Sean Lightbown

Financial Writer

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Sean was a financial writer in PitchBook’s London office, working on the daily European newsletter. Previously, he worked in both London and New York for Mergermarket, writing and editing white-label reports for accounting firms, law firms and other service providers, covering topics including M&A, private equity and high-yield debt.

Sean holds a BSc in Politics with Economics from the University of Bath, and is a long-suffering Bolton Wanderers supporter.

Articles by Sean Lightbown

Bridging the gap: How EQT Ventures aims to help startups cross the Atlantic

From his own experience, Alastair Mitchell knows what it takes for European startups to make it in the US. Now, as a partner with EQT Ventures, he’s helping today’s founders make the same transatlantic journey.

February 24, 2019

Understanding the IPO market’s pop culture

With the likes of Uber potentially listing, 2019 will cast the spotlight back on stock markets, particularly on opening day. But if public markets are for the long term, why do we obsess over “pop”?

February 11, 2019

How Brexit could affect startup funding in the UK

The UK leaving the EU is causing uncertainty in corporate and venture circles, yet private capital continues to flow. What will the impact of Brexit really be on startup funding?

January 28, 2019

The Series A team: The top 5 investors in Europe’s Series A rounds

In the “fewer but bigger” age of venture captial, early-stage deal figures have suffered as a result. However, a look at the numbers suggests one particular series has been a survivor.

January 23, 2019

Snoop Dogg aims for another VC hit with Klarna deal

The US rapper is showing no sign of slowing down his VC activity, adding the Swedish payments unicorn to an already-impressive portfolio of investments.

January 16, 2019

Why women investing in women matters

Female entrepreneurs are woefully underserved by traditional VC, which some argue is not only an injustice but also a wasted opportunity. We spoke to seven women on why that is and how to change the status quo.

January 14, 2019

With $300M, N26 looks to make a splash in the US

The German fintech company is valued at $2.7 billion after this latest round, and it’s aiming to break ground in a country ripe for financial services innovation.

January 9, 2019

The deals that made 2018 the year of VC secondaries

From Uber to Ola, check out our analysis of investments in five companies that put VC secondary deals on the map this year.

December 18, 2018

The deals that shook European M&A in 2018

Overall activity may be down, but the drama is still as high as ever. And as 2018 draws to a close, we take a look at some of the most complex and contentious deals made in the last year.

December 16, 2018

Europe’s 2018 VC- and PE-backed IPO highlights

From Spotify’s NYSE splash to Aston Martin gearing up in London, we look back at some of the biggest listings from Europe’s VC- and PE-backed companies.

December 11, 2018