Sifted is looking for a part-time reporter covering the world of corporate innovation, looking at the way large corporations are working with startups, either through accelerator programmes, open innovation, building their own internal startups and investing.

We’re looking for a creative, collaborative and versatile journalist who is full of ideas, is familiar with these types of programmes and is well-connected with the companies and consultancies running them.

We’re looking for someone who could file 3-5 articles a month for us and possibly assist with additional projects as well.  We’re quite flexible on how many days or articles you would do for us, and rates of pay would vary accordingly.

N.B. We are advertising for several part-time reporter roles at the moment (to cover SaaS, consumer, foodtech, policy, mobility, VC, deeptech and sustainability). We do not plan to hire for all of them — but we’re always keen to hear from brilliant writers and journalists, so even if none of these positions seem quite right for you, please still get in touch at jobs@sifted.eu.

About Sifted

Sifted is a new media platform, backed by the Financial Times, reporting on the world of technology and startups in Europe. Two-and-a-half years after launching, we’ve become known for our high-quality journalism and fresh viewpoints, and a must-read for many founders, investors and people working in startups across the continent.

Our team of reporters, based across Europe, aren’t chasing the latest funding announcements or product releases; plenty of other sites have got that covered. We are telling the stories that should be told — big startup trends, compelling company profiles and the everyday lessons that come from growing a business and messing up along the way.

What Will You Be Doing?

Startup reporting often focuses on VC-backed companies, but relationships with big corporations are an equally important route for startups to gain the support they need to grow their businesses. At the same time, the pandemic has accelerated the desire for big companies to embrace new technologies and overhaul their own operations.

We want to stay on top of who well these projects are working — do corporate accelerator programmes really help startups? Do big companies get anything useful out of corporate investment programmes?  Who is working with whom? Many of these projects can be opaque and out of the public eye. We’re looking for someone who can help shine a light on them and explain how this part of the startup ecosystem really works.

Reporting to our innovation editor Maija, it will be your mission to drive our coverage of corporate innovation and help write the weekly Future Proof newsletter.

Core duties include:

• Have your finger on the pulse of corporate innovation stories
• Write deeply reported features about new projects or trends in this area
• Help gather the list of stories to include in the weekly Future Proof newsletter
• Interview large companies about their innovation programmes, helping to build up Sifted’s library of knowledge
• Build an impressive set of contacts and sources in corporate innovation
• Represent Sifted at relevant industry events
• Share your journalism via social media and grow a following on all channels

What Skills Do You Need?

We’re looking for someone who has at least two years’ experience reporting on some area of corporate and/or startups/tech and has excellent contacts in this sector. We want someone with fluent English, original (and plentiful) ideas and the ability to write clean and characterful copy. Ideally, you will be comfortable writing in a variety of formats, from news to features to data stories, and excited to work in an environment where things move fast and often change.

What Are We Like To Work For?

We have a small-company mindset, but big company goals, and can draw on many of the strengths and benefits of a world-respected brand, the Financial Times. We’re friendly, hard-working and passionate about what we do. We have a flat structure, collaborate across disciplines, and everyone has impact across many areas of the business. We value feedback, honesty and clear communication.

What Do We Offer?

• £1,000-£2,000 for 3-5 pieces per month, dependent on experience (we are flexible on how many days per week/articles per month you’d do for us)
• Weekly team lunches (virtual for now) and seemingly endless snacks (when in the office)
• Regular team socials… post-lockdown (eg. pub quizzes, dinners, theatre trips)

Location

We are open to remote applicants (in Europe).

How to apply

Please send an email explaining why you’d like to apply and why you think you’d be a good fit for this role to Michael and Maija at jobs@sifted.eu. Please attach a CV. Please mention Journo Resources when applying – it really helps us out.

Please also share:

• 3 articles you are proud of you wrote
• 3 ideas for stories you would write for Sifted
• 3 ideas for projects or events related to corporate innovation that you think Sifted should do