TL;DR: Sifted's Podcasts Are Essential Tools for European Startup Success
Sifted's podcast series delivers actionable insights for entrepreneurs, focusing on the European tech ecosystem and startup challenges like scaling, fundraising, and navigating hiring mistakes.
• Episodes feature Europe's transformative founders, VCs, and innovators addressing growth strategies, metrics like ARR, and operational hurdles.
• Popular episodes of 2025 include masterclasses by Vinted CEO and Eric Schmidt, offering tactical foresight.
• Key takeaways include mastering startup metrics, strategic fundraising, and applying lessons tailored to immediate challenges.
Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for practical advice. Stay curious, document actionable insights, and apply strategies to scale your success.
Sifted’s Most-Loved Podcasts of 2025: Insights from an Entrepreneurial Lens
For entrepreneurial minds obsessed with actionable insights and compelling narratives, podcasts serve as gyms for sharpening skills, developing strategies, and staying tuned to industry trends. The Sifted Podcast became a standout in 2025, providing the perfect mix of European tech-centric discussions, founder stories, and provocations about scaling startups. As someone who has founded multiple startups and helped countless women transition into STEM, I see podcasts not as entertainment but as life-saving tools for entrepreneurs seeking guidance during tumultuous growth phases.
What Makes Sifted Podcasts a MUST-LISTEN?
Let me cut through the noise: Sifted’s podcasts stand out because they ask bold questions, Can Europe truly rival Silicon Valley? How does one recover from seemingly irreversible hiring mistakes? What does scaling in public actually feel like for founders? These topics go beyond fluff and dive deeply into operational truths. Their appeal lies in their relentless focus on Europe’s startup ecosystem, an ecosystem I have personally struggled in and succeeded within.
Most episodes feature heavy-hitting founders, VCs, or tech innovators. Whether you’re looking for fundraising strategies, operational guidance, or market trends, Sifted episodes consistently deliver intelligent dialogue seasoned with practical takeaways. The hosts, led by Amy Lewin, curate discussions designed to illuminate Europe’s startup landscape and encourage unfiltered debate.
What Were the Most-Downloaded Episodes of 2025?
- Vinted CEO Thomas Plantenga: A masterclass on scaling marketplaces and pushing beyond a core product. Vinted is revolutionizing secondhand buying by expanding into logistics and payments. Listen here.
- Eric Schmidt on AI Bubbles: Ex-Google CEO’s bold statements on undervaluing AI bubbles and innovation cycles captivated entrepreneurs eager for strategic foresight. Access episode.
- Anton Osika of Lovable: Insightful discussions on churn rates and ARR calculations helped struggling founders find clarity in their monetization strategies. Dive into the episode.
- Tomas Okmanas on Nexos.ai: A compelling personal story about building an AI startup in a saturated market, and Lithuania’s rise as a tech hub. Catch the episode.
- Dinika Mahtani of Cherry Ventures: A VC story that’s nothing short of aspirational, getting promoted to partner within three years and navigating tariff turmoil insights. Hear the story.
Each of these episodes zeroes in on the challenges and triumphs behind building companies in Europe, where systemic hurdles are often more daunting than those faced by our American counterparts.
How Can You Apply Podcast Insights To Your Startup Journey?
- Fundraising Lessons: Listen to how top founders build credibility with investors, refine their pitch decks, and execute bold vision statements.
- Metrics That Matter: Episodes like Anton Osika’s are perfect for learning key calculations like ARR and churn rates, which are the pulse of scaling startups.
- Operational Wisdom: Whether navigating hiring pitfalls or scaling into new verticals, episodes unpack saving mistakes early.
- Competitive Mindset: European founders often face lesser visibility, take note of how they cultivate relevance and brand equity.
If you are somebody building a business in Europe, you NEED to pick up the nuances discussed in these episodes. They offer both strategy insights and shared empathy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid While Consuming Business Content
While podcasts are treasure troves of insights, many entrepreneurs listen passively and fail to cultivate actionable takeaways. Here’s how to avoid such pitfalls:
- Failing to Note Key Lessons: Treat each episode like a workshop, write down ideas that connect directly to your company’s challenges.
- Trying to Learn Everything: Focus on episodes that align with your immediate hurdles rather than covering EVERYTHING.
- Skipping Over Data: Pay close attention when guest founders share stats. Metrics are often clues to your industry’s benchmarks.
- Not Following Up: If an episode inspires new strategies, document them and keep them on your radar for refinement.
Learning efficiently is NOT about absorbing everything, it’s about reflecting on what aligns with your problems now. Podcasts are not entertainment, they’re educational tools.
My Entrepreneurial Takeaway
Looking back as both an entrepreneur and mentor, my advice to fellow founders is to maintain curiosity like it’s your bread and butter. Podcasts like Sifted’s are solid tools, but ultimate success depends on execution. Don’t just file away their lessons, apply, measure, repeat.
For European founders especially, I believe the voices on Sifted’s platform are our lifelines in building competitive companies. In 2026, my hope is that these conversations continue to evolve, shedding light on the nuances that set European tech apart.
Access the Podcasts
If you’re ready to dive deep into these conversations, explore Sifted Podcast’s catalog directly on platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Need strategic advice for applying lessons? Leave a comment, in entrepreneurship, shared perspectives create breakthroughs.
FAQ on Sifted's Most-Loved Podcasts of 2025
What makes Sifted’s podcasts unique for entrepreneurs?
Sifted’s podcasts stand out due to their European tech-focus and specific insights into scaling startups. Hosted by Amy Lewin, each episode features influential founders, VCs, and innovators sharing firsthand experiences on overcoming challenges like hiring mistakes, scaling product offerings, and navigating market dynamics. Entrepreneurs value the data-driven discussions that prioritize operational truths over superficial advice. The mix of bold questions, such as whether Europe can compete with Silicon Valley, makes these podcasts educational tools rather than mere entertainment. Dive into Startup Europe , The Sifted Podcast.
What episodes were the highlights of 2025?
Some of the top episodes include Vinted CEO Thomas Plantenga's insights on scaling marketplaces, and Eric Schmidt’s discussion on AI cycles and innovation bubbles. Other guest favorites were Anton Osika of Lovable talking about churn and ARR, Tomas Okmanas sharing his journey with Nexos.ai, and Dinika Mahtani’s rapid VC trajectory at Cherry Ventures. Each episode focused on pressing challenges, offering direct takeaways for entrepreneurs. Explore Eric Schmidt’s AI insights | Catch Vinted CEO Thomas Plantenga’s episode.
Can their insights help with startup challenges?
Yes, especially regarding fundraising, operational dilemmas, and market positioning. Episodes like Anton Osika’s delve into metrics like ARR and churn rates, pivotal for scaling. Others, such as Tomas Okmanas of Nexos.ai, explore navigating highly competitive industries by leveraging strategic thinking. These podcasts act as a blueprint for founders seeking guidance on immediate hurdles, inspiring both long-term vision and tactical actions. Learn from Lovable’s founder.
Are the episodes data-driven and practical?
Absolutely. Each episode features clear metrics, market trends, and case studies that are applicable to real-world business practices. For instance, Eric Schmidt’s AI discussion includes data on innovation bubbles and underestimated tech cycles, while Thomas Plantenga reveals operational figures from Vinted’s evolution. This attention to concrete metrics ensures the content aligns well for analytical founders or data-centric decision-makers. Explore detailed episodes on Spotify.
How should entrepreneurs consume podcast content effectively?
To benefit fully, entrepreneurs should actively reflect, note specific takeaways, and align the lessons with their business challenges. Focusing on relevant episodes, writing down actionable ideas like fundraising tips or ARR calculations, and revisiting them during strategy planning are suggested methods. Podcasts should be treated as workshops rather than entertainment for an efficient learning experience.
What skills can founders gain from these episodes?
Founders can learn to refine investor pitches, uncover metrics that matter (like churn or ARR), and gain insight into scaling strategies. The podcasts also emphasize resilience, storytelling, and transparent leadership practices essential for navigating startup growth. Key episodes with guests such as Dinika Mahtani further extend strategies for building VC credibility and accelerating career milestones. Hear VC strategies on Apple Podcasts.
Why is the European focus of these podcasts important?
European startups face unique challenges, such as navigating regional biases or competing with global counterparts on lesser funding. Sifted’s focus on Europe offers nuanced strategies tailored for this ecosystem, empowering founders with region-specific approaches while addressing cultural and market differences compared to other tech hubs like Silicon Valley.
How do these podcasts compare to US tech-centered ones?
While many US podcasts focus on saturated funding ecosystems and existing tech giants, Sifted’s podcasts prioritize emerging European startups and local scaling challenges. Founders discuss realistic growth pathways, hiring pitfalls, and visibility issues unique to Europe, making the platform particularly insightful for regional entrepreneurs seeking inspiration and tactical guidance in competitive global contexts.
Are there resources to explore beyond the podcasts?
Yes, Sifted’s website frequently features blog posts, founder interviews, and VC analyses, complementing the podcast discussions. These additional resources offer further details on episode content, market developments, and actionable trends. Access full startup coverage and event highlights directly on Sifted’s website.
How can I access the most-loved episodes and their insights?
You can explore episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Sifted’s website. Guests like Thomas Plantenga and Eric Schmidt offer candid advice on topics crucial for building impactful startups. Access the catalog to dive deeper into Europe's tech ecosystem. Subscribe on Spotify | Check out Sifted’s podcasts on Apple.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the point of view of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.