- Five European tech startups achieved unicorn status (valuations over $1 billion) in January 2026, despite some being incorporated outside of Europe.
- Aikido Security, Cast AI, Harmattan AI, Osapiens, and Preply secured significant funding rounds, demonstrating investor confidence in European tech.
- These companies span sectors including cybersecurity, cloud optimization, defense tech, ESG software, and language learning, showcasing diverse growth areas.

A: Did you hear about the news? So many new "unicorns" appeared!
B: No, what happened? Unicorns? Like, real unicorns?
A: Haha, no! In business, a "unicorn" is a company worth over a billion dollars. Five European startups just hit that mark!
B: Wow! That's a lot! Where are they from?
A: Everywhere! Belgium, Ukraine, Lithuania... even Germany!
A: Aikido Security is one. They're from Belgium and deal with cybersecurity. They got a huge investment!
B: Cybersecurity, huh? Important these days.
A: Definitely. They’re expanding their platform because so many teams are using it.
B: Cool. And Cast AI? I've never heard of them.
A: They’re a bit complicated. They’re based in Florida, but they have strong roots in Lithuania. So, Lithuania considers them a unicorn!
B: That’s interesting. So, it’s a bit tricky to define where these companies *really* belong, right?
A: Exactly! There's a note about that. It's because Europe doesn't have one unified corporate structure yet.
B: Makes sense. What else?
A: Harmattan AI is another! They’re a French defense tech company. They’re only two years old, but already worth over a billion!
B: Defense tech? Wow! That must be a really hot market right now.
A: It seems so. They even have partnerships with the French and British governments!
B: Incredible! And Osapiens?
A: They are a German company working on sustainability reporting. Big investors put money in them.
B: So they're helping companies be more eco-friendly? That’s good.
A: And finally, Preply!
B: Preply? The language learning platform?
A: Yep! They're from the US, but founded by Ukrainians. They're using the investment to hire more people and using AI to help people learn languages.
B: That’s amazing! It's great to see Ukrainian businesses doing so well, especially with everything happening there.
A: Totally! It shows a lot of resilience. But remember, just because they're unicorns doesn’t automatically mean they are super successful! It just means investors think they have potential.
B: Right, right. Still, it's really exciting news for the European tech scene!
A: Absolutely!