Meet the new European unicorns of 2026

January has been such a long year that it has already brought us five new European companies: from Belgium to Ukraine, several tech startups have raised funding at valuations above the symbolic threshold of $1 billion.

But before we take a closer look at who’s joined the club, there are two caveats.

First: This number includes startups that may be founded elsewhere but have their roots or a significant portion of their team in Europe. until EU Inc exists as a pan-European corporate structureThis dichotomy will remain common — and we have decided to ignore it. takes lovablewhich was founded in Delaware but is inseparable from Stockholm’s startup scene.

Second: Valuation does not equal commercial success, and it is too early to tell if all of these companies will follow in Lovable’s footsteps, with the company recently… Exceeding $300 million in annual recurring revenue. But in the current climate, the fact that VCs were willing to invest in them at unicorn valuations is a strong indication of how much they want to invest in them.

With those caveats out of the way, let’s dig deeper.

Aikido

A cybersecurity startup based in Belgium Aikido security I reached unicorn status with $60 million Series B. Valuing the company at $1 billion, the round was led by DST Global, with participation from PSG Equity, Singular, Notion Capital, and others.

According to a press release, the funding will help Aikido strengthen its platform, which is designed to standardize security across the entire software lifecycle and is already used by more than 100,000 teams globally. According to the same source, the Series B “follows a year of rapid growth for the company, including five-fold revenue growth and nearly three-fold customer growth.”

In a Blog postThe startup celebrated this milestone and its significance. According to its team, “In an industry dominated by heavyweights Palo Alto and Tel Aviv, Aikido shows that Europe can build a world-class software security company and win globally.”

Cast AI

Cloud optimization company Cast AI It is headquartered in Florida, but has Lithuanian roots and an important office in Vilnius – which explains why many now also consider it a He became the fifth unicorn in Lithuania.

Cast AI’s valuation now exceeds $1 billion is a result of Strategic investment from Pacific Alliance Ventures (PAV), the US-based corporate investment arm of Korea’s Shinsegae Group. In April 2025, Cast AI was lifted Series C worth $108 million Which is said to have already put the company in “near unicorn” territory.

Along with the latest funding round, the company also filed OMNI Compute for Artificial Intelligencewhich aims to help users deploy more AI workloads on fewer GPUs and remove regional capacity limitations.

Harmattan Amnesty International

French defense technology company Harmattan Amnesty International It was only established in 2024, but it is already worthy $1.4 billionAccording to the latest financing round. The $200 million Series B was led by Dassault Aviation, maker of the Rafale fighter jets, and is also linked to a broader partnership.

Before acquiring this key partner, Harmattan AI had already signed agreements with the French and British Ministries of Defense and with Ukrainian drone maker Skyeton, amid a growing appetite for autonomous defense aircraft.

Eusebien

German ESG software company Eusebien He grew up Series C of $100 million Led by Decarbonisation Partners, A A joint venture between BlackRock and Temasekwhich values ​​the company at more than $1.1 billion.

Founded in Mannheim in 2018, Osapiens now has more than 2,400 customers worldwide, including large multinational companies that rely on its platforms and tools for sustainability reporting and data compliance, but also to mitigate supply chain risks.

Prebly

The language learning market is fourteen years old Prebly It is now a $1.2 billion unicorn, which is also a notable achievement He embodies Ukrainian resilience. The edtech company was founded in the US, but its founders are Ukrainian and loyal to their home country, where Preply has a team of 150 employees.

According to its CEO, Kirill Begay, who believes in AI-reinforced learning, the $150 million proceeds from the D round will help the startup hire more AI talent across its four offices – now located in Barcelona, ​​London, New York and Kiev.