How many European startups became unicorns in January?

Five European tech startups achieved unicorn status in January.

Which countries are represented by the new European unicorns?

The new European unicorns include companies from Belgium and Ukraine, among others.

What does it mean for a startup to reach unicorn status?

Reaching unicorn status means a startup has achieved a valuation of over $1 billion.

Home / Business and Economy / Five European Startups Hit $1B+ Valuations

Five European Startups Hit $1B+ Valuations

1 Feb

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Summary

Five European tech startups achieved unicorn status in January.
Companies from Belgium to Ukraine joined the $1B+ valuation club.
Recent funding rounds signal strong VC appetite in Europe.

Five European Startups Hit $1B+ Valuations

January saw five European tech startups achieve unicorn status, surpassing the $1 billion valuation mark. These companies, spanning from Belgium to Ukraine, attracted significant venture capital investment, indicating a robust appetite for European innovation.

Belgium-based Aikido Security, a cybersecurity firm, reached unicorn valuation with a $60 million Series B. Lithuanian-rooted cloud optimization company Cast AI also exceeded $1 billion after a strategic investment. French defense tech startup Harmattan AI, founded in 2024, quickly achieved a $1.4 billion valuation.

German ESG software firm Osapiens raised $100 million to surpass $1.1 billion in valuation, serving over 2,400 customers globally. Ukrainian edtech company Preply, a language learning marketplace, is now valued at $1.2 billion, embodying resilience and future growth plans.