Sifted Buys Onstage to Grow Events Division

Sifted has acquired the startup events company Onstage, marking its first foray into acquisitions. The deal, with undisclosed financial terms, aims to strengthen Sifted's commitment to supporting startup founders from their initial pitches through to growth and scaleup stages.

Onstage, founded in 2020 by Hector Mason and Taos Edmonson and later joined by Issie James, has become a notable player in the European startup scene with its flagship Demo Day and Deploy events. The Demo Day event attracts over 2,000 founder applicants per cycle, who present to an extensive network of more than 330 venture capital firms, including prominent names such as Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Balderton, and LocalGlobe. Companies showcased at these events have collectively raised over £500 million. Onstage’s Deploy event further extends this ecosystem by bridging leading VC firms with the limited partners backing them.

Sifted, known for its focus on the scaleup stage, seeks to expand its influence earlier in the startup lifecycle. "The timeline from startup to scaleup is getting much shorter... This acquisition perfectly fits our mission to represent European tech throughout the startup journey," stated Florencia Schiavon, Sifted's CEO. The move extends Sifted's capacity to engage with and augment the visibility of early-stage startups, complementing its existing Sifted Summit conference targeted at more advanced firms.

Onstage will maintain its operational model post-acquisition, offering free participation for startups at Demo Day and using an independent board for selection. Issie James will continue to oversee the event's transition under Sifted’s umbrella, ensuring continuity and adherence to Onstage’s proven model. The planned upcoming Demo Day in October remains on schedule. Hector Mason emphasized the advantage of combining Onstage’s program with Sifted’s reach in the startup ecosystem, predicting growth under Sifted’s management.

The acquisition excludes Onstage’s Fund and associated special purpose vehicle activities, which will continue independently. The integration signals Sifted's deeper commitment to becoming an essential node in Europe's startup ecosystem, challenging competitors and providing a potentially unique value proposition for both founders and the investment community. Looking ahead, Sifted’s influence may redefine market dynamics as it attempts to deliver a comprehensive support system crossing the threshold between early-stage innovation and established scaleups.