January has been such a long month that it has already brought us five new European startups: from Belgium to Ukraine, several tech startups have raised funding at valuations above the $1 billion threshold.
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 a pan-European institutional structure is created (often called “EU Inc”), this division will remain common – and we have decided to ignore it. Take Lovable, which 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 know whether all of these companies will achieve the kind of traction that Lovable has achieved 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 Financing round. 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. The company also recorded “five-fold revenue growth and nearly three-fold customer growth” over the past year.
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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 a main office in Vilnius – which explains why many now consider it to be… The fifth rhinoceros in Lithuania.
Cast AI’s valuation now exceeds $1 billion Strategic investment from Pacific Alliance Ventures (PAV), the US-based corporate investment arm of Korea’s Shinsegae Group. In April 2025, Cast AI raised a $108 million Series C which is said to have already brought the company close to 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 Decarbonization Partners, a joint venture between BlackRock and Temasek, which valued 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 14-year-old language learning market Prebly It is now a unicorn worth $1.2 billion – an achievement that also exemplifies 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.
