Marie Mawad
- Dean of Sciences, Po's Journalism School in Paris
Dean @Sciencespo Journalism School / Journalist @FT's @Siftedeu / Ex Bloomberg @Technology, @Reuters / @EYL40 class of 2022 / Opera aficionado + Habs fan
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Articles by Marie Mawad
Voir Netrebko, réécouter Callas
Par | | Temps de lecture : 3 minutes À l’Opéra Bastille, le Bal Masqué de Verdi s’impose d’abord par l’opulence vocale de ses interprètes, dans la production de Gilbert Deflo et William Orlandi. Anna Netrebko y livre une Amelia moderne, assumée, et différente des grandes interprétations du répertoire. Giuseppe Verdi écrit à son librettiste Antonio Somma en novembre 1857.
Bel canto : polémique et nostalgie
Callas reprend ici le flambeau d’une longue lignée. Celle qui oppose une certaine modernité lyrique à ce qu’elle perçoit comme un âge d’or révolu de la virtuosité. Celle pour qui Rossini, Donizetti et Bellini incarnent un tournant, et pour qui le bel canto n’est pas une simple page de l’histoire du chant, mais plutôt un critère, presque un verdict. Un art que l’on dit perdu et, pour cette raison même, un sujet de discorde. « Beau chant » L’expression elle-même en porte la trace.
Opéra, opéra pas ?
Temps de lecture : 3 minutes Flanquée de l’Orchestre symphonique de Londres et de chœurs en allemand, la chanteuse pop Rosalía emprunte aux codes de l’opéra — et ne manque pas de soulever les questions qui fâchent. Il y a des petites questions qui révèlent de grandes angoisses. Prenez par exemple celle que posait récemment un grand critique de musique classique et d’opéra du New York Times, Joshua Barone: « Lux de Rosalía est opératique. Mais est-ce de l’opéra?
The future of startup-corporate collaboration
This article is part of Scale Up Europe, an initiative with 170+ innovators brainstorming how Europe can propel its startups to the next level. In a series of interviews and deep-dives, Sifted is exploring the region’s most pressing and strategic questions. Read the full report here. Are European corporates ready to step up and work more closely with startups? The Covid pandemic is likely to act as an accelerator, boosting collaboration beyond proof of concepts, trials and other timid approaches.
The future of startup-corporate collaboration
This article is part of Scale Up Europe, an initiative with 170+ innovators brainstorming how Europe can propel its startups to the next level. In a series of interviews and deep-dives, Sifted is exploring the region’s most pressing and strategic questions. Read the full report here. Are European corporates ready to step up and work more closely with startups? The Covid pandemic is likely to act as an accelerator, boosting collaboration beyond proof of concepts, trials and other timid approaches.
Tech disrupts the €2tn construction market
Technology innovators and entrepreneurs across Europe are increasingly eyeing the construction industry. It helps that construction is a mega market of almost €2tn on the continent alone. But founders, and their investors, aren’t attracted only by market size. They’re betting on the impact of digital transformation in an industry that has been, so far, a sleeping giant. Construction accounts for a whopping 9% of the EU’s GDP and employs 18m people.
Tech disrupts the €2tn construction market
Technology innovators and entrepreneurs across Europe are increasingly eyeing the construction industry. It helps that construction is a mega market of almost €2tn on the continent alone. But founders, and their investors, aren’t attracted only by market size. They’re betting on the impact of digital transformation in an industry that has been, so far, a sleeping giant. Construction accounts for a whopping 9% of the EU’s GDP and employs 18m people.
Scale-Up Europe: 21 ideas to spawn tech giants in Europe
Sifted has played an active role in the Scale-Up Europe initiative and produced a report detailing a community-led action plan for the region. Read our Scale-Up Europe coverage. Politicians across Europe often get asked: how is the continent ever going to build the next generation of global tech giants? Now, entrepreneurs and investors have come up with a 21-step plan they think will help — and they’d like politicians to implement it.
Tax credits and 20 other ideas to spawn tech giants in Europe
Sifted has played an active role in the Scale-Up Europe initiative and produced a report detailing a community-led action plan for the region. Read our Scale-Up Europe coverage. Politicians across Europe often get asked: how is the continent ever going to build the next generation of global tech giants? Now, entrepreneurs and investors have come up with a 21-step plan they think will help — and they’d like politicians to implement it.
Sifted's deep-dive into the Scale-Up Europe initiative
As part of Scale-Up Europe, entrepreneurs, investors and innovators spent months brainstorming and debating, to draft a plan for scaling European startups into giants. Here's a summary of Sifted's coverage as well as further Scale-Up Europe resources : • An action plan for Europe: • Sifted has played an active role in the Scale-Up Europe initiative and produced a report detailing a community-led action plan for the region.
Is bureaucracy chasing talent away from Europe?
This article is part of Scale Up Europe, an initiative with 150+ innovators brainstorming how Europe can propel its startups to the next level. In a series of interviews and deep-dives, Sifted is exploring the region’s most pressing and strategic questions. “I used to live in Silicon Valley, and I wondered every day as I jogged in front of Google’s offices why it was that all the smart people were going there to work,” says Karoli Hindriks.
Is bureaucracy chasing talent away from Europe?
This article is part of Scale Up Europe, an initiative with 150+ innovators brainstorming how Europe can propel its startups to the next level. In a series of interviews and deep-dives, Sifted is exploring the region’s most pressing and strategic questions. Read the full report here. “I used to live in Silicon Valley, and I wondered every day as I jogged in front of Google’s offices why it was that all the smart people were going there to work,” says Karoli Hindriks.
Why scientists go to deeptech
This article is part of Scale Up Europe, an initiative with 150+ innovators brainstorming how Europe can propel its startups to the next level. In a series of interviews and deep-dives, Sifted is exploring the region’s most pressing and strategic questions. What comes after attending the world’s best-rated mathematics school? For Malo Huard, like more and more of Europe’s brilliant scientists, the answer is creating a deeptech startup.
Why scientists go to deeptech
This article is part of Scale Up Europe, an initiative with 150+ innovators brainstorming how Europe can propel its startups to the next level. In a series of interviews and deep-dives, Sifted is exploring the region’s most pressing and strategic questions. Read the full report here. What comes after attending the world’s best-rated mathematics school? For Malo Huard, like more and more of Europe’s brilliant scientists, the answer is creating a deeptech startup.
Lilium to list on Nasdaq via a $3.3bn SPAC
Lilium, the German flying taxi startup, today announced plans to list on Nasdaq via a reverse merger with Qell Acquisition Corp, a special acquisition company run by Barry Engle, former president of General Motors North America. The deal will raise $830m for the company and value the business at $3.3bn. Lilium also revealed a new 7-seater electrical aircraft, which it will use to build out a regional network of inter-city flight services.
Mid-sized companies don't need to miss out on innovation — here's how | Sifted
When it comes to innovation, we live in an era of outsized returns. If you invested in the SP500 12 months ago, you would be up more than 50% today despite the human and economic tragedy of Covid-19. But if you look under the hood, these gains were largely driven by Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google & Microsoft. These five companies have driven the majority of the gains in the stock market, and in 2020 they briefly exceed 25% of the value of the whole index.
RBVC’s Ingo Ramesohl: Europe is an “order of magnitude” behind in investing in AI
“If you look at topics like AI and how much the US and China are investing in these, Europe is an order of magnitude behind,” says Ingo Ramesohl, managing director of Robert Bosch Venture Capital, one of Europe’s oldest and most successful corporate venture funds.
Enzo Ventures: the new microfund for Gen Z founders
What skills do you need to invest in pre-seed and pre-revenue startups that are run by founders in their early 20s? Well, you need to be an investor team also made up of early 20-somethings. Or at least that is the idea of Barcelona-based Enzo Ventures, a new €500,000 microfund run by 23 and 24-year-old former founders. They’ll be investing between €10,000 to €25,000, hoping to back 20-25 startups in mainly SaaS, marketplaces and ecommerce.
4 ways banks can work better with fintechs
A recent ClearBank survey of European fintechs found that over 50% of fintechs see banks as ‘mission critical partners’ — helping startups with regulatory compliance, finding new revenue streams and reducing operational spend. And for banks, working with fintechs allows them to innovate alongside them, while also keeping their fintech collaborators from challenging their corner of the market. ClearBank’s report surveyed 100 European fintechs on agency bank partnerships.
The startups that microdose magic mushrooms
Jonathan Henkel and his cofounder have been running an efficiency experiment at their Eindhoven-based startup this month. Rather than analysing the company’s KPIs, ROIs or customer success strategies though, the pair have been trying to rewire their brain chemistry with the help of magic mushrooms to see if that helps.
Everything you should know about European SPACs
SPACs — special purpose acquisition companies — are the investment craze du jour. In February alone, SPACs, which are set up in order to acquire other businesses, struck 50 deals globally, signing off on $109bn worth of transactions, according to data from Refinitiv. In the US, SPACs have raised $58bn in the first two months of the year — compared with $78bn across 2020 as a whole.
Are AI-generated inventions patentable?
What does a chair from furniture manufacturer Kartell have in common with a rocket engine by the software powerhouse Hyperganic? They were both created by generative design — in other words, made by AI. Our patent and copyright system isn’t prepared for inventions or designs by AI. The buzzword ‘generative design’ stands for a computer-aided design (CAD) process.
B2B networks are the next big software tool for SMBs
When the SaaS model emerged two decades ago, it allowed smaller companies to buy and use software over the internet, triggering a massive wave of digital transformation in the business world. Over this time, SaaS has become the dominant business model in B2B. But now there’s a new B2B playbook that could deliver a similar wave of transformation and returns. Say hello to the ‘B2B marketplaces’: social networks in a B2B environment.
How to convince boardrooms about the power of sustainability
The evidence is overwhelming. The commercial opportunity is obvious. Risks are diminishing. And yet, when I walk into a boardroom, as I have done now for many years, I still sense resistance to putting sustainability at the very core of any business strategy. ‘I’ve already got a whole team on this, we’re on top of it’, is a statement I often hear. But companies could be doing much more with sustainability innovation. Boards and directors just need the right kind of persuasion.
Clubhouse has revealed the German tech scene’s lack of diversity
Audio-only social app Clubhouse, which exploded in Europe this year, has proven popular among European founders, VCs and journalists, with some of the biggest names in tech hosting regular panels, fireside chats and pitching contests. In Germany — which has the second highest number of downloads outside the US — Clubhouse has also provided a platform for digital-savvy politicians (including its health minister, Jens Spahn) and members of the startup community to mingle.
How not to lose your cool as a founder
As a founder, when stuff goes great, it’s fantastic. But when stuff goes wrong, you feel every reverb of it. And not just your own mistakes — those of your direct reports and peers too. These emotional tripwires are useful pieces of information if we can use them to course-correct our approach or adjust our decision. The trouble is those strong emotions usually derail us and, longer term, send us towards chronic levels of stress.
The Trustpilot IPO is a £670m payday for European VCs
Consumer-review site Trustpilot is set to start trading on the London Stock Exchange on Monday at a valuation of around £1bn, providing a big payday for the mostly European venture capital funds which supported the company. According to company filings, which takes into account everyone with over three per cent of the shares of the company, European VC funds Draper Esprit, Index Ventures, Northzone and Seed Capital had 67% of the company or £670m worth of shares.
Why France needs fewer geeks
This article is part of a series taking a deep-dive into the French tech ecosystem. For more, read the latest Sifted Intelligence report. Exceptional technical talent is one of France’s biggest strengths — and that needs to change. France has been betting a lot on homegrown brains in science-based fields like AI, robotics, and biotech, which should give it a competitive advantage in the world of deep tech.
Why France needs fewer geeks
This article is part of a series taking a deep-dive into the French tech ecosystem. For more, read the latest Sifted Intelligence report. Exceptional technical talent is one of France’s biggest strengths — and that needs to change. France has been betting a lot on homegrown brains in science-based fields like AI, robotics, and biotech, which should give it a competitive advantage in the world of deep tech.
Wefox brings in Goldman for funding push
This scoop first appeared in our new fintech newsletter. Sign up here to get exclusive content, juicy insights, and early access. It’s been nearly six months since reports first surfaced that insurtech unicorn Wefox was plotting another major fundraise. But 2020 passed and no announcement came. So what happened? The short answer is that Wefox appears to have put its fundraising efforts on hold. Until now.
Eight predictions for 2021 by French entrepreneurs
This article is part of a series taking a deep-dive into the French tech ecosystem. For more, read the latest Sifted Intelligence report. Sifted asked French entrepreneurs and investors what they think 2021 has in store for the world of tech. Here are eight trends they predicted. 1. Clear road ahead for France Call it self-serving or wishful thinking, but it’s clear French entrepreneurs are enthusiastic about their prospects in the coming months.
The EU's new Startup Nations Standard launched today. What is it?
The European Commission has launched an initiative called the EU Startup Nations Standard (SNS), which is pressuring national governments to put in place more startup-friendly policies. What does this really mean? The SNS is calling on EU member states to change their local rules on issues such as startup visas and stock options — and giving them a road map of what to do. Member states don’t have to sign up to this, but those that do will be expected to actually change their rules over time.
How do non-founder CEOs prepare for the role?
When Arne Schepker took on a new role as CEO of Babbel, a Berlin-based language learning app, he didn’t anticipate the job would be so hard. Schepker had previously been chief marketing officer at Babbel, so he was already well acquainted with the startup. But that didn’t make the transition to CEO any easier. “I found myself completely out of my comfort zone, and having to learn new things every single day,” he told Sifted.
Eight predictions for 2021 by French entrepreneurs
This article is part of a series taking a deep-dive into the French tech ecosystem. For more, read the latest Sifted Intelligence report. Sifted asked French entrepreneurs and investors what they think 2021 has in store for the world of tech. Here are eight trends they predicted. Call it self-serving or wishful thinking, but it’s clear French entrepreneurs are enthusiastic about their prospects in the coming months.
France is buzzing with NFT startups
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have rocketed out of obscurity in recent weeks to become a global phenomenon. Amid this hysteria, France has staked a surprising claim as an epicentre of this virtual gold rush. Last week NFT startup Arianee, which certifies ownership of virtual luxury goods, raised €9m in VC. That came just two weeks after NFT-based fantasy football platform Sorare raised a €40m round of VC led by international A-list investors such Benchmark and Accel.
Will high-tech pet insurance tempt owners?
Pet insurers are increasingly using innovative technology to help offer more competitive pricing for pet owners as well as tackling the problem of the rising cost of claims. Over the last ten years, the average insurance claim has gone up by 75%, according to the Association of British Insurers — in part because there is an increasing number of treatment options available for pets now.
Exclusive: Barkibu raises $5.6m to become the Apple Health of pets
Barkibu, the Spanish pet telemedicine startup, has raised $5.6m to advance its plans to become “the Apple Health of petcare”. The startup, founded in 2015, offers pet owners a range of pet health services, from a free AI-powered triage service that allows pet owners to figure out if their pet needs medical attention or not, to a subscription service for in-person consultations with veterinarians — and the insurance to cover the cost.
How to get the most out of hiring an innovation consultant
Most corporate innovation projects begin with hiring a consultant. But — much like tax returns — no one ever gets taught how to work properly with consultants. As a result, most people don’t get the most out of consulting engagements and often miss opportunities to be great clients and use the project to accelerate towards real-world outcomes. That can mean >£200k wasted and reputations damaged. Mismanaged innovation projects can mean >£200k wasted.
European VCs are still wary of joining the SPAC goldrush
Everyone who is anyone in the US is now issuing a SPAC. It’s part of the latest craze which sees investors — from VCs to famed entrepreneurs — raise funds for a shell company, before taking it public with the intention of acquiring a startup. In Europe too, the SPAC hype is slowly catching hold.
Is 'community-washing' the new greenwashing?
Community-driven brand building is commonly heralded as best practice for 21st century companies. Growth at various unicorn marketplaces and creator platforms has been exponentially accelerated by the network effect of community participation and mutual value creation.
Exclusive: Coliving startup Habyt acquires global coliving provider Quarters
After what has been a precarious year for many coliving startups, Berlin-based Habyt has today acquired coliving company Quarters — bringing its number of rooms to 4k in 5 countries across Europe. The deal marks Habyt’s third acquisition since its founding in 2017, and is a sign that the consolidation of the sector is continuing at pace spurred on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Coliving in Europe appears to be shaping up into a winner-takes-all kind of game.
Digital identity fraud is only getting worse, here is how to stop it
Identity fraud is on the rise. Some 79% of global organisations surveyed by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners said they’d seen an increase in levels of fraud since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes everything from credit card fraud and phishing to synthetic identity fraud, where someone creates an identity to defraud a business.
A flavour of what it’s like to work at Revolut | Sifted
This article first appeared in our new fintech newsletter. Sign up here to get exclusive content, juicy insights, and early access. Chad West, Revolut’s outspoken director of global marketing and communications, is set to leave the $5.5bn digital bank for a new challenge. And he is not the only high profile departure.
Disabled representation in advertising is growing and Europe’s startups are leading the way
One in five people in Europe lives with a disability, but flick through a magazine, watch the ad breaks on TV, or scroll through social media advertising campaigns, and you’ll be hard pressed to see disabled faces. A 2016 census of advertising by Lloyds Banking Group found people with disabilities represented 0.06% of the people in campaigns.
Why you really need to fix your startup’s ‘leadership debt’
We all know what it takes to build and scale a tech company: a customer-centric product, an innovative business model and backing from the right early-stage investors. But there’s another key ingredient: building a competent leadership team. Most founders or C-level teams of growth companies who already have one or more successful exits under their belt had to learn this the hard way.
What’s next for Bulb, Europe’s fastest growing startup?
Bulb has been busy. On March 2, it was officially crowned Europe’s fastest growing startup, having topped the FT 1000 list. The FT’s annual list of fast-growing companies, which this year ranked startups on revenue growth between 2016 and 2019, revealed that Bulb has achieved compound annual revenue growth of 1,159%, putting it ahead of Spanish recruiting startup jobandtalent (which has just raised €100m) and Estonian ride-sharing startup Bolt.
"Often overlooked": the media startups to watch in 2021
The media industry is having a rough time. Newsrooms are closing, team sizes are shrinking (even in social-first examples like Buzzfeed, HuffPo and Vice) and tech giants are hoovering up the advertising revenue that once went to fund original journalism. Public trust in journalism also remains low.
Want to build a deeptech startup? Throw out the VC playbook
Every startup founder needs a good dose of grit, stamina and endurance to take a startup from idea to the heights of unicorn status. But deeptech entrepreneurs need to dig particularly deeply into their own resources to create something exceptional. Building a startup isn’t easy. Despite the vast number of business births each year, business deaths match them almost like-for-like.
Do women really want their employers to freeze their eggs?
Despite the fact I’m still in my prime at 32, and that the number of women waiting until their 30s to have children has been rising with each generation, as a woman I still don’t have the luxury to ‘wait and see’ if I can have kids when I (eventually) decide I want them. Women have a limited number of eggs to last us a lifetime. Each year that passes, more eggs die. By the time we reach 32, our fertility starts its decline, and by 37 we have only around 3% of our original eggs left.
Apple hit by privacy complaint by leading French tech association
France’s startup association has filed a privacy complaint against Apple alleging that the latest version of iOS is collecting users’ data without their permission. France Digitale, which represents the nation’s entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, on Tuesday asked the country’s privacy watchdog, the Commission Nationale de L’informatique et des Libertés (CNIL) to investigate iOS 14 for privacy violations.
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