**Title:** Interview with Ophelia Brown: The Future of Crypto and the UK Tech Sector
**Description:**
In this insightful interview, Amy Lewin of Sifted sits down with Ophelia Brown, managing partner of Blossom Capital, a prominent VC fund in Europe. Blossom Capital has made strategic investments in high-growth companies such as Checkout.com, Moonpay, and Localyze. Ophelia shares her thoughts on the potential comeback of the crypto industry, as well as her candid opinions on the mismanagement of the UK tech sector.
As the conversation unfolds, Ophelia discusses the impact of the current market conditions on startups and the availability of venture capital. She emphasizes the importance of capital efficiency and maintaining control of one’s destiny for founders. Despite the downturn, Ophelia believes that there is still significant capital available for truly innovative companies with proven track records.
Ophelia also reflects on the investment criteria of Blossom Capital and how it has evolved through the pandemic. She highlights the importance of being in industries with structural tailwinds and the ability to adapt to changing consumer and enterprise needs.
The interview delves into specific companies within Blossom’s portfolio, such as checkout.com, and addresses the topic of valuation recalibration. Ophelia provides insights into the decision-making process behind internal valuations and their impact on employee compensation. She also touches on the perception of options as a form of compensation and addresses the possible concerns of employees regarding their potential upside.
Furthermore, Ophelia addresses the question of talent retention and recruitment in high-growth startups. She acknowledges that there is no one-size-fits-all approach and reveals that employees are becoming more aware of the uncertainties associated with startup options. Ultimately, she emphasizes the need for transparency and ongoing communication between founders and employees.
Overall, this interview offers valuable insights into the current state of the crypto industry, the challenges faced by the UK tech sector, and the considerations involved in valuing and compensating employees in startup environments.
**Tags:** sifted, europe, tech, startup, startups, siftedeu, smes, scaleup, techstartup, business, technology, digital, eu
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_Source Links:_
– [Sifted](https://sifted.eu/)
– [Blossom Capital](https://blossomcap.com/)
This week it’s another longer form interview. We’re joined by Ophelia Brown, managing partner of Blossom Capital, a VC fund that’s backed the likes of payments company Checkout.com, crypto exchange Moonpay and HR platform Localyze. She sat down with Sifted’s Amy Lewin to make her case for a crypto comeback, as well as giving some harsh words on the political mismanagement of the UK tech sector.
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