Sifted is the FT-backed publication European founders, operators and VCs actually read. Its data-driven stories rank among its most shared and most cited content.

This guide shows how to pitch Sifted Startup Data Analysis reporters with datasets and findings they can build articles around — not product announcements.

The beat sits at the intersection of startups, venture capital and quantitative evidence. Expect stories built on funding rounds, sector trends, country comparisons, valuations, diversity metrics and layoff trackers.

Sifted's audience is European and practitioner-level. A dataset that is US-only, or that lacks a European cut, rarely clears the bar.

The core editorial currency is exclusivity plus method. If you can hand over a clean dataset before anyone else has it, you are speaking their language.

The beat is lean — often one or two writers at a time plus the data/visuals desk. Your Sifted Startup Data Analysis reporters list should sit alongside the general news team, because data stories frequently route through editors.

Start with named bylines on funding-round trackers, rankings and quarterly trend pieces. Our directory's representative writer, Federico Scolari, is a useful anchor for building that map.

Track their recent output for recurring formats. If they publish a monthly funding recap, pitch into that cycle rather than against it.

Keep your list to five or six names: the beat writer, the data/visuals editor, the news editor and the relevant sector correspondent.

The strongest pitches answer a question the European ecosystem is already arguing about. Rate rises, AI capex, defence tech, CEE founder migration, down rounds — the debate exists; your data ends it.

Four angles that reliably land with Sifted Startup Data Analysis journalists:

• The contrarian cut. Everyone says seed is frozen; your data shows resilience in one vertical or country.
• The regional split. DACH versus Southern Europe versus CEE on deal count, median round size or time-to-close.
• The stage funnel. Conversion from pre-seed to Series A by cohort — rarely available publicly.
• The people data. Founder nationality, gender split, repeat founders and their second-company outcomes.

Support each with three bullet stats in the email body. A sample table or anonymised CSV extract beats a deck every time.

Frame the finding as a sentence a journalist could paste into a headline. That single move does more for placement than any amount of context.

Treat initial contact as a data trade, not a favour. Keep the first email under 150 words.

The anatomy is fixed: one-line headline finding, three supporting stats, one-line methodology, one line on exclusivity, one clear ask. Links only — no attachments over 2 MB.

When sourcing Sifted Startup Data Analysis journalists contacts, prefer direct email over social DMs. A follow-up after three to four working days is standard; a second is rarely forgiven.

Respect CET working hours and avoid Monday morning and Friday afternoon sends. Embargoes work well when you are explicit about the exact lift time and confirm it in writing.

Always offer the underlying data, not just the conclusion. Journalists who can verify your numbers become repeat contacts for the next dataset.

Run this before you hit send:

• Finding first: Does the subject line contain a number and a claim?
• Europe cut: Is there a country, sector or stage breakdown relevant to Sifted's audience?
• Methodology: Can you describe sample, source and window in one sentence?
• Exclusivity: Are you offering a genuine first look with a clear window?
• Verification: Is a sample dataset or summary table ready to share on request?
• Spokesperson: Is a named, quotable expert available within 24 hours?
• Timing: Does it map to a quarterly data cycle, funding trend or policy moment?
• Brevity: Is the first email under 150 words with links only?
• Follow-up: Is your single, polite follow-up scheduled for day three or four?

Keep a short log of who received which dataset and when. Over six months, that record becomes a more valuable asset than any one placement — and it is how Sifted Startup Data Analysis reporters start coming to you first.