European AI startups have raised €20bn collectively since 2024, including €8bn in 2026 alone, according to Sifted. In an interview published June 25, 2026, Tencent’s EMEA chief investment and strategy officer Dr. Ling Ge warned that the sector’s “honeymoon phase” is over, with investors now prioritising long-term product relevance over rapid growth. Speaking alongside Fyxer cofounder Archie Hollingsworth and Prior Labs cofounder Sauraj Gambhir, Ge stated: “The best founders aren’t building for the next funding round; they’re building products customers will still depend on in five or 10 years.”
In-Depth:
Sifted reports that European agentic and generative AI startups have collectively raised €20bn since 2024, with €8bn raised so far in 2026, per Sifted. In an interview published June 25, 2026, Sifted spoke with Dr Ling Ge, chief investment and strategy officer for EMEA at Tencent, alongside Archie Hollingsworth (cofounder, Fyxer) and Sauraj Gambhir (cofounder, Prior Labs). Dr Ge notified Sifted that the European AI market’s “honeymoon phase” is over and that investors are prioritising founders who build products with long-term customer relevance. Ge is quoted: “The best founders aren’t building for the next funding round; they’re building products customers will still depfinish on in five or 10 years.”
