NATO Innovation Fund chair Fiona Murray: ‘The threat from Russia is extremely real’

NATO Innovation Fund chair Fiona Murray: ‘The threat from Russia is extremely real’

Author: Sifted December 18, 2025 Duration: 47:03
When NATO announced plans to launch a €1bn innovation fund back in 2022, heads turned. €1bn? To invest in defence and security? Backed by 24 countries? At the time, most European VCs were still incredibly wary of backing defence companies — and nothing like this had ever been attempted before. Three years on, host Amy Lewin is joined on the Sifted Podcast by Dame Fiona Murray, current chair and former vice-chair of the Nato Innovation Fund (NIF), to take stock of how the experiment is playing...

Each week on Startup Europe-The Sifted Podcast, host Amy Lewin sits down with the people actually shaping the continent's technology landscape. This isn't about abstract theories or distant analysis; it's built from direct conversations with the founders rolling up their sleeves, the operators scaling teams, and the investors backing the next big ideas. Alongside Sifted's own journalists, Amy delves into the specifics of building a business, examining the strategies, setbacks, and successes that define the journey. The discussions go beyond the headlines to explore the real mechanics and human stories behind the companies causing a stir. Tuning into this podcast offers a genuine, behind-the-scenes look at innovation as it happens, grounded in the reporting and network that Sifted brings. It’s for anyone curious about the practical realities of European tech, from seasoned investors to aspiring entrepreneurs wanting to hear how it’s really done. You’ll find a focus on tangible lessons and candid insights, making each episode a detailed snapshot of a dynamic and fast-moving ecosystem.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 100

Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast
Podcast Episodes
What’s behind the senior employee exodus at Revolut? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:54
This week we discuss: 02:55 Mobility giant Bolt likely to acquire rival Tier in weeks 05:00 Northvolt to build German and US factories 10:13 ETH spinout ANYbotics raises $50m for AI-led robo workforce 13:54 Startup valua…
Amazon Alexa's creator drops hints about new AI startup [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:57
This week we discuss: 01:30 German startup Blinkist acquired by Australian content company Go1 05:39 Proposed EU net neutrality 'paywall' for internet access spooks founders 09:55 Micro-ticket investment platform Odin ra…
New rules for the London Stock Exchange to combat "Brexit idiocy" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:00
This week we discuss: 01:20 Investors say new UK listing rules might not be enough to entice tech companies 05:24 German startup Prematch raises €2.4m to build 'Fifa for amateur football' 09:22 Mental health therapeutics…
Stability AI leaked pitch deck raises questions over Series A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:05
This week we discuss: 01:27 Northvolt to confirm US expansion plans within weeks, cofounder says 04:07 Leaked deck raises questions over Stability AI's Series A pitch to investors 08:16 The call for a CERN-like AI superc…
End of the road for Cazoo? Details on the company's $630m debt burden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:29
This week we discuss: Shareholder upheaval and a $630m debt burden: end of the road for Cazoo? How a corruption scandal has left dozens of Polish startups facing bankruptcy The Family Files: Inside France’s ugliest start…
Checkout.com sees exec exodus while laying off staff “by stealth" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:32
This week we discuss: 01:18 Checkout.com faces exec team exodus and makes layoffs ‘by stealth’ 05:30 ‘Mini-revolt’ as TravelPerk U-turns on remote work 08:26 Founders had to wait ‘far too long’ for EIC Fund cash, admits…
The man trying to stop the AI apocalypse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:32
This week we discuss: 03:54: Starting to take off: German rocket maker Isar Aerospace raises $165m 06:43: Europe’s spacetech report 06:59: Climate tech Agreena raises €46m Series B to fight climate change with carbon sin…

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