Revolut, Mistral & Wayve Join VC to Boost Euro Tech

Revolut, Mistral, Wayve and ElevenLabs are coming together to prove that a Silicon Valley zip code is not required to build a world-class business. 

By backing a six-figure ‘Built in Europe’ advertising campaign, along with over 100 European founders and CEO, these start-ups are pushing back against the long-running narrative that Europe struggles to produce globally significant tech companies. 

The campaign has been initiated by Balderton Capital, which is one of the longest-standing venture firms in Europe. The venture firm has recruited leaders from some of the largest technology companies on the continent to launch the movement.

The international project spanning London, Paris, Berlin, Munich and Stockholm was unveiled on 1 July 2026. The initiative includes billboards, digital advertising and a specialised jobs platform that aggregates open positions from 1,000 European start-ups.

Driving regional tech campaign

Backers of the campaign say the European region now has the talent, capital and experience needed to compete with the US and China. 

Innovation hubs across the continent are showing unprecedented strength in sectors like fintech and Gen AI.

The push coincides with a number of major technology events taking place this month. These include London Tech Week and VivaTech, which takes place in Paris, France.

A central part of the initiative is BuiltInEurope.com, which is a jobs platform developed in-house by Balderton Capital. 

The firm uses API integrations and direct data feeds from startups to keep listings fresh.

The venture firm says the site is designed to become the largest startup talent hub in Europe. 

The platform lists roles from companies across critical sectors including deeptech, fintech, climate and healthtech.

Moving from potential to proof

Suranga Chandratillake, General Partner at Balderton Capital, told Sifted that the campaign is intended to shift the narrative around regional innovation.

“For too long, the narrative around European tech has been stuck on all the things that need to change. Built In Europe aims to shift the conversation from potential to proof.”

The campaign features founders from other AI start-ups, including ElevenLabs, Lovable and Synthesia.

Deeptech companies such as Quantum Systems, The Exploration Company and Proxima Fusion are also backing the project.

Alex Kendall, Co-Founder and CEO at Wayve, talked to Sifted about the new initiative. He says: “If you think about what’s going to matter in the next 100 years, it’s the really hard, deep technology, and startups are where that’s built. 

“It’s the most adventurous, exciting thing you could do – build or join a startup in Europe.”

Talent retention crucial for future growth

The campaign aims to keep high-tier engineering talent from draining to the US market. Similar initiatives like Project Europe pooled scores of founders to fund entrepreneurs under 25 years old.

Balderton Capital, which previously backed Depop and Darktrace, is betting that the region is ready to tell a louder story.

In a comment given to Sifted, Anton Osika, Co-Founder of Lovable, states he believes that European ecosystem conditions are at an all-time high. 

Anton says: “There has never been a better time to build from Europe than now. The talent is here, the capital is here, the ecosystem is here. And we have the ambition to match.”

The venture firm, fresh off a US$1.3bn fundraise, expects the platform to anchor the next generation of builders. 

With major unicorns on board, the initiative marks a distinct shift in how European tech asserts its global position.