Insights
Every story from the Sesamers desk — funding rounds, data, interviews and opinion across European tech.
What exhibiting at a tradeshow really costs
Nobody publishes real tradeshow costs - here is the 2.5x rule, the full cost stack and a transparent worked budget for pricing a booth honestly.
The post-event follow-up playbook: the 72 hours that decide your ROI
The badge bought you conversations; the 72 hours afterwards decide whether they become pipeline - a practical playbook for notes, emails and measurement.
How to get speaking slots at tech conferences
Speaking slots go to founders who pitch programmers a talk that serves their audience - here is how conference programming works and how to build a speaking flywheel.
Startup pitch competitions in Europe: which are worth entering
Which pitch competitions deserve a founder-week: what they actually deliver, how to vet judges and alumni, and when to skip the stage.
The side-event economy: the conference that happens outside the venue
The most valuable room at any tech conference is usually outside the venue - how side-event ecosystems form, how to get invited, and when to host your own.
4YFN and MWC for startups: working a 105,000-person tradeshow
4YFN puts startups inside MWC Barcelona's ~105,000-person tradeshow: who should go, how to work corporate delegations, and whether to take a booth or walk.
How to work VivaTech: the founder’s playbook
VivaTech is Europe's corporate innovation marketplace, not an investor conference - here is how founders should work its 180,000-visitor scale for enterprise pipeline.
How to work Web Summit: the founder’s playbook
Web Summit 2026 runs 9-12 November in Lisbon: here is how founders should work its 71,386-person scale, from the mega-event rule to Night Summit and press tactics.
What VCs actually look for at seed
The fund maths behind every seed decision - why a reliable 3x gets rejected, what quality of demand really means, and the questions to ask investors back.
What percentage of startups fail? What the data actually says
The "90% of startups fail" figure is untraceable - here is what the BLS and Dealroom data actually show, and why high attrition is the venture model working as designed.