work together to undermine the democratic world, and how we should organize to defeat...

I wrote much of what I think about this election before it happened, so I am going to put it all together here. My book, Autocracy Inc, described the network of autocrats who seek to undermine democracy, inside their countries and ours
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725302...

VC firm faces questions over £110m of UK public money acquired without competitive process London-based VC firm Future Planet Capital (FPC) was awarded over £100m in public funds without any competitive bidding process.

NEW: Since 2021, London-based VC firm Future Planet Capital has secured more than £100m in public funds without any competitive bidding process.

Sources tell Sifted that government officials have raised questions over its suitability for the project.

sifted.eu/articles/fut...

Exclusive: Mistral seeks defence contracts across Europe CEO Arthur Mensch said Mistral's AI models would be “instrumental in developing a new generation of defence systems".

Scoop: Mistral AI is pursuing defence contracts with governments across Europe, pitching its technology’s potential military applications, sources say.

Having secured links with its native French defence ministry, Mistral is targeting officials in the UK and Germany.
sifted.eu/articles/mis...

Does Elon Musk cheat at video games? An investigation. The world’s richest man has paid to boost his online warriors into global leaderboards, raising questions about his prowess — and his need for digital praise.

This is my Watergate wapo.st/4aBla0g

Save The Prince Charles Cinema The iconic Prince Charles Cinema in London’s West End future is under serious threat! We are beyond disappointed that our landlords Zedwell LSQ Ltd and their ultimate parent company Criterion Capital...

"Losing The Prince Charles Cinema would mean losing not just an iconic cultural institution, but an engine for the economy of the West End that brings people from all over to watch films, shop and eat and drink. This would have repercussions way beyond the building itself."
shorturl.at/mqCG5

DeepSeek gives Europe's AI startups a reality check The company spooked the markets with the release of a high-performing, low-cost chatbot.

New: DeepSeek is forcing a strategic rethink among some of Europe's leading AI startups, more than a dozen founders and VCs tell @sifted.eu

The company's meteoric rise has prompted questions over why OpenAI and others needed so much cash to achieve seemingly similar results
shorturl.at/3vlnl

DeepSeek gives Europe's AI startups a reality check The company spooked the markets with the release of a high-performing, low-cost chatbot.

New: European tech VCs and founders are wrestling with what the surprise success of China's AI startup DeepSeek means for startups on the continent... More on @sifted.eu sifted.eu/articles/dee...

Founder dresses as burglar to troll corporate rival: ‘I’m ready to embarrass myself’ Inspired by viral YouTuber MrBeast, founder Giuseppe Baidoo took the streets to stand up for his snack startup Gusto.

A true Friday story from @freyapratty.bsky.social

Founder dresses as burglar to troll corporate rival: ‘I’m ready to embarrass myself’

sifted.eu/articles/gus...

‘We need a DOGE for Europe!’ Elon Musk’s White House takeover inspires – and divides – Europe’s tech leaders The Tesla mogul's White House takeover has stirred division among Europe’s tech elites, prompting some to pick a side.

Elon Musk is inspiring Europe's tech leaders to get into policy, with some taking behind-closed-door meetings and writing cheques for political parties.

Musk supporters want a DOGE for the EU, while opponents are fighting groups he's endorsed such as the AfD in Germany.
sifted.eu/articles/elo...

David Lynch, holding a guitar

RIP David Lynch, monumental loss for cinema, pioneer filmmaker, gutted

🎉Happy to share I'm joining Sifted as news editor from next week!

Backed by the Financial Times, Sifted has fast established itself as a must-read for founders and investors across Europe. I'm looking forward to getting stuck in!

If you want to get in touch, ping me on martin@sifted.eu

New around here? Interested in tech? I've compiled a list of 50 or so UK technology journo accounts. Let me know if you'd like to be added!
go.bsky.app/5s9g2Rn