Sidekick FM - Brighteye

Brighteye
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Sidekick brings founder signals and practical insights from the future of learning & work. We distil the trends, frameworks, and lessons we see at Brighteye into short episodes with actionable takeaways for you to make better decisions and a European lens. Think of it as your weekly download: what’s shifting in the market, challenges that founders are facing, and strategies to navigate the realities of building a venture-backed company. Powered by Brighteye, Europe’s leading early-stage VC fund for learning & work. 👉 brighteyevc.com/sidekick

  1. 15 HR AGO

    2026 predictions: AI Training, Vanishing L&D Budgets, & Hyper-Specialised Agents

    In this episode, Rhys and David unpack our 2026 predictions for learning and work, and why the real shift isn’t about content, but about labour. Three structural changes are already underway: • AI training is exploding but context, not generic skills, will win • L&D budgets aren’t shrinking: they’re being absorbed into productivity and ops • Hyper-specialised AI agents are redesigning roles from the inside out For founders, this isn’t trend commentary. It’s about who controls the budget, how ROI is measured, and whether you’re selling access or productivity. In 2026, learning companies won’t compete on content. They’ll compete on labour outcomes. Links Brighteye Learning & Work Report 2026 https://www.brighteyevc.com/sidekick-posts/the-european-learning-work-funding-report-2026 The 2026 SaaS Crash: It’s Not What You Think https://www.saastr.com/the-2026-saas-crash-its-not-what-you-think

    15 min

  2. 4 FEB

    Beyond the numbers: Inside Brighteye’s European Learning & Work Funding Report 2026

    In this episode of Sidekick, David and Rhys go beyond the charts of Brighteye’s latest Learning & Work Funding Report to unpack what the data is really telling us. The key takeaway is not simply about funding going up or down. It points to a structural shift: learning is increasingly valued when it is embedded in systems and tied to tangible outcomes such as productivity, employability, compliance, or progression. The conversation explores the patterns that stood out across the data, the structural changes underway in the market, and the assumptions many founders are still holding onto for too long. A practical discussion for founders building in learning and future of work who want to understand where real value (and capital) is flowing.

    21 min

  3. 29 JAN

    New Brighteye Report 2026 - Prediction: Immigration as Europe’s Next Platform Layer

    Europe’s skills gap isn’t a short-term problem, it’s structural. In this short episode, David shares one clear prediction from Brighteye’s newly released Learning and Work Report (link below): immigration is becoming a platform layer for the future of European work. As work and talent go global, immigration systems remain fragmented, slow, and hard to navigate. David explores how the skills gap is being addressed in two ways: (1) importing talent and (2) building it locally - and why the convergence of these approaches will create the next generation of critical infrastructure companies in Europe. Read/Download Report: https://www.brighteyevc.com/sidekick-posts/the-european-learning-work-funding-report-2026

    3 min

  4. 05/12/2025

    The CFO test: The only training ROI metric that will matter in 2026

    In this episode, we unpack the hard truth shaping HR and L&D buying decisions in 2026: completion rates are irrelevant, operational impact is everything. David breaks down why proving tangible ROI is now non-negotiable as HR budgets tighten, and how showing real performance gains is the key to unlocking bigger, non-L&D budgets. If you’re building HRTech or EdTech in Europe, this simple shift will define your growth trajectory in 2026 and beyond.

    4 min

  5. 26/11/2025

    Udemy’s report: The hidden barrier to AI adoption

    In this episode, David breaks down new Udemy and YouGov research on how workers across the US, UK, India and Brazil are preparing for AI and reveals the real readiness gap leaders need to focus on. The problem isn’t technical skill. It’s miscalibration: workers believe they’re strong in communication, critical thinking and teamwork, while managers see these as the biggest gaps. Combined with a widespread belief that “AI won’t affect me”, founders face a psychological barrier, not an educational one. Read Udemy's report: https://business.udemy.com/fr/resources/yougov-research-ai-transformation/

    4 min

  6. 20/11/2025

    The AI marketplace revival (A breakdown of A16Z’s new piece)

    AI isn’t creating new marketplace categories yet. It’s bringing the “impossible” ones back. In this episode, And we look at why this shift is even more powerful in Europe, where labour costs and fragmentation used to make these models unscalable. If you’re building in talent, learning, or services, this might be the moment your category gets a second chance. Read the A16Z piece: https://www.a16z.news/p/marketplaces-in-the-age-of-ai

    6 min

  7. 13/11/2025

    The Market Insight: The one question that makes or breaks your fundraise!

    Every VC asks it (directly or indirectly) “what’s your market insight?”, but, in full transparency, only a few founders answer it well. In this episode, David breaks down how to uncover and articulate your real market insight: the shift, behaviour, or timing that makes your idea inevitable. From Duolingo to Airbnb, we explore what genuine insight looks like, why it builds conviction in investors, and how to craft your own “market insight” story before your next raise.

    5 min

  8. 28/10/2025

    AI takes your tasks, not your job

    Everyone’s worried about AI replacing workers but what if that’s the wrong narrative? In this episode, we explore how AI is reshaping tasks, not removing people. From the rise of “super-workers” to the hidden economic upside, we unpack why AI could lead to more jobs (not fewer) if we learn to redesign around it.

    5 min
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Sidekick brings founder signals and practical insights from the future of learning & work. We distil the trends, frameworks, and lessons we see at Brighteye into short episodes with actionable takeaways for you to make better decisions and a European lens. Think of it as your weekly download: what’s shifting in the market, challenges that founders are facing, and strategies to navigate the realities of building a venture-backed company. Powered by Brighteye, Europe’s leading early-stage VC fund for learning & work. 👉 brighteyevc.com/sidekick

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