Around ten staff have lost their jobs following the decision by Techcrunch to pull out of the UK and Europe.
Laid-off journalists include the site’s veteran editor-at-large Mike Butcher. The move follows private equity firm Regent LP buying Techcrunch from Yahoo Inc in March 2025.
At the time of the acquisition, Regent LP said: “Techcrunch has been the number one publisher for all things startups since its founding in 2005, and we’re thrilled to expand its reach as it provides breaking technology news, opinions, and analysis on tech companies worldwide to our audience.”
Techcrunch’s Connie Loizos wrote at the time: “This deal is structured to ensure minimal disruption to Techcrunch’s operations. You can almost think of it more like a software update rather than a system overhaul… The same team of expert journalists you know and trust will continue bringing you the must-read stories of the tech world.”
Butcher wrote on Linkedin that his departure was “bittersweet”, saying: “I didn’t leave Techcrunch on my own terms. Regent LP, a private equity firm, acquired Techcrunch and laid off most of the international team. They thought international startup coverage wasn’t essential. I strongly disagree with that decision.”
The affected staff working for Techcrunch’s European operations, including experienced reporters who had worked for the site for more than a decade, some of whom had written thousands of pieces on Europe’s startups.
Cutbacks at Techcrunch come as Business Insider has cut more than 100 staff from its UK and London teams, with tech journalists particularly hard hit. Those losing their jobs at Business Insider include three US-based technology correspondents and at least two UK-based technology reporters.
Techcrunch is a free site funded by revenue from advertising, sponsorship and events.
Voice of the tech startup scene
Techcrunch was founded in 2005 by Archimedes Ventures and became a global voice of the tech start-up scene, being bought by AOL for $25m in 2010.
The publication featured in the HBO television series Silicon Valley, and the European branch was instrumental in startups securing funding.
The company diversified into live events with its annual Disrupt conference, which saw giants like DropBox launched on stage, and launched directory business Crunchbase, which was bought by AOL in 2011 and then spun out as an independent company in 2015.
Technology publicist Jazz Gandhi, founder of Duet public relations, said: “Techcrunch Europe was more than just a media outlet, it built a European community coupled with caring, talented, intelligent journalists to match – many of whom I love and respect.
“Without TC Europe in our lives, I’m loath to think what will happen to the European startup community who needs the support from this publication.”
Techcrunch had 9.4 million visitors in April 2025, down from 12.12 million in September 2024, according to analytics firm Semrush.
According to Similarweb, Techrunch had 10.5 million visits in May, with 58% of these in the US and 5% in the UK.
After the merger of Verizon and AOL, Verizon sold media assets including Yahoo and Techcrunch to private equity firm Apollo Global Management in 2021 for $5bn, and the assets were rebranded as Yahoo Inc.
Who is affected by closure of Techcrunch in Europe?
It is believed up to ten staff may have been affected at Techcrunch Europe, and several high-profile reporters and editors confirmed they were leaving.
Editor-at-large Butcher worked for the site for 18 years, earning an MBE for services to journalism and technology. He was initially the publication’s only employee in Europe, but was joined by other employees, and interviewed major figures including Jimmy Wales and Tony Blair.
He said in a statement: “We face possibly the most exciting time ever in the tech industry. To say that there is plenty happening in technology is an understatement. How Europe shapes its own tech future is becoming increasingly relevant, especially geopolitically.
“But those stories cannot only be told by ‘influencers’ or VCs with podcasts, no matter how polished they are. There is still a role for independent journalism that doesn’t have a vested interest in the subjects it’s talking about, or to.”
Romain Dillet was senior reporter at Techcrunch until April 2025, writing more than 3,500 articles focusing on technology and tech startups with a particular focus on the French tech scene.
He said in a statement: “Back in 2012, I applied for an internship at TechCrunch because I truly believed in TechCrunch’s mission — technology was poised to change the world, and we needed to cover this industry rigorously.
“Unlike typical newsrooms, Techcrunch is first and foremost a team of tech enthusiasts who happen to be reporters. We understand how a tech product works and have covered this industry with the right dose of skepticism, avoiding both cynicism and cheerleading.
“After this 2012 internship, I essentially created a job for myself and received the internal support to pursue this dream job here in Paris. In my articles, I made private information public because I believed it was the best way to level the playing field for newcomers. I explained the ins and outs of the startup world to inspire and educate the next generation of entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers.
“After writing 3,500 articles over the past 13 years, I’ve learned that concise writing is more potent than longer writing. So, I’ll end here with a simple message: thank you for reading my articles.”
Paul Sawers, a senior writer based In London, said in a Linkedin post: “That’s a wrap, folks. I’ve left TechCrunch after a pretty great three years — this isn’t how I hoped it would all end, but nothing lasts forever.
“While I’ve had a few early-stage conversations already, I’m not at the point of pulling the trigger on anything yet… I am kind of intrigued to see if there are any interesting new projects currently bubbling under the surface that I might be able to help out with in the long-term.”
“More generally, there is so much stuff happening in Europe — so many founders building the tools and infrastructure for tomorrow’s world; so much change and upheaval. And these stories won’t get told the way the media landscape is at present. I really don’t know what to do about that — I feel there is an opportunity in there somewhere.”
Sawers is continuing with his own Forkable tech project, focusing on open source, with a weekly newsletter.
Ingrid Lunden, a writer and editor at Techcrunch, said that she enjoyed being “part of an underdog story”.
She said: “I joined Techcrunch in February 2012, when it was a tiny team limping after a founder coup, a major time of change. Many people were writing TC’s obit, dancing on its grave. That convinced me to join and think about how I could contribute to its bounce back.
“All the same, I panicked about the prospect of working for the mighty Techcrunch and what seemed like an edgy and demanding workplace from the outside.
“I did find my groove, and the people turned out to be just wonderful. I ended up working at TC for 13 yes, 13 years. I wrote more than 6,500 stories. I scooped a lot of news. I learned so much about tech that I’m now nearly able to write about it without the help of Google.
“I met tons of investors and founders. I think I helped build the international operation and put TC more on the global map.I’ve always thought that TechCrunch, at its best, is a mix of answering three questions: “what do people want to know about”, “what should they know about” and “why should we care.”
“I hope for TC to keep burning bright. To my friends still there: Be brave, keep swimming.”
Natasha Lomas, senior reporter, has announced a new job as tech editor at Euractiv, as well as freelance work.
Lomas said in a statement: “After more than a decade covering startups and tech policy for TechCrunch in Europe, it’s time to confirm some personal news: I’m now looking for a new home for my public interest reporting. This means I will be taking (literally!) thousands of fascinating conversations with me to my next gig – having had the privilege to talk to so many exceptionally smart people, who are building or otherwise shaping the future, across domains including AI, health tech, climate, fundamental rights and more.
“While digital technology is more widely distributed than ever, its impacts continue to be unevenly and even sharply felt. This is a big part of why reporting on all this fast-moving change remains vital work, IMO. If you share this perspective and would like to see my byline at your publication – or just fancy a conversation about future (editorial) possibilities – get in touch! I’m excited to find out what’s next.”
Carly Page, the site’s senior reporter for Cybersecurity, announced she had been made redundant and was returning to freelance work.
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